5 American Cities Nearly Destroyed by the Recession
January 26th, 2012 at 9:19:24 PM
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The article 5 American Cities Nearly Destroyed by the Recession has one city that I would never have guessed.
The other 4 are:
* Flint, MI
* Champaign-Urbana, IL
* Reno-Sparks, NV
* Carson City, NV
Before you read the article can you guess the 5th city (Hint: it is in California)?
The other 4 are:
* Flint, MI
* Champaign-Urbana, IL
* Reno-Sparks, NV
* Carson City, NV
Before you read the article can you guess the 5th city (Hint: it is in California)?
January 26th, 2012 at 9:23:53 PM
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I was in Reno a few weeks back. The cabbie was telling me that inbound flights were down more than 50% from a few years ago and that several casinos folded and are now non-gaming apartments or condos. That's not stopping a small tech incubator just down the street from Harrah's from giving it a whirl...
"In my own case, when it seemed to me after a long illness that death was close at hand, I found no little solace in playing constantly at dice."
-- Girolamo Cardano, 1563
January 26th, 2012 at 9:32:53 PM
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Stockton.
"Dice, verily, are armed with goads and driving-hooks, deceiving and tormenting, causing grievous woe." -Rig Veda 10.34.4
January 26th, 2012 at 9:49:11 PM
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My guess is Victorville. A bedroom community of L.A., on the way to Vegas. The Apple Valley area saw a lot of home construction in the boom years, as a convenient place to build, but there are not enough people in the area to occupy them.
I'm not surprised Reno is on the list. The downtown is truly depressing. I've remarked on this before but the old Fitzgerald's is on a prime intersection on Virginia Avenue, and nobody even wants it. It has been vacant for years. It would be like nobody wanting to implode an old eyesore on the Strip and Flamingo to build something decent.
I'm not surprised Reno is on the list. The downtown is truly depressing. I've remarked on this before but the old Fitzgerald's is on a prime intersection on Virginia Avenue, and nobody even wants it. It has been vacant for years. It would be like nobody wanting to implode an old eyesore on the Strip and Flamingo to build something decent.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 26th, 2012 at 10:06:03 PM
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Quote: Wizard
I'm not surprised Reno is on the list. The downtown is truly depressing. I've remarked on this before but the old Fitzgerald's is on a prime intersection on Virginia Avenue, and nobody even wants it. It has been vacant for years. It would be like nobody wanting to implode an old eyesore on the Strip and Flamingo to build something decent.
If Wikipedia is to be believed, the former Fitzgerald's is now CommRow, a non-gaming entertainment "adventure" destination. Looks like they have concerts, a rock climbing wall, restaurants, and other activities. It's certainly a very ambitious attempt to revive downtown Reno, hopefully it will succeed.
"I believe I've passed the age/of consciousness and righteous rage/I've found that just surviving was a noble fight...
I once believed in causes too/I had my pointless point of view/And life went on no matter who was wrong or right..." --Billy Joel
January 26th, 2012 at 10:06:25 PM
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Flint is a hole and its always been a hole. How
can you tell the difference in Flint from 20 years
ago till now, it looks the same. You could probably
buy all the houses on this street for $10k. For the
whole street.
can you tell the difference in Flint from 20 years
ago till now, it looks the same. You could probably
buy all the houses on this street for $10k. For the
whole street.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 26th, 2012 at 10:10:55 PM
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That picture could easily be captioned as "Youngstown, OH" or "Johnstown, PA" and none would be the wiser.
Actually, that street could possibly pass for one of the BETTER neighborhoods in Youngstown.
Actually, that street could possibly pass for one of the BETTER neighborhoods in Youngstown.
"I believe I've passed the age/of consciousness and righteous rage/I've found that just surviving was a noble fight...
I once believed in causes too/I had my pointless point of view/And life went on no matter who was wrong or right..." --Billy Joel
January 26th, 2012 at 11:19:55 PM
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Quote: OneAngryDwarfThat picture could easily be captioned as "Youngstown, OH" or "Johnstown, PA" and none would be the wiser.
.
Those streets are American Dream streets. The houses were built between
1910 and 1930, mostly by European immigrants. They were nice neighborhoods
where our parents and grandparents grew up. They were slowly taken over
by minorities in the 50's and 60's and this is whats left. A real shame..
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 27th, 2012 at 2:01:08 AM
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Quote: WizardMy guess is Victorville. A bedroom community of L.A., on the way to Vegas. The Apple Valley area saw a lot of home construction in the boom years, as a convenient place to build, but there are not enough people in the area to occupy them.
The 5th area on the report is Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA
January 27th, 2012 at 4:08:30 AM
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Having lived in Champaign for 6 years, and having family living there now, I know that this article is full of crap.
Champaign is a college town that is doing just fine. There's no way that it's among the top 5 cities hurting from the recession. No chance.
Champaign is a college town that is doing just fine. There's no way that it's among the top 5 cities hurting from the recession. No chance.
January 27th, 2012 at 8:03:40 AM
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Quote: WizardIt would be like nobody wanting to implode an old eyesore on the Strip and Flamingo to build something decent.
Hey I like the Flamingo! /me grumbles
"So drink gamble eat f***, because one day you will be dust." -ontariodealer
January 27th, 2012 at 8:39:44 AM
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Quote: pacomartinThe 5th area on the report is Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA
You've got to be kidding me. Your average house there is still about $300 square/foot. Compare that to about $60 in Vegas. When I lived there in the eighties there was a severe labor shortage, because the cost of housing was so high. I worked in a janitorial business and we were happy to hire anybody with a heartbeat. In my annual visits there in the summer things seems just fine. If anything, Santa Barbara needed some deflating.
I also object to lumping Santa Maria in with Santa Barbara. They are about 60 miles apart and nothing alike. It would be like lumping Bakersfield with Beverly Hills.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 27th, 2012 at 9:08:49 AM
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Quote: WizardYou've got to be kidding me.
I know. If I had to pick the five communities that were completely destroyed by the recession, I wouldn't think Santa Barbara would make the top 200.
January 27th, 2012 at 11:07:56 AM
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I think "nearly destroyed" should not be in the title. Whoever wrote that might not be the author of the article, that happens with newspapers you know. The cities fit the bill of the parameters being examined, which are a combination of jobs lost / jobs recovered. I'm sure living in Santa Barbara is still swell, as long as you aren't needing a construction job.
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!” She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
January 27th, 2012 at 12:53:15 PM
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Quote: odiousgambitWhoever wrote that might not be the author of the article, that happens with newspapers you know.
You're probably right. I've written a lot of articles for magazines and other web sites and they always use their own titles, usually something more sensational than I would have chosen.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 27th, 2012 at 1:09:12 PM
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Quote: pacomartinI know. If I had to pick the five communities that were completely destroyed by the recession, I wouldn't think Santa Barbara would make the top 200.
I know people that live in SB and their property
value was barely effected. Its a service oriented
city, jobs lost were in the service industry, not
construction or manufactoring.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
