Tampa Versus Charlotte and Jacksonville

[heights unknown]

Please read the below article from TAMPABAY.COM. Since Tampa has had great success since the early 80's, they quickly forget where they come from, where they've been, and what they were before the Buccaneers came to town; not that the Bucaneers are the sole reason for Tampa's success, but they played a large part in exposing the world as to who and what the Tampa Bay Metro, in particular the City of Tampa, Florida was and is.

Of late, since Tampa has and is experiencing hard times (like most big cities in America), now it seems to have a hard down identity crises; so what do they do?  Choose two Southern cities that might be breathing down their neck, of which one had "hands down" crushed Tampa, and that is Charlotte; Jacksonville on the other hand is still trying to find itself, sweep up the garbage, and become the great city that it truly can be but has a hard time grasping how to accomplish that feat.

All of this being said, check out the article by clicking on the below URL from TAMPABAY.COM.  Tampa truly seems to be having a problem right now and the only thing that it can do to make itself look or feel better is to point fingers at other Southern cities; why didn't they point a finger at Atlanta?

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/economicdevelopment/charlotte-jacksonville-offer-economic-lessons-for-tampa-bays-future/1058785

[Sportmotor]

Charlotte NC? Id go there in a heartbeat
YAY for MOUNTAINS and RIVERS and RAPIDS and Beaches!

[Dan B]

Actually, I think they pretty well nailed it. They arent tripping over themselves to dish on us, so much as to try to learn from us what meandering downtown interest, and a general lack of interest in an urban core, will bring to them if they follow the same path.

[heights unknown]

I know it's the truth, you know it's the truth, and of course they know it's the truth...so, why do they have to learn from us if they are supposedly doing so well?  Mind your own house and everything will take care of itself.  They said what they said because their success, growth and prosperity has come to a halt and they are afraid they might go down the same path.  Fear is an awful thing.

Stare your demons down and you will overcome them, and, you won't fear them anymore.  Something our beloved Jax needs to learn.

"HU"

[JeffreyS]

Sadly I feel a little flattered that the columnist feels Jacksonville is peer fits in this little trinity. I wish we all felt that way.

[tufsu1]

Sadly I feel a little flattered that the columnist feels Jacksonville is peer fits in this little trinity. I wish we all felt that way.

See what happens when you look at a city from the outside....its simila to what many on this site see when articles/pictures are posted from other places.

[thelakelander]

^Did I read the article wrong?  It looks like they are using us as an example of how NOT to develop a downtown.

[heights unknown]

^Did I read the article wrong?  It looks like they are using us as an example of how NOT to develop a downtown.

That's what I'm saying, and they shouldn't have done that.  You didn't read it wrong at all Lake. There are other big cities in the South they could have pointed at but they picked Jacksonville, a Sister Florida City who used to have it over on Tampa.

Now that Jax is floundering, they're taking their chance to take their cheap shots; just the way I see it.

"HU"

[David]

They don't have many cities they can point fingers at and say "hey, we're doing better than them!" So of course Jax is a natural target.

They may be ahead of the curve when it comes to downtown redevelopment, but Tampa isn't a significant upgrade over Jax by any means.

heh, I’ve heard people describing it as a "trashy wanna-be Orlando" at times.

Tampa suffers from the same identity crisis that Jax does. Don't let them fool ya.

[thelakelander]

I've always and still prefer Tampa over Orlando.  Tampa feels like a urban city.  Orlando still lacks that feel on a large level.  Anyway, Tampa definitely have it's issues but they do have Ybor, the Channel District, a streetcar line and a couple of museums under construction.  They still have a way to go, but they have had some success in the connectivity arena, which in turn, breeds additional walkable development, which creates the vibrant nodes DT Jax still lacks.  If we can take anything from Tampa, a lesson on the results of urban connectivity would be beneficial.

[mtraininjax]

Having been to Tampa for the ACCCG last week, and staying on Harbour Island, I can tell you the city is isolated from the activities near their stadium. Sure their airport is closer to their downtown, but those areas appear to have grown in over the years, much like we are seeing between our downtown and our airport. I especially like the fact that we can take a simple $4 water taxi ride from the landing to the games, not many other places can boast that. Our river is our most valuable asset, and we need to do more to capitalize and build on that great fact.

Forget "Where Florida Begins", we should bring back "River City" and build upon that with events, nightlife and expansion of downtown to co-incide with the river.

[redglittercoffin]

I don't mean to take this too far off topic, but mtrain reminded me.  I never did like "Where Florida Begins."  To me, it always said "Hey, don't forget us, we are in Florida too -- We aren't Orlando, Miami, Tampa, PCB or Daytona, but we are here too."

"The River City" is boring, but at least it shows some central focus and something to be a focal point on which all else can grow from.

[Cricket]

I think that Jacksonville, because of its sheer size, will always find itself in the crosshairs. We see our own Jacksonville as the big little city which we defend because it is human to defend the city we live in. But other cities see Jacksonville as the big and older brother who refuses to go to college, and really ought to know better.

The size of this city and its location, both geographically and weather-wise with all of the commercial implicatons, puts us in a much better orbit potentially than either Tampa or Charlotte. It's the potential of Jacksonville that set us apart. It just needs to be exploited.

[heights unknown]

I don't mean to take this too far off topic, but mtrain reminded me.  I never did like "Where Florida Begins."  To me, it always said "Hey, don't forget us, we are in Florida too -- We aren't Orlando, Miami, Tampa, PCB or Daytona, but we are here too."

"The River City" is boring, but at least it shows some central focus and something to be a focal point on which all else can grow from.

I think "Where Florida Begins" is also telling everyone that it all started in Jacksonville...and it did.  When Jacksonville first began as Cowford, and a couple of decades down the line when it became Jacksonville, Miami wasn't even thought of, South Florida had little to no towns, and Tampa was a small town; Jax was the premier City in Florida at that time...so, it all began here in the Jacksonville area, North Florida, and then filtered on down.  Now that Jax is seeing hard times, I guess Tampa is seizing the opportunity because it is in much better shape, success-wise, than Jax.

"HU"

[redglittercoffin]

I think "Where Florida Begins" is also telling everyone that it all started in Jacksonville...and it did.  When Jacksonville first began as Cowford, and a couple of decades down the line when it became Jacksonville, Miami wasn't even thought of, South Florida had little to no towns, and Tampa was a small town; Jax was the premier City in Florida at that time...so, it all began here in the Jacksonville area, North Florida, and then filtered on down.  Now that Jax is seeing hard times, I guess Tampa is seizing the opportunity because it is in much better shape, success-wise, than Jax.

"HU"

That's good stuff.  I like the historical perspective, and it does add a bit to it. 

I'm glad our leaders embrace it by helping to preserve some of our great history downtown.  </sarcasm>