July 2, 201212 yr ^ Which means there's a product people want, and if it were advertised we could rake in even more dough. Maybe we should poll the tourists about what they like and make some ads touting those things.
July 2, 201212 yr You guys realize that, in terms of tourism dollars made, Ohio destroys Michigan and a majority of other states. Ohio makes close to $40 billion a year on tourism... Michigan maybe half that. I don't know if I can believe that. If it's true, is it because of Cedar Point adding alot to that number. Also, I would have to think Michigan rakes in close to Ohio with all the Chicago"ans" having their cottages there.
July 2, 201212 yr You guys realize that, in terms of tourism dollars made, Ohio destroys Michigan and a majority of other states. Ohio makes close to $40 billion a year on tourism... Michigan maybe half that. Strictly speaking on the effectiveness of the ad campaign. Ohio has nothing similar. I think we should, and we have something like 900 different celebrities who could narrate!
July 2, 201212 yr ^ Which means there's a product people want, and if it were advertised we could rake in even more dough. Maybe we should poll the tourists about what they like and make some ads touting those things. I wouldn't be surprised though if there were a lot of intrastate tourism dollars flowing around. We have a boat in Sandusky and I am sure that if we were to take it over to Put In Bay or Kelley's Island we would be counted as tourists. Finding out what is driving people to certain places from out of state is going to be much more beneficial than people instate. Although if you go south of Columbus and mention that there are islands in Ohio they will give you the dumbest look ever (I know I was one once).
July 2, 201212 yr We have a boat in Sandusky All right then, Party at your place! The Lake Erie Islands, despite their popularity locally, still manage to be something of a secret.
July 2, 201212 yr People from the coasts lose their minds laughing when we talk about going to the beach. They have no idea that our reservoirs have beaches on them.
July 2, 201212 yr In addition to reservoirs, we also have a number of popular lakes, at least up here in the northeast part of the state. They tend to be a little more blue-collar and locally-oriented, though, so I tend to think of them as local attractions, not national draws. There probably aren't hordes of people coming in from out of state for Portage Lakes, but the beaches and restaurant scattered around those lakes are popular attractions for residents of the Greater Akron area. However, I would not look to tourism as a primary driver of growth, even with all of our professional sports, convention facilities, amusement parks, beaches, camping, etc. together. While we should certainly not neglect travel and tourism, we will never be Florida.
July 2, 201212 yr I was thinking of an ad campaign highlighting economic benefits moreso than tourism.
July 2, 201212 yr We have a boat in Sandusky All right then, Party at your place! The Lake Erie Islands, despite their popularity locally, still manage to be something of a secret. I travel full time for a living. It is amazing how many people have heard of the Flats in Cleveland, but not the islands. They generally shake their heads in disbelief when I tell them the Flats no longer exist. That was Cleveland's big chance to become a tourist destination. The casino and hotels should of went up in about 1992, along with a huge police presence. Woulda coulda shoulda....time marches on.
July 2, 201212 yr We have a boat in Sandusky All right then, Party at your place! The Lake Erie Islands, despite their popularity locally, still manage to be something of a secret. I travel full time for a living. It is amazing how many people have heard of the Flats in Cleveland, but not the islands. They generally shake their heads in disbelief when I tell them the Flats no longer exist. That was Cleveland's big chance to become a tourist destination. The casino and hotels should of went up in about 1992, along with a huge police presence. Woulda coulda shoulda....time marches on. Even just recently I've had friends or relatives get into town and say "lets go to the Flats!" Awkward.
July 3, 201212 yr Wow, I didn't realize that Ohio was doing that well in the tourism department and I'd imagine it could do even better if the state as a whole were to sell what the Cs have to offer visitores along with the best small towns (everyone should know Yellow Springs) and best natural features (Lake Erie Islands: yes, islands in Ohio). Would these lead to a higher growth rate? I doubt it would have that much of an effect, but it would improve the average perception of the state. As for not being able to compare Ohio's cities, no they're not going to be replicas of Portland, Mpls, etc but they could offer similar amenities on a comparable scale, isn't that fair to say? There was nothing stopping any of the Cs from directing funding to progressive urban policies instead of regressive ones expect themselves. Only someone who has not experienced a (for the US) largely walkable and bikeable city would say that those qualities shouldn't be priorities for encouraging growth in Ohio. If you want more young liberals in your cities then your cities need to cater to their needs by taking some serious initiative instead of making a minimum effort for the sake of show rather than transforming the city as a whole. I don't totally buy the argument that Ohio's cities are lacking due to there being three major cities close to each other in the same state while cities like Mpls and Chicago are the big city in the state. So what if X is the only large city in your state? You can, with enough determination, move out of state and are not stuck inside of the invisible borders of your native state. The three Cs being located close together is not the reason behind Ohioans moving to the coasts, nor is it the reason people on the coasts aren't by and large moving to Ohio. jbcmh1, your whole regurgitating demonstrably false statements schtick is getting old. Whether you like it or not, I did consider the prospect of relying on COTA for some days in winter to be unbearable and there's only so many times you can do High St before it's all been done, which is a personal preference sure, but hey I waited around for over five years for other streets to turn around so it's not like I didn't dig my heels in for a good while. Columbus, as you very well know, has lost tens of thousands of inner-city residents, again, from 2000-2010 which is the only interesting part of Columbus we'd bother with here on UrbanOhio anyway. Unless you have photographic evidence of all of the growth occurring in Krumm Park, Driving Park, Linden and so on and so forth Columbus is dealing with over 6,000 abandoned properties in these areas and it'll get worse since the city has no serious plans to address these areas. Or are you really proud that generic apartment complexes and new stripmalls are still Columbus' #1 method of development that goes unchecked all around the city? As for Mpls losing residents just as Ohio's cities have (see Wikipedia pages on respective cities): Mpls 1980 370,951 −14.6% 1990 368,383 −0.7% 2000 382,618 3.9% 2010 382,578 0% Cleveland 1980 573,822 −23.6% 1990 505,616 −11.9% 2000 478,403 −5.4% 2010 396,815 −17.1% Cincinnati 1980 385,460 −14.8% 1990 364,040 −5.6% 2000 331,285 −9.0% 2010 296,945 −10.4% And unlike Columbus, Mpls isn't hiding its population loss with annexation: the stabilization of the population in the 80s and growth in the 90s is all in the inner city and guess what Mpls did differently? It provided serious city funding to several neighborhood led revitalization efforts (not all at once of course) and that was the result. I don't understand how it's so unfair to expect Ohio's cities to likewise do the same so that they can reap the rewards and at least collectively stabilize their population losses with growth in newly invested urban neighborhoods. Once again, Cincinnati is leading the way with comparable efforts in Northside and continued efforts in the large and dense OTR, the streetcar, but it can't stop there and tame projects like 103 miles of bikeways from 2010-2015 (20.6 miles per year) isn't going to get Streetfilms cred. Again, Ohio's cities need to do something big, so why not do something big? Forumers here are always lamenting about how overlooked Ohio is in general and it's three main cities in particular, so if you want to get national attention that requires some major forward-thinking feats.
July 3, 201212 yr I don't like broad, general statements like if you want to attract young liberals, build bike paths. While I do think bike paths can be a great asset to a city like good mass transit and walkable streets, I don't think Bike paths alone will make any city a high growth area. I think rebuilding neighborhoods begins with reestablishing a strong neighborhood centers, like mini town squares where new investment can spread out from. Bike ways, transit, etc can complement this type of development well.
July 3, 201212 yr Wow, I didn't realize that Ohio was doing that well in the tourism department and I'd imagine it could do even better if the state as a whole were to sell what the Cs have to offer visitores along with the best small towns (everyone should know Yellow Springs) and best natural features (Lake Erie Islands: yes, islands in Ohio). Would these lead to a higher growth rate? I doubt it would have that much of an effect, but it would improve the average perception of the state. So being one of the top states nationally in tourism dollars equates to "it could do better"? :roll: And you don't believe the 3-Cs have anything to offer, so why suggest the state sell that image? Your entire purpose here is to claim how awesome everywhere else is. As for not being able to compare Ohio's cities, no they're not going to be replicas of Portland, Mpls, etc but they could offer similar amenities on a comparable scale, isn't that fair to say? There was nothing stopping any of the Cs from directing funding to progressive urban policies instead of regressive ones expect themselves. Only someone who has not experienced a (for the US) largely walkable and bikeable city would say that those qualities shouldn't be priorities for encouraging growth in Ohio. If you want more young liberals in your cities then your cities need to cater to their needs by taking some serious initiative instead of making a minimum effort for the sake of show rather than transforming the city as a whole. How about Ohio's cities find their own identities? It seems to me that one of the big mistakes they've been making over the years is always trying to find the next "big thing" in terms of emulation instead of focusing on the basics. Ohio's cities are interesting enough, whether you believe it or not, to find their own footing and create their own identities. And what makes you think the 3-Cs are not improving their urban cores? All evidence suggests that they are. jbcmh1, your whole regurgitating demonstrably false statements schtick is getting old. What "demonstrably false statements" have I made? Whether you like it or not, I did consider the prospect of relying on COTA for some days in winter to be unbearable and there's only so many times you can do High St before it's all been done, which is a personal preference sure, but hey I waited around for over five years for other streets to turn around so it's not like I didn't dig my heels in for a good while. You won't find me arguing that COTA is a great option. It's really not. They have expanded hours and service every year recently and have the highest ridership growth in the nation, but overall, their service still leaves a lot to be desired. Up until recently, Columbus was and only was a true auto city. Most of its growth occurred during the age of the car and the national trends of suburbs over urban. Only within the past few years have those trends changed. I expect more options to come eventually. Over 5,000 rental units alone are under construction in the urban core, not including some large projects yet to be announced. This will only put more focus on providing alternatives. Columbus, as you very well know, has lost tens of thousands of inner-city residents, again, from 2000-2010 which is the only interesting part of Columbus we'd bother with here on UrbanOhio anyway. Yes, it did. Very few cities nationally saw urban growth during the same time, and even the Sun Belt cities saw very little despite high overall growth. My point was not that Columbus had growth there, only that you make other cities, including Minneapolis, as these oasis where national trends don't and haven't applied. You constantly praise these places as progressive and years ahead, yet none of that stopped the losses, so apparently these weren't as important as you made them out to be. Also, according to the last population estimates, most of Franklin County's areas are growing. Whitehall, Bexley, Worthington, Grandview, Lockbourne, Marble Cliff and Minerva Park, representing all sides of the city, were all places that lost population 2000-2010 but gained during the last year. Columbus itself grew almost 11,000 from the census to July 2011 and the city grew at a faster rate than the suburbs, also mirroring what seems to be an emerging national trend. Unless you have photographic evidence of all of the growth occurring in Krumm Park, Driving Park, Linden and so on and so forth Columbus is dealing with over 6,000 abandoned properties in these areas and it'll get worse since the city has no serious plans to address these areas. Or are you really proud that generic apartment complexes and new stripmalls are still Columbus' #1 method of development that goes unchecked all around the city? http://www.city-data.com/forum/columbus/1453670-columbus-city-suburban-development-news-6.html Here's a link to a thread I started on another forum. There are 18 pages of development projects that are in progress or have been announced around the Columbus area, the vast majority of them in the urban core. There are several links within the thread addressing some of the plans being made for places like the East and South Sides, as well as links related to the city tackling vacant buildings. I know you have been away from Columbus for awhile, but apparently you're unaware the the city is following large trends of urban development. Check it out, I try to update it as regularly as possible, or as soon I as find out about a new project. As for Mpls losing residents just as Ohio's cities have (see Wikipedia pages on respective cities): Mpls 1980 370,951 −14.6% 1990 368,383 −0.7% 2000 382,618 3.9% 2010 382,578 0% Cleveland 1980 573,822 −23.6% 1990 505,616 −11.9% 2000 478,403 −5.4% 2010 396,815 −17.1% Cincinnati 1980 385,460 −14.8% 1990 364,040 −5.6% 2000 331,285 −9.0% 2010 296,945 −10.4% And? Minneapolis has lost 140K people since 1950. I think I stated that the city had lost people every decade since 1950, but that was wrong. It lost people 5 of 6 decades since then, including the 2000-2010 period. And unlike Columbus, Mpls isn't hiding its population loss with annexation: And it worked. Columbus continues to grow now even though annexation has fallen significantly in the last two decades and the focus has turned to infill. It got the city through the industrial decline years. In this case, perception was better than reality. the stabilization of the population in the 80s and growth in the 90s is all in the inner city and guess what Mpls did differently? It provided serious city funding to several neighborhood led revitalization efforts (not all at once of course) and that was the result. So for all that money spent, Minneapolis had exactly one decade of growth in the past 6. And why did it stop the last 10 years? I don't understand how it's so unfair to expect Ohio's cities to likewise do the same so that they can reap the rewards and at least collectively stabilize their population losses with growth in newly invested urban neighborhoods. Once again, Cincinnati is leading the way with comparable efforts in Northside and continued efforts in the large and dense OTR, the streetcar, but it can't stop there and tame projects like 103 miles of bikeways from 2010-2015 (20.6 miles per year) isn't going to get Streetfilms cred. Again, Ohio's cities need to do something big, so why not do something big? Forumers here are always lamenting about how overlooked Ohio is in general and it's three main cities in particular, so if you want to get national attention that requires some major forward-thinking feats. No, they really don't have to do "something big". Ohio's cities don't need more gimmicks suggested by people who don't even like the state.
July 3, 201212 yr My problem with these state wide campaigns is that they don't leave me with any specific impression of the state. There's too much to cover in too short a time, and it doesn't leave me with anything memorable. I saw a lot of quick shots of a lot of things, but other than the fact that someone ate a giant burger, and roller coaster (which for all I know were at the same place) I don't know what they're showing me. I'd love to see a more regional approach, possibly still run by a statewide agency, all tying together with a specific pitch / tag (like NY did with "I Love NY") that stays with the viewer. But each commercial showcases a specific region and/or attraction.
July 3, 201212 yr Frankly, I don't think Ohio better marketing itself would make an iota of difference. To answer the topic, Kasich should talk to 50 large and 50 medium size companies of various industries, and directly ask them what it would take for them to come here. Get specifics. And then do absolutely everything he can that doesn't violate federal law (or find some wiggle room) to bring them and other companies here. And for gods sake decriminalize pot, slap a nominal fine for possession, and start growing the stuff here under state control. Instant billion+ dollar economy right there.
July 3, 201212 yr ^But don't you think advertising to counter Ohio's poor perception Nationally and Worldwide would atleast get people (Incuding Fortune 500 CEOs) to take a second look?
July 3, 201212 yr And for gods sake decriminalize pot, slap a nominal fine for possession, and start growing the stuff here under state control. Instant billion+ dollar economy right there. \ Obama would have the Feds in here in no time flat. But yeah, that would be interesting.
July 3, 201212 yr ^^I really don't. Ads and marketing are ultimately just glitz. They may draw in a few new tourists, but nothing that accounts for high growth. That ultimately comes from jobs. ^I haven't seen any Feds in Chicago despite the city council's recent decriminalizing it (up to 10 gram, I believe), not to mention President Obama probably could care less if Ohio starts growing fields. Why not just go for it.
July 3, 201212 yr ^I haven't seen any Feds in Chicago despite the city council's recent decriminalizing it (up to 10 gram, I believe), not to mention President Obama probably could care less if Ohio starts growing fields. Why not just go for it. Just look at what's going on in California. Growers and sellers operate under State law. Then the DEA shows up and kicks their doors down. DEA Raids Medical Marijuana Operation The raid was part of a sting operation that included 11 other facilities and homes in North County San Diego. http://lakeelsinore-wildomar.patch.com/articles/dea-raids-wildomar-medical-marijuana-operation
July 3, 201212 yr ^^I really don't. Ads and marketing are ultimately just glitz. They may draw in a few new tourists, but nothing that accounts for high growth. That ultimately comes from jobs. I see what you're saying on that front. But I guess I'm thinking of two tiers of advertisement. One geared towards changing the Worldwide and national perception of the state. The other geared towards attracting business. The business campaign may not be a typical TV ad, but maybe promotinal material sent to campanies of all sizes promoting Ohio as a place to do business. I wonder who to contact to see what kinds of outreach the state is doing to attract new businesses?
July 3, 201212 yr Ohio has had decriminalized pot since the 70s. Under 100 grams gets a citation with a $150 ticket or so. That is about as lenient a penalty as you can find anywhere outside of Holland. Actually, in Holland you are limited to personal possession of 5 grams, so the penalty for 100 might be stiffer than Ohio's. A bong in Ohio, however, is treated the same as a crack pipe. Go figure.
July 4, 201212 yr Ugh @ those commercials. Just terrible. We need to hire Michigan to do our ads...or at least those BP Gulf States commercials... "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 4, 201212 yr I agree that leaving the state's image in the hands of Discover Ohio or any official tourism department almost always results in blandness at best. Still, it's nice to see that as far as they pertain to specific cities Columbus' has improved itself by changing it's awful logo to one that's more ho-hum and even advertises on the front page the good stuff in a lower-income area, namely the taco trucks out in Hilltop which makes the area much more accessible to average visitor who would otherwise never know there's a reason to make a trek out there and if you google Experience Columbus the GLBT link is prominently featured. But in any case these organizations are poor alternatives for the most part to sites like Yelp which highlight events and popular spots in specific neighborhoods instead of generic listings and are the go-to for younger savvy travelers, which really leaves the tourism efforts geared mainly towards older out-of-touch suburbanites. Not only does "something big" need to happen on a larger scale, but it has to be effective. The city of Cincinnati is working on a couple of pieces of the puzzle as evidenced by the streetcar and ongoing revitalization of OTR. These are big bold projects which will enhance QoL of Cincinnatians city-wide and which the city needs more of. In Columbus however, there were technically a couple of big projects: $5 million for the rebuilding of American Addition, an isolated industrial neighborhood with no business district, and $300,000 for 10 bike shelters (parking for 120 bikes in a few gentrified neighborhoods) instead of 100-300 bike corrals (parking for 1200-3600 bikes city-wide) but both offer insular effects within a few select, disconnected areas of the urban core instead of benefiting all of it: lots of money for little effect. Unless you own a house in American Addition, you'll have no reason to go there and if you're looking for a bike shelter outside of the immediate Downtown/Short North/OSU area you'll be left similarly wanting. So yes, Ohioans can and must weigh the cost to effects ratio of such big city projects and predict how much or how little of an impact they will make and criticize them where necessary, especially those wishing to see greatness for their city's future. Misspending like that is detrimental: that $5 million could be renovating a dead urban business district right now and would be beneficial to residents city-wide, as would hundreds of bike corrals in lieu of ten bike shelters. Look at which 2012 Columbus citizens got and what they could've had (like getting a streetcar-less Columbus instead of one with streetcars which were originally planned to debut this year). In Ohio, urban residents, especially those with businesses, really need to be involved and vocal if they want to see significant progress in their respective city, otherwise that money will just disappear into projects more on the frivolous side of things.
July 4, 201212 yr Not only does "something big" need to happen on a larger scale, but it has to be effective. The city of Cincinnati is working on a couple of pieces of the puzzle as evidenced by the streetcar and ongoing revitalization of OTR. These are big bold projects which will enhance QoL of Cincinnatians city-wide and which the city needs more of. In Columbus however, there were technically a couple of big projects: $5 million for the rebuilding of American Addition, an isolated industrial neighborhood with no business district, and $300,000 for 10 bike shelters (parking for 120 bikes in a few gentrified neighborhoods) instead of 100-300 bike corrals (parking for 1200-3600 bikes city-wide) but both offer insular effects within a few select, disconnected areas of the urban core instead of benefiting all of it: lots of money for little effect. Unless you own a house in American Addition, you'll have no reason to go there and if you're looking for a bike shelter outside of the immediate Downtown/Short North/OSU area you'll be left similarly wanting. So yes, Ohioans can and must weigh the cost to effects ratio of such big city projects and predict how much or how little of an impact they will make and criticize them where necessary, especially those wishing to see greatness for their city's future. Misspending like that is detrimental: that $5 million could be renovating a dead urban business district right now and would be beneficial to residents city-wide, as would hundreds of bike corrals in lieu of ten bike shelters. Look at which 2012 Columbus citizens got and what they could've had (like getting a streetcar-less Columbus instead of one with streetcars which were originally planned to debut this year). In Ohio, urban residents, especially those with businesses, really need to be involved and vocal if they want to see significant progress in their respective city, otherwise that money will just disappear into projects more on the frivolous side of things. So according to you, the only viable project a city can do is related to bike corrals? Wow, what forward thinking, there Keith. Next thing you'll be suggesting is more density :roll: And seriously, even after I provided a link with 18 pages of projects running into the billions of dollars, you mention American Addition and bike shelters as "big" and suggest that's all that's going on? No mention of the thousands of residential units under construction, no mention of the Scioto Peninsula and river redevelopment, no mention of the rebuild of High and Broad, etc etc. No, you focus on a $300K project because bikes have become your latest topic to make ridiculous statements about. You're completely transparent. Here's some projects announced or continuing just since late December, along with their location and development cost if available. December 12, 2011: West Side: $400 million http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2011/12/12/columbus-casino-brings-jobs.html December 13, 2011: Short North: $40 million http://www.columbusunderground.com/the-hubbard-apartments-to-rise-over-the-short-north December 14, 2011: Short North: $5 million http://www.columbusunderground.com/wood-companies-new-short-north-apartments-going-skyward December 15,2011: Hilliard: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2011/12/15/county-officials-ok-darby-development.html December 21, 2011: Franklinton: $50 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/12/20/zoning-board-oks-racing-at-cooper-stadium-site.html December 23, 2011: South Side: $150 million http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/12/23/scioto-downs-adding-jobs-expanding.html December 29, 2011: Downtown: $10 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2011/12/29/sheratonconfident-in-10m-upgrade.html January 8, 2012: Downtown through North Side http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/01/08/cota-studying-speedy-bus-route.html January 8, 2012: Near East Side: $10 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/01/08/near-east-side-starts-renewal.html January 2012: Victorian Village: $29 million http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/goodale-landing#post-418041 January 2012: Downtown: $27 million http://www.columbusunderground.com/police-hq-renovation-project-moving-forward January 24, 2012: Harrison West http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/01/24/two-city-neighborhoods-lose-development-fights.html February 2, 2012: Dublin http://www.columbusunderground.com/dublin-grows-up-the-bridge-street-corridor-plans-for-urban-development February 6, 2012: Brewery District http://www.columbusunderground.com/edwards-companies-converting-born-brewery-building-into-apartments February 6, 2012: Downtown: $16-$20 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/02/06/grant-will-help-clear-asbestos-from-atlas-building.html February 18, 2012: Campus: $50 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/02/18/new-osu-building-tops-colleges-collective-budget.html February 19, 2012: Weinland Park http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/02/19/five-story-apartment-building-proposed-for-n--high-st--in-weinland-park.html February 21, 2012: Italian Village Jeffrey Site http://www.columbusunderground.com/neighborhood-launch-to-build-260-new-downtown-apartment-units February 24, 2012: Downtown http://www.columbusunderground.com/neighborhood-launch-to-build-260-new-downtown-apartment-units February 24, 2012: Citywide http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/02/24/a-war-on-blight.html February 24, 2012: Downtown http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hills-Market-Downtown/193679764043423?sk=wall February 27, 2012: Downtown: $140 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2012/02/26/artful-lodging.html February 27, 2012: Near East Side http://www.columbusunderground.com/american-addition-neighborhood-gains-six-new-homes-more-soon-to-come March 8, 2012: Short North: $50 million http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/03/09/pizzuti-gets-key-approval-in-bid-to.html March 8, 2012: Campus http://www.columbusunderground.com/wexner-center-announces-education-center-expansion March 9, 2012: Downtown: $59 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/03/09/old-hall-of-justice-will-get-a-face-lift.html March 16, 2012: Downtown: $22 million http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/03/16/investors-see-renewed-life-for-leveque.html March 21, 2012: Downtown http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/03/21/downtown-may-offer-bicycles-for-rent.html March 22, 2012: Urban Core http://www.columbusunderground.com/electric-vehicle-charging-stations-installed-in-victorian-village-downtown March 27, 2012: Near East Side: $1.45 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/03/27/extra-grant-money-to-help-east-side-neighborhood.html April 3, 2012: Downtown: $35.5 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/04/03/remaking-the-river.html April 3, 2012: Franklinton/Downtown http://www.columbusunderground.com/planning-begins-for-redevelopment-of-scioto-peninsula April 4, 2012: Downtown: $50 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/04/04/columbus-commons-apartments.html April 4, 2012: East Side/Airport: $21 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/04/04/new-hq-brings-employees-together.html April 6, 2012: Easton: $22 million http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2012/04/easton-getting-redone-victorias.html April 9, 2012: Dublin: $100 million http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/04/13/4th-time-around-brings-apartment-plan.html April 12, 2012: Riverside: $321 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/04/12/riverside-expansion.html April 12, 2012: Downtown: $342 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/04/12/big-sewer-pipe.html April 13, 2012: Downtown http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2012/04/casto-begins-work-on-secur-it-building.html April 13, 2012: Victorian Village http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/04/13/4th-time-around-brings-apartment-plan.html April 14, 2012: Franklinton http://www.columbusunderground.com/400-west-rich-street-grows-rapidly-in-first-year April 18, 2012: Upper Arlington http://www.columbusunderground.com/lennox-flats-finishing-phase-one-of-new-apartment-development April 18, 2012: Whitehall: $17 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/04/18/new-offices-for-children-services.html April 20, 2012: Hilliard: $70 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/04/20/hilliard-plan-woos-young-professionals.html April 20, 2012: Franklinton: $6 million\ http://www.columbusunderground.com/orange-barrel-media-plans-franklinton-headquarters April 24, 2012: Downtown http://www.columbusunderground.com/downtown-action-plan-will-review-transportation-upgrades-to-city-streets April 26, 2012: Arena District: $5.5 million http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2012/04/nationwide-arena-getting-new.html May 7, 2012: Campus: $1.1 billion http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2012/05/slideshow-topping-off-of-osu-wexner.html May 8, 2012: Brewery District http://www.columbusunderground.com/liberty-place-adding-over-200-new-apartment-units-to-the-brewery-district May 18, 2012: Italian Village http://www.columbusunderground.com/wonder-bread-lofts-will-be-home-to-mixed-use-redevelopment May 31, 2012: Franklinton/Near West Side http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/01/600-goodale-project-ready-to-rise.html June 15, 2012: Northwest Side: $30 million http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/06/15/zoo-addition-is-out-of-africa.html June 15, 2012: Downtown http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/15/master-plan-to-shake-up-ccad-campus.html June 20, 2012: Urban Core http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2012/06/20/columbus-apartment-boom.html June 30, 2012: Urban Core http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/06/30/rush-to-rent-and-build.html General News February 20, 2012: Urban Core http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/02/20/developers-in-columbus-focus-on-apartments-near-downtown.html February 26, 2012 http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/02/26/architects-see-promising-decade-ahead-for-columbus.html March 12, 2012: Citywide http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/03/12/COTA-ridership-increases-highest-in-nation.html April 7, 2012: Columbus Area http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/04/07/central-ohio-drives-ohios-population-growth.html I left off MANY smaller projects and projects that were ongoing before this period or have been announced but have no specific details.
July 4, 201212 yr Not to get involved in this grudge match you apparently seem to have going on here, but I took it that Keith was talking about city projects as opposed to private development (his examples in Cincinnati being the Streetcar and OTR revitalization, which is primarily pushed by a non-profit but has had significant city involvement/investment/assets involved, such as Washington Park). I haven't clicked on all those links you just noted, but if they are primarily private projects, I'm not sure that is responding to his post.
July 4, 201212 yr Not to get involved in this grudge match you apparently seem to have going on here, but I took it that Keith was talking about city projects as opposed to private development (his examples in Cincinnati being the Streetcar and OTR revitalization, which is primarily pushed by a non-profit but has had significant city involvement/investment/assets involved, such as Washington Park). I haven't clicked on all those links you just noted, but if they are primarily private projects, I'm not sure that is responding to his post. There are several projects on the list that have direct city involvement, especially in the Downtown area. They're not all private development projects.
July 5, 201212 yr I travel full time for a living. It is amazing how many people have heard of the Flats in Cleveland, but not the islands. They generally shake their heads in disbelief when I tell them the Flats no longer exist. That was Cleveland's big chance to become a tourist destination. The casino and hotels should of went up in about 1992, along with a huge police presence. Woulda coulda shoulda....time marches on. Biggest local scandal of our lifetimes... bigger than Jimmy Dimora IMO.
July 5, 201212 yr I travel full time for a living. It is amazing how many people have heard of the Flats in Cleveland, but not the islands. They generally shake their heads in disbelief when I tell them the Flats no longer exist. That was Cleveland's big chance to become a tourist destination. The casino and hotels should of went up in about 1992, along with a huge police presence. Woulda coulda shoulda....time marches on. Biggest local scandal of our lifetimes... bigger than Jimmy Dimora IMO. Agreed.
July 6, 201212 yr I travel full time for a living. It is amazing how many people have heard of the Flats in Cleveland, but not the islands. They generally shake their heads in disbelief when I tell them the Flats no longer exist. That was Cleveland's big chance to become a tourist destination. The casino and hotels should of went up in about 1992, along with a huge police presence. Woulda coulda shoulda....time marches on. Biggest local scandal of our lifetimes... bigger than Jimmy Dimora IMO. Completely agree 327. And now Mike White lives out his retirement quietly (and comfortably).
July 6, 201212 yr Keep kidding yourselves - Of course jobs are necessary, but they are not what's bringing people to Ohio and making them want to stay and tell others to come too. </rant> Virtually every person I know from out of state has moved here either because of their job, or because they had familial support here. I know very few, if met anyone really, who moved here out of the blue. I will try, but I cannot recall anyone ever telling me they moved here because of public transit, the music scene, the four seasons, beaches, etc. As far as I know the state is not luring people based solely on the adventure of living here (as in NYC). \ On a bright note, everyone I know from out of state likes it here. :| Of course that's why they moved here. Don't you get it?!?! If we're not growing that fast, and the only reason some people are moving is because their job brought them, then don't you think we need to do a little something different to get people to WANT to move here regardless of the job?? Then if you get an educated base, you will get those jobs following. When companies are looking to move or expand somewhere, they're not looking to bring all their employees with them - they need a pool of people they can choose from. -edit maybe I should revise this. If the only people we're trying to attract are people looking for a low cost of living, then I guess we can just let the area rot and we can attract a bunch of low cost of living people! Or if we're looking for absolute high growth, then we can be like texas and arizona and let a lot of immigrants move in, documented or not (which I'm actually completely for). Or we can get a bunch of low wage jobs by giving super tax breaks to big boxes and build a bunch of low income housing sprawled out everywhere and have unskilled jobs and workers beaucoup. Or we can make our cities gems of medium growth, medium sized, interconnected hubs of education, arts, research and wellness. That only comes with doing things differently than we have thus far and making people actually want to come here. And it would snowball. Get the people coming, get the jobs following and reap the rewards. That might be a bit simplistic, but all this other stuff I've seen on here is just short sighted. I'm going to stop talking now - I'm not really trying to argue, and apologies if I offended. I'm not educated in this, so I could well be talking out of other places of my body... But it seems logical, and I'm going to stick with what makes sense.
July 6, 201212 yr Did I say we should be attracting people here with amusement parks? Answer: No. I said ADVERTISE what we have. There's no reason why no one has heard of a major park like Cedar Point other than bad marketing. If they haven't heard of a major attraction like that think about what else they haven't heard of that's here in Ohio. The State should work to make the place more attractive to the people who live here and pay its taxes! If you have residents that love where they're from I think it only makes sense to think they'll "Spread the love" and tell all their friends to come! Yes, you are implying if people knew more about Cedar Point then more people would move to Ohio. Or I guess Michigan or Indiana since you have to drive a bit from any population center in Ohio to get to Cedar Point. I think it's a bit laughable. Sure it's fun, but it's an amusement park (albeit a great one) and there are amusement parks all over the place. So a revised statement is advertise what we have - Like what? What differentiates us from all the other places people can go? Not much when it comes down to it. I love Ohio as much or more than most people, but it's absolutely true that if you weren't born and raised in Ohio, you don't view it with the fondness we do. We tend to see what we love, not what everyone else sees - which is just run of the mill places. Sure, a lot of work has been done in the cities and there's great revitalization, but don't kid yourself thinking that if people just knew more then they would want to be here. Maybe you don't know what all these other places have to offer if you think that. And if replies to this come in and point out things you like, think about if that can be found in a number of other places as well... more than likely it can.
July 6, 201212 yr Keep kidding yourselves - Of course jobs are necessary, but they are not what's bringing people to Ohio and making them want to stay and tell others to come too. </rant> Virtually every person I know from out of state has moved here either because of their job, or because they had familial support here. I know very few, if met anyone really, who moved here out of the blue. I will try, but I cannot recall anyone ever telling me they moved here because of public transit, the music scene, the four seasons, beaches, etc. As far as I know the state is not luring people based solely on the adventure of living here (as in NYC). \ On a bright note, everyone I know from out of state likes it here. :| Of course that's why they moved here. Don't you get it?!?! If we're not growing that fast, and the only reason some people are moving is because their job brought them, then don't you think we need to do a little something different to get people to WANT to move here regardless of the job?? Then if you get an educated base, you will get those jobs following. When companies are looking to move or expand somewhere, they're not looking to bring all their employees with them - they need a pool of people they can choose from. -edit maybe I should revise this. If the only people we're trying to attract are people looking for a low cost of living, then I guess we can just let the area rot and we can attract a bunch of low cost of living people! Or if we're looking for absolute high growth, then we can be like texas and arizona and let a lot of immigrants move in, documented or not (which I'm actually completely for). Or we can get a bunch of low wage jobs by giving super tax breaks to big boxes and build a bunch of low income housing sprawled out everywhere and have unskilled jobs and workers beaucoup. Or we can make our cities gems of medium growth, medium sized, interconnected hubs of education, arts, research and wellness. That only comes with doing things differently than we have thus far and making people actually want to come here. And it would snowball. Get the people coming, get the jobs following and reap the rewards. That might be a bit simplistic, but all this other stuff I've seen on here is just short sighted. I'm going to stop talking now - I'm not really trying to argue, and apologies if I offended. I'm not educated in this, so I could well be talking out of other places of my body... But it seems logical, and I'm going to stick with what makes sense. I'm not offended, but I think you're reading disagreement into my statement that really isn't there. Yes - I wholeheartedly agree the state needs to do more to bring people here.
July 6, 201212 yr Did I say we should be attracting people here with amusement parks? Answer: No. I said ADVERTISE what we have. There's no reason why no one has heard of a major park like Cedar Point other than bad marketing. If they haven't heard of a major attraction like that think about what else they haven't heard of that's here in Ohio. The State should work to make the place more attractive to the people who live here and pay its taxes! If you have residents that love where they're from I think it only makes sense to think they'll "Spread the love" and tell all their friends to come! Yes, you are implying if people knew more about Cedar Point then more people would move to Ohio. Or I guess Michigan or Indiana since you have to drive a bit from any population center in Ohio to get to Cedar Point. I think it's a bit laughable. Sure it's fun, but it's an amusement park (albeit a great one) and there are amusement parks all over the place. So a revised statement is advertise what we have - Like what? What differentiates us from all the other places people can go? Not much when it comes down to it. I love Ohio as much or more than most people, but it's absolutely true that if you weren't born and raised in Ohio, you don't view it with the fondness we do. We tend to see what we love, not what everyone else sees - which is just run of the mill places. Sure, a lot of work has been done in the cities and there's great revitalization, but don't kid yourself thinking that if people just knew more then they would want to be here. Maybe you don't know what all these other places have to offer if you think that. And if replies to this come in and point out things you like, think about if that can be found in a number of other places as well... more than likely it can. Although I understand that other states have attractions as well I disagree that all of Ohio's attractions are just run of the mill.Ohio's attractions suffer from run of the mill advertising by far. Cedar Point has been voted the best amusement park for roller coasters in the world . It's hardly comparable to anything surrounding states have. Ohio is bordered by a great lake with islands and the ohio river. It has the largest amish community in the world.It has the rock and roll hof,the pro football hof,national museum of the united states air force,national underground railroad museum,national inventors hof,national first ladies museum and many others, the top rated science center in the US, 3 of the top 10 zoos, a national park, one of top symphonies in the world,the largest Oktoberfest in the US, and everything else that goes along with having 3 metros of close to 2 million or more and several other middle size metro areas. This is all off the top of my head so I understand that I'm missing some things but I feel a large amount of states can't compete with the sheer amount of attractions ohio has but a major issue is that people in ohio aren't really even familiar with what is going on in their own state. I'm not saying that better advertising will lead to bigger growth for the state but I do feel that the perception of the state need to be changed and tourism is one major way to do so.
July 7, 201212 yr So a revised statement is advertise what we have - Like what? What differentiates us from all the other places people can go? Not much when it comes down to it. I love Ohio as much or more than most people, but it's absolutely true that if you weren't born and raised in Ohio, you don't view it with the fondness we do. We tend to see what we love, not what everyone else sees - which is just run of the mill places. Sure, a lot of work has been done in the cities and there's great revitalization, but don't kid yourself thinking that if people just knew more then they would want to be here. Maybe you don't know what all these other places have to offer if you think that. And if replies to this come in and point out things you like, think about if that can be found in a number of other places as well... more than likely it can. This implies Ohio is not unique, or that its unique attributes are not good. I suppose you could argue that no cities/states/etc. have anything 100% unique. (So what if NYC has Broadway? I can see performing arts in Chattanooga!) But I think you need to spend more time traveling and living elsewhere if you can't see unique attributes that make living in Ohio appealing. I love Cincinnati's unique neighborhoods, stellar architecture, park system, topography, hillside steps, chili parlors. I love its European-American vibe with its narrow downtown streets, alleys and buildings, German heritage, corner pub culture, pace of life and work/life balance, alongside the river frontier town feel and history, brewing heritage, and beacon of freedom for slaves escaping the south. Other places might have some of these things. Nowhere has them all, or pulls them off in the same way, as Cincinnati does. I will leave other cities to others to highlight their unique strengths. I focus on a city because no one really moves "to a state". They move to a city or metro.
July 7, 201212 yr Thank you natininja and BUCKEYE54, for explaining what I was saying! People think there is nothing in Ohio because they don't know about what is here. Advertise to change that perception.
July 7, 201212 yr I love Cincinnati's unique neighborhoods, stellar architecture, park system, topography, hillside steps, chili parlors. I love its European-American vibe with its narrow downtown streets, alleys and buildings, German heritage, corner pub culture, pace of life and work/life balance, alongside the river frontier town feel and history, brewing heritage, and beacon of freedom for slaves escaping the south. Other places might have some of these things. Nowhere has them all, or pulls them off in the same way, as Cincinnati does. I will leave other cities to others to highlight their unique strengths. I focus on a city because no one really moves "to a state". They move to a city or metro. I would say that in terms of "uniqueness," Cincinnati is in its own league. But I agree with many here that it isn't marketed properly. Just guessing, but maybe that has something to do with having so many anti-urban people in power, not realizing what they have there. All Ohio cities have this problem, as well as the state itself, but I think Cincinnati possesses more squandered branding potential than the rest.
July 11, 201212 yr You guys realize that, in terms of tourism dollars made, Ohio destroys Michigan and a majority of other states. Ohio makes close to $40 billion a year on tourism... Michigan maybe half that. This. I know I really need to get caught up in this thread (excellent response btw gramarye, I appreciate when people disagree with me intelligibly) - but did I really just wade through 2 pages of "Pure Michigan." Sounds like pure bullsh!t to me. Stop kicking yourselves. How could people from such a nice state (imo) have such an inferiority complex? To the point that they're wishing to become Pure Michigan? I would bring that $40 billion a year figure back down to earth though. Ohio destroys a majority of other states on a lot of things because it destroys a majority of other states in terms of size. Ohio needs to find comparable states to compare itself to, I myself would use Texas and Virginia as model states because they're doing very well and are large states with comparable cities, politics, and demographics.
July 11, 201212 yr I know I really need to get caught up in this thread (excellent response btw gramarye, I appreciate when people disagree with me intelligibly) - but did I really just wade through 2 pages of "Pure Michigan." Sounds like pure bullsh!t to me. Stop kicking yourselves. How could people from such a nice state (imo) have such an inferiority complex? To the point that they're wishing to become Pure Michigan? The strength of the Pure Michigan campaign is that it has successfully addressed an otherwise little known fact: Michigan has some of the most scenic beaches and rivers in America. It's a coastal state that happens to be inland. It plays up a wonderful asset, the Great Lakes. It's a good template for playing on your strengths. No we don't have world class beaches in Ohio. But we have other amazing qualities that are worth advertising.
July 11, 201212 yr I know I really need to get caught up in this thread (excellent response btw gramarye, I appreciate when people disagree with me intelligibly) - but did I really just wade through 2 pages of "Pure Michigan." Sounds like pure bullsh!t to me. Stop kicking yourselves. How could people from such a nice state (imo) have such an inferiority complex? To the point that they're wishing to become Pure Michigan? The strength of the Pure Michigan campaign is that it has successfully addressed an otherwise little known fact: Michigan has some of the most scenic beaches and rivers in America. It's a coastal state that happens to be inland. It plays up a wonderful asset, the Great Lakes. It's a good template for playing on your strengths. No we don't have world class beaches in Ohio. But we have other amazing qualities that are worth advertising. I agree that to the extent a state as a whole feels the need to advertise, it's much better to focus on highlighting one's strengths than in trying to somehow cover one's weaknesses (which can end up just inviting people to take a look at them). However, again, I don't see a strong connection between that and serious growth. A little bit of growth, maybe, but not the difference between a high-growth and low-growth state. For example, I think the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is stunning and could definitely handle a more national profile, i.e., could live up to more hype that it currently gets. My apartment is right on the Towpath Trail and I take advantage of that fact. When I have visitors in from out of town, I always try to get them out on the trail with me, and a lot of them are amazed and acknowledge that they weren't expecting to find something like that between Akron and Cleveland. None of them have left wanting to actually *move* to Akron on that basis, though, and it wasn't what brought me here, either.
July 11, 201212 yr Let's start a list a Ohio's assets which would make for good advertising. I'll start with what I would highlight in any campaign: - Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Scenic Railway (one of the most visited nat'l parks in the country) - Cedar Point and King's Island (two amusement parks that compare with any around the globe) - Rock&Roll Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame - Lake Erie Islands - The 'Shoe, Jacobs Field (or whatever they call it now), and Great American Ballpark (great sports venues) - Small town charm (Chagrin Falls, Granville, Amish Country)
July 11, 201212 yr I would start with the cities, which are the greatest potential assets and which also need the most image rehab.
July 11, 201212 yr Every state has cities..... my list highlights some of the unique assetts in and around those cities, but let's face it.... a "come visit Cleveland/Columbus/Cincy" ad is not going to draw much of a crowd
July 11, 201212 yr I agree that to the extent a state as a whole feels the need to advertise, it's much better to focus on highlighting one's strengths than in trying to somehow cover one's weaknesses (which can end up just inviting people to take a look at them). However, again, I don't see a strong connection between that and serious growth. A little bit of growth, maybe, but not the difference between a high-growth and low-growth state. Well that's an excellent point. I suppose you have to temper expectations of what even a well-done ad campaign is capable of accomplishing. There's one value, however, that should count for something and it isn't measured by numbers of visitors. It's that an ad campaign can enhance perception and help to restore pride. I do feel like there is a prevalent inferiority complex here that's ingrained. NYC always ran great commercials of Mayor Koch/Giuliani/etc. walking through the best neighborhoods and extolling the virtues of the city. These were times where the perception of NYC was very much maligned. I think a similar campaign would be a great benefit to improve the perceptions of Ohio among Ohioans. You could start with the good list Hts. provided. Plus, I can't say enough how sooo many famous people are from here and would be glad to rep this state. Obviously not a magic bullet; but it should be an ingredient in a successful recipe for better growth.
July 11, 201212 yr I guess I'm a little more cynical about the potential intangible emotional benefits of an ad campaign for Ohio residents. That said, I'm not opposed, given that in the scale of state government budgets, ad campaigns are generally affordable. I just wouldn't lump it into "ways Ohio can become a high growth state."
July 11, 201212 yr You guys realize that, in terms of tourism dollars made, Ohio destroys Michigan and a majority of other states. Ohio makes close to $40 billion a year on tourism... Michigan maybe half that. This. I know I really need to get caught up in this thread (excellent response btw gramarye, I appreciate when people disagree with me intelligibly) - but did I really just wade through 2 pages of "Pure Michigan." Sounds like pure bullsh!t to me. Stop kicking yourselves. How could people from such a nice state (imo) have such an inferiority complex? To the point that they're wishing to become Pure Michigan? I would bring that $40 billion a year figure back down to earth though. Ohio destroys a majority of other states on a lot of things because it destroys a majority of other states in terms of size. Ohio needs to find comparable states to compare itself to, I myself would use Texas and Virginia as model states because they're doing very well and are large states with comparable cities, politics, and demographics. Virginia does around $20 billion and Texas about $52 billion. The last few lists I've seen, Ohio runs easily in the top 10. For Texas, a state that is several times larger in size and has 20 million more people, it's not really all that impressive.
July 11, 201212 yr I think we should look at migration patterns and target advertising to places where there is a high in-migration to a specific area. For example, I remember seeing that there is a large amount of people moving from the Detroit area to Cincinnati. It would make sense to then figure out what it is Detroiters like about Cincinnati that is making them move there, and creating an ad campaign around those strong points and playing the campaign in the Detroit area. Same thing would work with tourism, if the data exists. I also think we should advertise our cities to Ohioans, like the NYC campaign surfohio mentioned. Especially Cincinnati, since it has a growing metro but shrinking city. (Columbus has both growing and Cleveland has both shrinking, so those cities might have less potential to benefit.) Campaigns that stress the possibility of a quality urban education may be effective, for example.
July 11, 201212 yr ^With the exception of the high-growth rate of Columbus, I don't see much of a difference between minimal gains and minimal losses amongst the other metros and cities which should affect advertising strategy one way or another. Those trends can change quickly Besides, the state is not going to focus on one area over another when it comes to spending to achieve high-growth. The cities which wish to individualize their campaigns can do so on their own.
July 11, 201212 yr I agree with Gramarye that tourism advertising is not likely to affect growth a whole lot, but I still believe that rebranding our population centers could help in the long run.
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