Nashville vs Atlanta — the faux competition

Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 by Rex Hammock

Nashville vs Atlanta — the faux competition: The mayor of Nashville just emailed me (and a few thousand others, no doubt) a link to this story in today’s USA Today that continues the meme regarding some imaginary competition going on among Nashville, Atlanta and Charlotte for “big fish” status in the Southeast. (Upon reading the story, I’m assuming Florida — except for Daytona Beach — isn’t actually in the Southeast.) I’d like to once more say that being another Atlanta — or Charlotte, for that matter — is the last thing Nashville wants to be. In fact, I’d like to encourage people to ignore all this anti-Atlanta hype being generated about what a wonderful place Nashville is. Really. Ignore the anti-Atlanta hype about Nashville’s new symphony center. It’s swell, but, hey, it’s no aquarium! And pay no attention to yesterday’s anti-Atlanta unveiling of the new headquarters for Nissan USA. It may be nice, but Atlanta has Six Flags. Also, don’t forget, they had the Olympics there once.

Update: Also, please don’t interpret as anti-Atlanta that the folks who sell Whiskas and Pedigree pet foods are moving their headquarters from LA to Nashville (Dear BrandWeek: Shouldn’t the phrase ‘Goin’ Country’ be replaced with the phrase ‘Goin’ honky tonk hamlet’ — or, pehaps, ‘not moving to Atlanta’).  (via: Nashvillepost.com)

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Related posts:

  1. Back from Atlanta
  2. Uppity?
  3. Miss America misses Nashville
  4. Pray for Charlotte

About Rex Hammock

Founder/ceo of Hammock Inc., the customer media and content company based in Nashville, Tenn. Creator of and head-helper at SmallBusiness.com.
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  • Megan

    All this drama is so weird to me. I don’t even see how people can compare the two cities. I think Nashville’s fine, don’t get me wrong (I did move here from Chicago–my own idea), but it will never be as metropolitan (or as cosmopolitan) as Atlanta. And until Nashville has some sort of mass transit system that can rival the MARTA, I can’t see how anyone can seriously compare the two cities.

  • lcreekmo

    Well I would never want to live in Atlanta (bless all my friends and family who do) but there is something truly magic about being there or in St. Louis — otherwise very car-oriented cities — and parking out in the burbs for a ball game, the museum, your afternoon downtown, and taking the train/light rail/whatever you call it right on in to your destination, not fighting traffic and then coming right back out. M.a.g.i.c. Maybe if I could figure out the bus schedule here (I _have_ tried) I would say the same about that.

  • rex

    I am a mass-transit user: I have DC and NYC subway/metro cards in my wallet at all times. But I don’t think Atlanta’s Marta system is a part of that’s city’s culture in the way that Chicago’s “L” is. Atlanta is a car-culture. And despite Laura’s dream about taking the train to the ballpark, my mass-transit experiences associated with sporting events (in Chicago, Atlanta, New York and DC) have been marked by being crushed and having my life flash before my eyes. Indeed, one after-game mass-transit experience led to an anxiety issue one of my children had for years when the word “subway” was mentioned.

  • Megan

    How messed up is it that I grew up taking and hating the L but now live for 3 a.m. after-event rides on the MARTA?

  • bhudgins

    I am mildly excited that there will soon be light rail service between lebanon and nashville, because i think that it is a good step. But the bus service (or lack thereof) limits the utility. Also, I would have to drive for 20 minutes or so to Lebanon, or longer to Mt. Juliet in order to ride it. I could see doing it, for a concert downtown or a football or hockey game, so i wouldn’t have to hassle with a car.

  • lcreekmo

    The trick in St. Louis [to avoid being crushed] is to leave the game when it’s over and walk to the next stop down away from the ballpark. It’s in a sketchy area, but there are plenty of folks around after the game. You DEFINITELY don’t want to get on the train at the ballpark. Major mob.

  • Blair Stilwell

    When Nashville gets direct flights to countries other than Mexico and Canada we can resume this silly contest.

  • Cole

    Rex…you don’t have the DC metro and NYC subway maps on your iPod? Try iSubwayMaps.com if you don’t.

  • Cole

    Rex…you don’t have the DC metro and NYC subway maps on your iPod? Try iSubwayMaps.com if you don’t.

  • bhudgins

    Blair – we NEED those direct flights to Mexico and Canada since they will all soon join us in the North American Union:
    http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/05/north_american_union_to_replace_the_usa_/