Topic: Isn't there a better option than Birmingham???...

[The E-Man]

Huntington is on the up-swing and has some positive characteristics. IMHO it's the best city in the state; and miles ahead of Charleston.

Huntington is getting much, much, better! We have for great leadership for once at the top. We have a lot more locals having a voice said in Charleston at the Capital.

[Pinkerton99]

it's definitely not, and it's population base is 200,000 to more than a million less than those places, probably not the best comparison.

I was thinking in regards to suburbs of those cities.  It is a good comparison because those are the exact cities that Huntington is attempting to compete with.  Huntington doesn't exist in some make believe statistical world where the regional and even global players don't exist.

[HaveUherd]

Not to be Debbie downer or sound like an A-hole, but when you compare our town and area to other places, it's no wonder nothing like that comes around, not to mention the million dollar bids required to be considered.

 I live sandwiched between the 2 cities of Huntington & Charleston and I'm not too proud and delusional to admit that the places are dumps. Their both full of run of the mill crap chain restaraunts, no hotels, sorry airports, etc. I just got back from spending some in Orlando and little things like comparing the cleanliness and personality of your server in a restaraunt there to the ones back here was just mind blowing. They had servers that appeared to bathe and didn't smell like cigarettes. Anybody who has ever eaten at a southridge corridor G restaraunt knows what I mean.

On the broadcast last night they kept showing scenes from around the town with buildings, tunnels, etc illuminated with multi colored lighting  and looking pretty. Closest thing we have to anything being illuminated around here is the the spinning spot light at the Barboursville Southern Exposure. What would they show here? The pothole filled roadways that are covered in trash on both sides? The 8 women picked up in the prostitution sting yesterday? Dilapidated buildings with people hanging around them with needles hanging in their arms?

Like I said before, I hate to sound like an A-hole. Sure, we may would draw a larger crowd than some and look better on tv attendance wise, but I'm sure it would be mostly our fans. I'm not sure a lot of out of towners would want to spend a few days here where there is literally nothing to do when they're accustomed to living in places with many restaraunts, brewery districts, entertainment, soap, shampoo, and civilization. I'd be ashamed on the broadcast of the women's tourney if they played it in that 1972 looking orange barn they call the big sandy arena. Just my opinion. All you West Virginia apologists who hate when anyone calls a spade a spade about this area or state, feel free to pour on the negative karma.

You are one million percent right. I need out but don't know that I could get a job as good as I have here somewhere else. So I basically feel trapped in this craphole.

[svherd]

Spent a few days in Boca Grande, Florida recently. Check it out. I travel a lot too.

No thanks. I prefer Hilton Head, or San Diego on the left coast. Never was a big FL guy. Tampa/St Pete, Clearwater isn't bad.

[Big Ol' Hillbilly]

You are one million percent right. I need out but don't know that I could get a job as good as I have here somewhere else. So I basically feel trapped in this craphole.

I've felt trapped for years. Hopefully in the next year, me & my family will be relocating to Florida.

[Big Ol' Hillbilly]

No thanks. I prefer Hilton Head, or San Diego on the left coast. Never was a big FL guy. Tampa/St Pete, Clearwater isn't bad.

Boca Grande is amazing. It's on Gasparilla island off the gulf coast at Port Charlotte / Fort Myers area. It's amazing. Kills Clearwater/St. Pete area. Prettiest town/beach I've been to in Florida and I've been to a lot. Water is probably as close to carribean water as you'll find in the US. Do a google search. It's a hidden gem. I think you thought I meant Boca Raton which is a totally different ball game.

[Dunk]

Personally I love Huntington and never intend on moving

The grass is greener where you water it. Instead of moving away stay here and help build it up. Huntington is on the rise regardless of what some here may say, and I truly believe that.

Huntington has everything I need and it isn't big enough that I have to deal with traffic jams all the time.

[The E-Man]

Personally I love Huntington and never intend on moving

The grass is greener where you water it.

Very nice quote of wisdom!

[W0lfman]

Charlotte by gawd


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[The Right Stuff]

In Huntington I can get to any necessity that might arise in 10-15 minutes and I don't have to deal with eight lanes of traffic going 90 miles per hour.  Now "Let's Bring On The Herd!

[kjh]

Or at rush hour all vehicles are standing still.
Question: Those of you that responded to this thread, how many of you traveled to Birmingham for the CUSA Tournament?

[_sturt_]

Not me. It's an easy 8 hour drive, and I would've considered it but I had an afternoon meeting today arranged last week that pinned me down, and then too, I have to pick up my wife at the airport tomorrow. Not sure what the point of the question is(?), but fwiw, there ya go.

[elginherd]

I never thought I'd respond to both Sturt & TRS (Tom) in the same post.

Sturt, your long post regarding where you've lived is very thought provoking...great job (BUT) please modify it divide it into 3-4 paragraphs to make easier reading.

TRS, if I'd (really we'd) remained in H-ton I wouldn't have had the opportunities to be an award winning physics teacher or have had a chance to earn near as much money as a bass player. Moreover, I could not have supported my wife & then infant older daughter.

Sturt...all extraction (mining/drilling) is boom/bust.

To me, H-ton's renaissance is tied to the maturing of the engineering & biotech programs & the ability for H-ton to keep some of the programs' faculty & alum in town to start up high tech businesses. For both, H-ton needs a night life and good-to-great public schools.

[_sturt_]

You liked that, eh, elgin?... hehe... yeah, I just thought "if anyone really wants to read this, then they're going to prove it."

You met the challenge. :D +1

[herdman]

Nobody in Birmingham cares about UAB. That being said Birmingham is not that bad out of town. But, nobody is going to support it there. They need a venue where people would support it. Not sure where that would be but Nashville, Atlanta, Charlotte would all be better options.

[muherdfan]

I'm not sure about this conversation.  I'm 50 lived in Huntington, Parkersburg and Teays Valley.  Born and raised here only moved for 6 years or so.  Currently back in Huntington by choice.  15 years ago I convinced my wife who lived 20 miles north of Marietta to move here.  Not Teays Valley.  Not Parkersburg which she was familiar with.  But here.  Huntington!  If all of out of towner's that once lived here want to drive down 6th avenue or 4 1/2 alley to find something bad.  Your damn well going to find it.  But instead of bitching about what is bad, how about going to Pullman Square, going to Ritter Park, stay downtown and look at what young developers are doing to this city.  Mayor is responding.  City is responding.  Young developers are changing this city.  Even the old one's are learning.  It's a work in process but the process is in high gear.  I don't want to mention names.  If you don't know, then you are not involved.  People are working hard to improve our city and doing a damn good job.  15 years ago it was good.  10 years ago it was getting bad.  5 years ago it was a mess. Now it's working.  We don't need generic restaurants, our downtown is filled with the best that don't have the flagship name.  Buildings being remodeled downtown for housing.  Old downtown stores now being part of MU.  To me the transition has been incredible the last 5 years.  Huntington has made bad choices over the last couple of decades to put us where we were.  Not there now.  Totally a different city than 5 years ago.  Can we host a NCAA tourney here?  Really?  Not a chance!  If I were mayor I wouldn't even consider it.  Why?  Town of 40k with not enough hotels now.  Build a bunch of Hilton's?  Not what we strive to be.  Just keep becoming better at what you do best.  We are not a destination for a tourney but we are a destination for a game.  Been proven.  Best in WV!  By the way my favorite tv shows are not in order...Seinfeld, All in the Family and Sanford and Son.

[Herdmeister]

Nobody in Birmingham cares about UAB. That being said Birmingham is not that bad out of town. But, nobody is going to support it there. They need a venue where people would support it. Not sure where that would be but Nashville, Atlanta, Charlotte would all be better options.

It must be in a league city or very near. No way it can survive in a neutral area. No neutral would even bid on it. Nashville was talked about but the SEC has it tied up for years with their tournament. Biloxi and Hampton Roads have been mentioned.

[_sturt_]

Re-divide the league into two divisions.

East has its tournament concurrent with the West. Several decent options in both halves of the conference footprint, and can even reasonably afford to think about places like Miami and Norfolk on our side, and San Antonio and El Paso on the other.

Travel day between semis and conference final. Play conference final in a packed house before the higher seed's fans. And yeah... the big butterfly might even get to be that packed house some day before Danny's done.

Mission accomplished.

Next issue?

[MUther]

Watching the replay of the last play with hundreds (maybe) of fans in this massive arena and I'm thinking that the conference certainly has to do better, especially with UAB not a great draw to begin with...I know, I know, Huntington supposedly doesn't have the hotels and auxiliary facilities...still...I mean, would the media needs and rooms for fans be greater than it was in the 1-AA playoff days???...you can't tell me that we wouldn't get a crowd better than that, and you could use Big Sandy Arena for the women's tournament if necessary...

!-AA football was one team's fans and media per week.  Not 14 school's worth of fans, media, team, cheerleaders, bands, etc, with many staying at least 3-4 days.  It's doable but not gonna draw well here.  And it's also a pain in the butt to get flights here if you're a western based team and fans.

Herdmeister some people only go to see their team play and would look for other things to do in the meantime or just make a week's vacation out of the trip if it's a good destination city.

[Herdmeister]

Herdmeister some people only go to see their team play and would look for other things to do in the meantime or just make a week's vacation out of the trip if it's a good destination city.

That may be true, but the majority of those in B'ham this week went to multiple sessions, not just their team.
My group of 8 went out to dinner only once all week. That was last night after our loss. The rest of the time it was a quick sandwich near the arena between sessions.

[svherd]

Boca Grande is amazing. It's on Gasparilla island off the gulf coast at Port Charlotte / Fort Myers area. It's amazing. Kills Clearwater/St. Pete area. Prettiest town/beach I've been to in Florida and I've been to a lot. Water is probably as close to carribean water as you'll find in the US. Do a google search. It's a hidden gem. I think you thought I meant Boca Raton which is a totally different ball game.

I have an uncle in Port Charlotte. That does sound nice.

[_sturt_]

I do miss Asheville. Packed. Virtually every school represented well. And, yeah, many of us wouldn't miss a single session. It was basketball nirvana.

[HaveUherd]

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/police-arrest-on-drug-charges/article_b9d7a221-5995-50ba-a4b7-5d29fcb08d97.html

What a great place Huntington is.

[Dunk]

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/police-arrest-on-drug-charges/article_b9d7a221-5995-50ba-a4b7-5d29fcb08d97.html

What a great place Huntington is.

Yes, you can find negative stories of you want. You can also find positive ones.

There is crime in every decent size city. You may avoid it by living in the sticks, but at what cost? I have lived in Huntington for all but 2 years of my 29 year old life and I have yet to feel scared in any part of the city.

Huntington has plenty of good things to offer if you are not close minded and convince yourself it is a bad place

Attitude/outlook is a choice you make when you wake up every morning. I choose to look at my city positively.

[The E-Man]

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/police-arrest-on-drug-charges/article_b9d7a221-5995-50ba-a4b7-5d29fcb08d97.html

What a great place Huntington is.

It's a good thing Huntington is making drug bust. Huntington is dead serious about getting rid of this cancer that's been plaguing the city for to long. I agree with Dunk, things are changing and for the better.

Yes, you can find negative stories of you want. You can also find positive ones.

There is crime in every decent size city. You may avoid it by living in the sticks, but at what cost? I have lived in Huntington for all but 2 years of my 29 year old life and I have yet to feel scared in any part of the city.

Huntington has plenty of good things to offer if you are not close minded and convince yourself it is a bad place

Attitude/outlook is a choice you make when you wake up every morning. I choose to look at my city positively.