9 replies to this topic

[BlueMound]

http://www.citylab.c...he-most/402757/

I'm not sure if I agree with this study

[JBB]

I'm leery of any study that tries to apply objective evidence to a subjective label. Sort of like the study from a couple of years ago about Ft. Worth being "unhip". Maybe the people in Arlington are just grumpy about being stuck in Arlington?

[Austin55]

Probably also because the only reason Arlington ever gets tourists is for sports and we naturally hate the visiting teams fans.  It also probably doesn't help that it's so car centric that visitors will clog up traffic.

 

I agree its silly, I've never actually heard of someone hating Arlington visitor. Odd result for sure. I'm sure if you just asked people or took a poll you'd find most of us love tourists. I do think the city doesn't provide enough in the way of lodging and non stadium or other attractions, and loses much of that potential to surrounding cities.

[RD Milhollin]

Looks like developers hope to spread the love with a new hotel-based development just south of the big stadium on the old Eastern Star Home property:

 

http://www.star-tele...le32996736.html

 

The obvious place for a commuter or light-rail stop along the UP right of way to serve the stadium would be very near this proposed development. I could not imagine actually living there unless I had other condos in Vail or Palm Beach to escape to during games I did not want to attend... The current lack of transit and roads that don't connect to other roads makes getting around pretty hard during game-day surges.

[RD Milhollin]

Six Flags loves visiting tourists and puts their capital where their mouth is with three new rides in the Gotham City section:

 

http://www.star-tele...le33683508.html

 

I wasn't aware that Gotham City's flag had ever flown over Texas... Let's see, Spain, France, Mexico...

[Austin55]

I'm a big Six Flags enthusiast, I follow what they do as much as new construction in Fort Worth and they've been going down an interesting road lately, smaller investments, more family oriented, etc. It's been a big disappointment for thrill seekers (the park hasn't spent more than 20 million on a single ride in 10 years now, while competing chain Cedar Fair does so regularly)  for those with families it's probably been a good time. 

 

 

The Six Countries theme has been gone for a long time now to. They still have them, but they are vague and uninteresting. France is nothing more than a 100 detour pathway. 

[JBB]

The chain is still in cost-savings mode and they haven't spent that kind of money on a single ride in any park for quite awhile. It makes sense that much of what they do in investment and affordable season passes is geared toward families. Families make up the vast majority of their business and they're more likely to spend money when they get there. And the 3D dark ride they added last year didn't cost them $20 million, but it was much closer to that than you might think.

[Austin55]

Justice League was the 2nd biggest investment in park history behind Titan.

[Dismuke]

I'm leery of any study that tries to apply objective evidence to a subjective label. Sort of like the study from a couple of years ago about Ft. Worth being "unhip". Maybe the people in Arlington are just grumpy about being stuck in Arlington?

 

 

I agree with you in that surveys like this should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

But I can think of a reason why people in a city such as Arlington might have a lower view of tourists than those in other cities.  My guess is that, to the degree that tourism is what keeps a town alive, the more friendly and grateful that the residents tend to be towards the tourists.  Places that are completely dependent on tourism tend to not have especially vibrant economies as the majority of jobs in hotels, restaurants and retail tend to be low paying.  Most people have the good sense not to be nasty towards their bread and butter.  Indeed, there were news reports about the recent terror attacks at the resorts in Tunisia where Tunisians quickly formed human shields to protect tourists from the gunman - this is an area where everybody's livelihood depends on tourism and, as a result of the attacks, the economy is now devastated.

 

In a place like Arlington, however, the vast majority of residents owe their living to the wider, diversified D/FW regional economy.  For them, a tourist is nothing more than another of many strangers one sees in a metropolitan area - and to the degree they are inconvenienced by the activities of tourists they have no real motive to feel particularly benevolent.

 

I personally couldn't care less about sports, football or the Dallas Cowboys. If other people find enjoyment in it - I think people peacefully enjoying themselves is a good thing.  But that is the limit of my appreciation for it and if the whole thing were to fall out of favor and go away tomorrow it would mean nothing to me personally.   And I haven't been to Six Flags since I was about five years old.  Thus if I were a resident of Arlington the extra traffic that both generate plus the taxes people are forced to pay to subsidize the corporate welfare provided to billionaire Jerry Jones would be an extreme dis-value to me.  On the other hand, if I was employed by a company for whom Six Flags is a major client I might have a completely different attitude.

[McHand]

Don't forget, Dismuke, that Arlington voters approved the Jerry World tax. They brought it on themselves.