Is it just me, or has been Des Moines been going downhill? (Colo: best city, movie theaters)

[nrogers1122]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

Take the time to read a newspaper on occasion, or perhaps watch the national evening news. You will then learn that the entire country (in fact the entire world more or less) is in an incredibly deep recession. What do you expect in rough times? A bit clueless I think....

You are the one who is clueless, or ignorant - take your pick. See, if you had bothered to look outside Des Moines, as I have, you would see that other places are not taking this recession as badly as Des Moines is. The areas I mentioned were propped up by the housing boom in 03-07. Now that the boom is over, those places have no air left in their sails and are starting to decay. That is not the case in established places like the Twin Cities, for example.

[nrogers1122]

These are all (with the exception of the quote I highlighted above) pretty interesting takes. So let me ask you this - what does Des Moines do once the economy gets better? My inclination is that the developers would all continue to expand and annex parts of Dallas County. For my money, they should focus the development on filling the gaps.

For example, take a look at the suburb I currently live in. It is a working class suburb, and taken together with the adjoining hamlet of Robbinsdale, we are bordered by N. Minneapolis (ghetto) on the south, and Brooklyn Park/Center on the north (quasi-ghetto). Instead of abandoning Crystal, the developers have focused on revamping it. They knocked down several houses that were derelict and built new construction similar to what you see in Waukee (about 170-180 price range). They removed the old rusty light poles and traffic signals and installed new ones all over town. They re-paved the highway and beautified the frontage road and median. Had this been Des Moines, I have a feeling that major developers/home builders would have just said "screw it" and moved westward to build their homes.

Is there currently a big push to get developers to re-focus on the vacant lots? Does Des Moines have the population to continue West/North expansion? Are there any discussions about bringing in new corporations to add to the workforce, or incentives to reduce property/income taxes to attract businesses?

[Tek_Freek]

The last I visited Minneapolis I went to the neighborhood that I lived in for a year. When I was there it was a nice area. Not ritzy, but nice. When I returned it was, by all measure, a slum. Go to the Forum for Mpls and see if I bothered to start a nasty thread about how terrible it was and how it affects the entire city including St, Paul. You won't find one.

All cities go through change and certain areas go through decay.

You are the clueless one because you aren't smart enough to figure that out.

Just another out-of-stater trying to make themselves feel better be denigrating some other city.

Go back to Minneapolis - please.

[tollfree]

My personal opinion...some may not like it. Yet, worth thinking about.

Des Moines has the benefit of being the capitol city in a fanatical state. When I say fanatical, although Iowa has a better standard of living than many other states (there's also not the same level of poverty you'd find in Detroit for example) - it has several cult-like elements about it and this is magnified in Des Moines. Therefore, small-towners when they move to a city (especially college grads from the state or "Regents" schools as they are called in Iowa) will almost always move to the Des Moines metro. People from small towns (every corner of the state) who move away for a set time, move back to Iowa, and it's usually Des Moines. People from Des Moines metro originally rarely ever leave more than 3 or 4 years and it's usually Colorado at the farthest. Anyone from Des Moines who moves away to NYC or LA (but returns) is routinely profiled by local media to for some plug-in about how some Des Moines teahouse now offers a special flavor of black tea that was only found in NYC (they missed it so much when they were gone), and they are amazed how much Des Moines has changed the past 10 years, then something about Des Moines being smaller but just as trendy as NYC or LA, and this new brand-new fanaticism is born & reinforced in the process. Des Moines is a very fine community for it's size, there is no doubt about that - but I do think among locals there is a refusal to admit it can be a bit "tribal".

Essentially, the main draw of Des Moines is small-town people thinking they are in a big city (and truly believing it which is evident with their ultra-smug attitudes about it). You'll also meet people from northern Iowa closer to Minneapolis, eastern Iowa closer to Chicago, southwest Iowa closer to Kansas City, southeast Iowa closer to St. Louis...more of these people will choose Des Moines by default given it's in Iowa, and on a subconscious level - I don't think there is any place in the world where that may matter more. I'm convinced they could triple the already-high-as-is state income tax and it would make no difference on people leaving the state or moving to Des Moines from smaller towns and cities.

Almost everywhere else, it probably would have an effect. This statewide fanaticism is an overlooked reason the economy stays better than most places. You also have much lower numbers of minorities in Iowa overall. The Hispanic population is the only reason the state has grown. Almost all the growth in the larger cities by non-Hispanics is due to in-state migration, or return to Iowa after leaving to Colorado after college.

[Tek_Freek]

My personal opinion...some may not like it. Yet, worth thinking about.

Minneapolis has the benefit of being the twin to the capitol city in a fanatical state. When I say fanatical, although Minnesota has a better standard of living than many other states (there's also not the same level of poverty you'd find in Detroit for example) - it has several cult-like elements about it and this is magnified in Minneapolis . Therefore, small-towners when they move to a city (especially college grads from the state or "Regents" schools as they are called in Minnesota) will almost always move to the Minneapolis metro. People from small towns (every corner of the state) who move away for a set time, move back to Minnesota, and it's usually Minneapolis . People from Minneapolis metro originally rarely ever leave more than 3 or 4 years and it's usually Colorado at the farthest. Anyone from Minneapolis who moves away to NYC or LA (but returns) is routinely profiled by local media to for some plug-in about how some Minneapolis teahouse now offers a special flavor of black tea that was only found in NYC (they missed it so much when they were gone), and they are amazed how much Minneapolis has changed the past 10 years, then something about Minneapolis being smaller but just as trendy as NYC or LA, and this new brand-new fanaticism is born & reinforced in the process. Minneapolis is a very fine community for it's size, there is no doubt about that - but I do think among locals there is a refusal to admit it can be a bit "tribal".

Essentially, the main draw of Minneapolis is small-town people thinking they are in a big city (and truly believing it which is evident with their ultra-smug attitudes about it). You'll also meet people from northern Minnesota closer to Canada, eastern Minnesota closer to Milwaukee, southwest Minnesota closer to Omaha, southeast Minnesota closer to Chicago...more of these people will choose Minneapolis by default given it's in Minnesota, and on a subconscious level - I don't think there is any place in the world where that may matter more. I'm convinced they could triple the already-high-as-is state income tax and it would make no difference on people leaving the state or moving to Minneapolis from smaller towns and cities.

Almost everywhere else, it probably would have an effect. This statewide fanaticism is an overlooked reason the economy stays better than most places. You also have much lower numbers of minorities in Minnesota overall. The Hispanic population is the only reason the state has grown. Almost all the growth in the larger cities by non-Hispanics is due to in-state migration, or return to Minnesota after leaving to Colorado after college.

Well, duh.

[tollfree]

Dealing with Iowans. Definitely an acquired taste. There's no other state where grown adults like babies on the level they do in Iowa when they disagree.

It's simply ignorant to compare Minneapolis & Des Moines.

[Tek_Freek]

It is ignorant to create a long complex post about a city you don't live in. In fact, I doubt you even live in Iowa. Dealing with you is most certainly an acquired distaste, but it's a cross I bear proudly.

I'm just pointing out the stupidity of your post. Pick a state/capital city, any state/capital city and the same post can be altered to fit. It has nothing to do with comparing Des Moines to Minneapolis - once again you missed the point. Seems to happen quite often.

[tollfree]

That's untrue. Iowa is its own brand of fanatical, not far off religious cults (possibly surpassing because all faiths are united in their fanaticism). I've lived in several states. In the late 90's the governor of Minnesota before Ventura (Carlson) said Des Moines was "boring". So the State of Iowa legislature responds demanding he either publically apologize or step down as governor.

If you were from Iowa - you also got an automatic discount at the Mall of America.

That just wouldn't happen with most places, regardless of who called who boring.

Look at the Bloom article, there's no way the level of backlash including death threats on Bloom would happen to the extent they did in Iowa.

[pepe1]

Originally Posted by nrogers1122

Out in Johnston we found that Wynsong Cinema, once the most technologically advanced theater in the area, was almost completely dead at 9 PM on a Saturday night.

Side conversation here...As I travel to other cities, it's become obvious that when it comes to movie theaters, Des Moines is still in the dark ages. Most other cites offer theaters with an IMAX screen, or theaters with motion seats, or theaters with VIP sections and alcohol sales. Anywho, you must have caught Wynnsong on an off night. Despite the Jordan Creek Theater now being the 'it' theater arounfd town, the Wynnsong still does a good business on the weekends.

[ElleTea]

There is an IMAX theater in Des Moines. FYI.