Do you think Chicago should have something Similar to Times Square or/and the Los Vegas strip?

[Ichiban]

I'm pretty high right now and that hammer emoticon is giving me a serious case of the lulz.

What would you like to discuss diablo?

[Ichiban]

Is Houston really known as "Screwston" locally? I can't imagine a lame nickname like that would fly...

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by Ichiban

I'm pretty high right now and that hammer emoticon is giving me a serious case of the lulz.

What would you like to discuss diablo?

Nothing in particular, I was just commenting on how you two (and nearly everyone else in here) need to act like adults for once.

Originally Posted by Ichiban

Is Houston really known as "Screwston" locally? I can't imagine a lame nickname like that would fly...

Geez, are you like trying to win the top douchebag award on SSC or something?

Anyways to answer your question, Houston has the nickname Screwston (among it's many other nicknames) because it is the birthplace of the "screw" rap genre.

[Ichiban]

Yawn...

"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka

I've never heard of the screw rap genre but Screwston sounds dumb to me. I guess it's an example of "I had to grow up there to understand"

[blakeaustin]

Chicago looks so lame when you compare it to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. In Las Vegas they have cool lights and displays on the strip and legit roller coasters, while in L.A. they have Hollywood and the sunset strip along with "Six Flags Magic Mountain", which dominates any other amusement park in America. Both Las Vegas and Los Angeles seem to be good party spots but Chicago just looks blah . Unless Chicago only wants old people to travel here for leisure, they will need to step it up quite a bit because I wouldn't waste a second choosing just about any other American city over it, whether it was for geographical beauty or awesomely sketchy infrastructure. btw i'm 16 and I graduate next year and was wondering what type of great jobs you guys have that you get to travel the nation and meet different people and see our great cities?!

[WeimieLvr]

Originally Posted by blakeaustin

Chicago looks so lame when you compare it to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. In Las Vegas they have cool lights and displays on the strip and legit roller coasters, while in L.A. they have Hollywood and the sunset strip along with "Six Flags Magic Mountain", which dominates any other amusement park in America. Both Las Vegas and Los Angeles seem to be good party spots but Chicago just looks blah . Unless Chicago only wants old people to travel here for leisure, they will need to step it up quite a bit because I wouldn't waste a second choosing just about any other American city over it, whether it was for geographical beauty or awesomely sketchy infrastructure. btw i'm 16 and I graduate next year and was wondering what type of great jobs you guys have that you get to travel the nation and meet different people and see our great cities?!

Wow...for real? Chicago is one of the world's great cities (as is L.A.), but you're only 16. You'll learn. Experience is the best teacher.

[blakeaustin]

"Chicago is one of the world's great cities", I'm not denying that, but from my perspective it just looks plain boring. The only reason I would ever think to visit Chicago is for one of those epic snowstorms that you guys get in the winter that you just don't get to see here in the north Dallas 'burbs, the Groundhog's Day Blizzard looked cool, but I know weather is a taboo subject to bring up on this website so i'm probably headed for a scolding! :p

[nomarandlee]

I don't think Chicago "needs" a Times Square or Strip. They can't even be close to outdone even if there was a wish to emulate them. I have thought it could benefit somewhat cool to have a district that displayed some (mostly) non-commercial Kinetic Art/Motion and LED/LCD art displays however. I don't care to see such such districts anywhere near Michigan Avenue, Grant/Millennium Park, or the Loop.

Some places in downtown I could imagine some success if done right though is the Ontario/Ohio street corridor that runs through River North. This corridor is the feeder for the Kennedy Expressway for most people heading into downtown north of the river. This is already downtown's defacto garish tourist trap central with its Rock N Roll McDonalds, Excalibur Club, Rainforest Cafe. There are some relatively low level hotels and lots that are ripe for redevelopment along the corridor as well.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=623+N....,1.54,,0,-0.46

The second location is where the Old Post Office is and could be drawn in as part of its grand redevelopment plans. It could be made to be a casino/family tourist district which would be very convenient for Midwestern families and weekenders to come in on the weekends and be a few blocks away.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=380+S....11,154.77,,0,0

So if the question is could Chicago use something like these........















My answer is yes. If it were to be just another attempted second tier attempt at some digital ad signage to try to emulate Vegas, Times Square, or Shibuya then no.

[Jennifat]

Originally Posted by blakeaustin

"Chicago is one of the world's great cities", I'm not denying that, but from my perspective it just looks plain boring.

You should really visit Chicago if you ever get the chance to do so. If you go home thinking the country's third-largest city was boring, then you're either in a coma, or probably not someone who cares about cosmopolitan urbanity and should probably stick to theme parks for your vacations.

Originally Posted by blakeaustin

The only reason I would ever think to visit Chicago is for one of those epic snowstorms that you guys get in the winter that you just don't get to see here in the north Dallas 'burbs

If you want to experience a brutal snowstorm, Chicago isn't the place. They get—maybe—one or two a winter, and a truly vicious one every few years. Up here in the Twin Cities, we consider winters in Chicago "mild".

[Sarcasticity]

Chicago seems to be a very beautiful city. I've always wanted to go there, but I have plans later this year. Can't deny though that it seems even the international members think Chicago is pretty "boring" (not exactly the right term, but along that line. Maybe not so "appealing").

[Northsider]

Originally Posted by blakeaustin

Chicago looks so lame when you compare it to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. In Las Vegas they have cool lights and displays on the strip and legit roller coasters, while in L.A. they have Hollywood and the sunset strip along with "Six Flags Magic Mountain", which dominates any other amusement park in America. Both Las Vegas and Los Angeles seem to be good party spots but Chicago just looks blah . Unless Chicago only wants old people to travel here for leisure, they will need to step it up quite a bit because I wouldn't waste a second choosing just about any other American city over it, whether it was for geographical beauty or awesomely sketchy infrastructure. btw i'm 16 and I graduate next year and was wondering what type of great jobs you guys have that you get to travel the nation and meet different people and see our great cities?!

I love seeing these ignorant posts.

The thing with Chicago is, it doesn't have that knee-jerk flash that lots of other cities have (lights of Las Vegas, Hollywood sign, density of skyscrapers in NYC, palm trees and beaches of Miami, etc). Chicago is a much more pedestrian city. You need to get into it and let Chicago take you in. It seeps under your skin. It leaves an impression. There's no single thing that clearly defines Chicago like Hollywood does to LA or Manhattan does to NYC. Chicago is beautiful, yet rough around the edges. We don't put on airs. We don't care if we're not the best at something, because we do everything really well. We just hate misconceptions. We hate that people consider us flyover or boring. We have gambling if that's your thing. We have roller coasters if that's your thing. We have great food (both local dives and Michelin rated), we have thrift shopping, we have untouchable boutiques. We have great transit. It's big. It's beautiful. It's dangerous. It's polite. It's gruff. It's extroverted. It's introverted. It's cold. It's hot. It's everything. That's why people don't understand it.

As Anthony Bourdain said: "This is a big city, and it’s the only other real city in America, as far as I’m concerned.”

Take a look through this thread. If you still think Chicago is boring after looking at all the photos, you are probably lying.

btw i'm 16 and I graduate next year and was wondering what type of great jobs you guys have that you get to travel the nation and meet different people and see our great cities?!

I work for a map company.

[Northsider]

Originally Posted by Jennifat

If you want to experience a brutal snowstorm, Chicago isn't the place. They get—maybe—one or two a winter, and a truly vicious one every few years. Up here in the Twin Cities, we consider winters in Chicago "mild".

Chicago get's cold, but we don't really get many huge snowstorms (it seems). We get maybe one huge snowfall a year, a handful of small snowfalls, and the rest of the winter is just brown and ugly. We don't get much lake effect snow...so Buffalo or even Michigan City would be the place to go to see a brutal snow storm.

[blakeaustin]

Thank you for your response to my question about your career I honestly appreciate it, but if you don't mind me asking, did you require schooling? Dewd, my last post was not ignorant, when compared to other cool American cities like Las Vegas, LA, NYC and Miami, Chicago just seems mediocre. btw here in Dallas they close school for only 2" of snow and about a year ago during Superbowl week it snowed 5" and school was closed for an entire week so your city still looks plenty cold for meh, more like an icebox! - awesomeness

[Northsider]

Originally Posted by blakeaustin

Dewd, my last post was not ignorant, when compared to other cool American cities like Las Vegas, LA, NYC and Miami, Chicago just seems mediocre.

Thus, why I think your post is ignorant.

Thank you for your response to my question about your career I honestly appreciate it, but if you don't mind me asking, did you require schooling?

Yes.

[blakeaustin]

nd this guy -.-

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by blakeaustin

Chicago looks so lame when you compare it to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. In Las Vegas they have cool lights and displays on the strip and legit roller coasters, while in L.A. they have Hollywood and the sunset strip along with "Six Flags Magic Mountain", which dominates any other amusement park in America. Both Las Vegas and Los Angeles seem to be good party spots but Chicago just looks blah . Unless Chicago only wants old people to travel here for leisure, they will need to step it up quite a bit because I wouldn't waste a second choosing just about any other American city over it, whether it was for geographical beauty or awesomely sketchy infrastructure. btw i'm 16 and I graduate next year and was wondering what type of great jobs you guys have that you get to travel the nation and meet different people and see our great cities?!

I find it hard to believe that anyone with an interest in architecture or urbanity would dismiss Chicago as mediocre given that Chicago is the city that created American style architecture (such as prairie style architecture made famous by Frank Lloyd Wright, and the skyscraper) in the first place. Anyways maybe you should actually visit the city first before making such untrue and assinine comments just based off what you saw in the media.

[atrain5371]

Plus that post is wrong on roller coasters as Six Flags Great America (technically in Gurnee, Illinois) is one of the better theme parks in the United States.

Oh and Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio dominates every Amusement Park in the world.

[The Urban Politician]

Originally Posted by blakeaustin

Thank you for your response to my question about your career I honestly appreciate it, but if you don't mind me asking, did you require schooling? Dewd, my last post was not ignorant, when compared to other cool American cities like Las Vegas, LA, NYC and Miami, Chicago just seems mediocre. btw here in Dallas they close school for only 2" of snow and about a year ago during Superbowl week it snowed 5" and school was closed for an entire week so your city still looks plenty cold for meh, more like an icebox! - awesomeness

Wow, reading through this thread is exactly why I hardly bother to visit SSC any more.

Like it always has, immaturity and stupidity presides. People comment about cities they've never been to, and teenaged ignorant bumblefucks win the day. It's like we have a whole new generation of Silverlakes (only old timers will remember that moron) all over again, ready to bash and judge cities they've never set foot in, all in the name of "defending" their home town.

Time to go back to SSP, where (most of) the grown-ups spend their time.

And where are the mods? This thread would have been shut down pages ago on SSP...

[iloveclassicrock7]

Originally Posted by blakeaustin

Chicago looks so lame when you compare it to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. In Las Vegas they have cool lights and displays on the strip and legit roller coasters, while in L.A. they have Hollywood and the sunset strip along with "Six Flags Magic Mountain", which dominates any other amusement park in America. Both Las Vegas and Los Angeles seem to be good party spots but Chicago just looks blah . Unless Chicago only wants old people to travel here for leisure, they will need to step it up quite a bit because I wouldn't waste a second choosing just about any other American city over it, whether it was for geographical beauty or awesomely sketchy infrastructure. btw i'm 16 and I graduate next year and was wondering what type of great jobs you guys have that you get to travel the nation and meet different people and see our great cities?!

I have never felt so ashamed to waste my time reading such an idiotic and delusional post, your ignorance is dumbfounding. Chicago is a world class city, I am sorry that they don't have enough roller-coasters for your taste...

[The Urban Politician]

Originally Posted by iloveclassicrock7

I have never felt so ashamed to waste my time reading such an idiotic and delusional post, your ignorance is dumbfounding. Chicago is a world class city, I am sorry that they don't have enough roller-coasters for your taste...

^ I think what is more shameful is that people on these forums actually spend time trying to engage some of these idiots in an intelligent dialogue.

When I was 16 I was probably saying stupid things like this kid is too, so we can't blame him I guess. I really wish they had an age limit for these forums, though. I would like to know that I am speaking with a somewhat mature adult when I'm talking to someone. Then again, you can tell the teenie boppers apart just reading their posts...