Inspite of it we still manage to get millions of tourists each and every year.

I mean all the people I see in the Visitors Center, at 6th and Market, are just illusions,
right?

What happened with Delta Chi and Whole Foods?

Are they just not allowed in there because they don't sell buffalo wings or did something bad happen?

No, not illusions but considering that Philadelphia is sandwiched between the #1 tourist city in the usa and the #3 tourist city its performance is a tad underwhelming. Throw in all the unique historic destinations, the magnificient Ben Franklin Parkway, the tony center city neighborhoods and quite frankly the tourist that Philadlephia does get leaves alot to be desired. Lets not get it twisted, Its a slacker.

The national perception of NYC is of romatic Manhattan. The national perception of Chicago is the sparkling exciting Loop and the Lakefront. The poverty stricken rough and tumble areas like the Bronx,South Chicago somehow are overlooked in the overall national perception because those areas and the poor people that live in those areas are kept at arms length from the touristy downtown area which people visit. Leads for a much easier sell of the city to tourists and potential businesses.


In Philadlephia its all one gigantic economically entangled mess in the tourist areas. That is why NYC and Chicago gets Wows and Philadlephia gets Woes.

LOL back in the day, if I found out one of our pledges ate organic food, I'd lead a movement to have his bid yanked so he could seek his rightful place as a member of a sorority. Then I'd yank my own bid since pledging a fraternity turned out to be pretty stupid.

Seriously, I'm sure Meryl Levitz wants to improve the situation as do we all.

http://www.kiponline.org/bio_levitz.htm

You did read that National Geographic Traveler article whose title is still invoked around here to this day, right?

The author's point -- one that I've had reinforced by the comments from other visitors to this city -- is that this city is way underrated as a place to visit, and by extension, it's a great place to visit in its current state and more likely than not to only get better. (I'd only add from the perspective of 25 years' residence in Center City Philadelphia that it indeed has gotten better and continues to improve, Market East or no Market East, Saks or no Saks....)

The visitors I've encountered around here all have the same impression.

This suggests to me, as I've said elsewhere before, that nobody underrates this city more than the natives, who should really knock it off and give it half a chance.

__________________
Sandy Smith, Exile on Market Street, Philadelphia
“Basically I figure guns are like gays: They seem a lot more sinister and threatening until you get to know a few; and once you have one in the house, you can get downright defensive about them.” --Theresa Neilson Hayden

Totally agree & applaud you for putting it in such a nice but enforcing way! BTW - do you live near Spring Garden? I swear there this guy I always see waiting for the bus & he looks like your avatar - I laugh everytime I see him. Once he was at St. Stephen's bar & I was going to approach him after a few drinks but then decided to back down. Is this you???

In addition, one of the things more natives need to do is go on open house
tours. I go on a lot of these and they never cease to amaze and please me
wrt how a lot of Philadelphians actually live. It's another factor in shutting
down any remaining negativity I have about the city

Interested people should start here:

http://friendsofindependence.org/ind...d=21&Itemid=38

While I think that you could have stated your arguement in a better way (so hardcore Philadelphians could look at another view), I generally agree with your point. National perception of people that have never visited is extrememly negative. However everyone that have ever visited me in the city, has left with a new positive impression of Philly and says the same thing "I would love to live here" (granted I live in Old City).

Everyone is to blame for the negative perception. Police, government, citizens and especially media. Police don't cite for minor crimes in more affluent areas and we all know about the recent alleged beating event. The government (corrupt for years) ignored many needs of the people. Citizens throw trash out their car windows and don't maintain properties. And Philadelphians generally are outspoken...and tell it like it is at the worst.

Don't forget the media. After a recent visit to Chicago, I'll use this as an example. There were two murders in the city, but the media described them as occuring in Southside. And continuously said the __ murder in SS this year. Never once did they group the entire city into a number or act like people should fear the entire city.

The worst areas in the city can only improve if the best areas of the city improve. Look at how places like Northern Liberties are improving after bordering a postive Old City. And Fishtown is improving from a better NL. Or how Queen Village improved from a positive Society Hill. The wealth and growth will spread to other areas, but the base (tourist areas) must maximize their potential.

Nope. Look at the "Location:" line in my post headers. I live right in the heart of the Gayborhood. You might see me every now and then in Bill Wood's new restaurant and bar on the street floor of my apartment building, but I usually frequent other Gayborhood hangouts more. BTW, I've also ditched the mustache but otherwise still resemble my avatar: I did get approached by a lurker a couple of months back who recognized me as I walked down Chestnut with a friend and former neighbor near 11th Street.

snick33: I would like to suggest that you and I are making the same point, but coming from opposite directions. To use that great neologism the Brookings Institution report last year on this city coined -- "Bostroit" -- what the natives emphasize, and thus the outsiders hear first, is the "-troit" part of Philadelphia, which leaves them totally unprepared for, and thus astonished by, the "Bos-" part.

__________________
Sandy Smith, Exile on Market Street, Philadelphia
“Basically I figure guns are like gays: They seem a lot more sinister and threatening until you get to know a few; and once you have one in the house, you can get downright defensive about them.” --Theresa Neilson Hayden