Florida's Mega Region
Florida goes even further though. In his article he talks of a Mega Region - from Buffalo to Quebec City, and its ability to drive the global economy "with 22 million people and $530-billion in economic activity, making it the 12th-largest mega-region in the world and fifth-largest in North America". Unfortunately, the example that he uses to make a point repositions the Buffalo Bills in Toronto... a move that many Torontonians would love to see, but would forever sever any sort of relationship with the city that snagged our beloved Bills from us... nothing like kickin' us when we're down, right? Maybe this is the time to consider moving the football stadium to downtown Buffalo, so as to make it an easier drive for Torontonians to catch a game. That would be a win-win for Buffalo and Toronto, and as our university makes further attempts to build upon its presence downtown, the relocation (not to Toronto) of the stadium would heal yet another old wound.
As Florida goes on to detail the benefits of thinking in terms of a Mega Region, he points out many of the benefits... including that of enhanced transportation between the cities that comprise the Mega Market. We all know that Buffalo must do a better job in marketing what we have, and what we are getting. One of those assets is our relationship to Toronto. When someone comes in to Buffalo for the first time Toronto is always on the laundry list when I talk of the great assets of our city. I tell them that they can leave Buffalo at 9am and still be in Toronto for breakfast. Then they can spend the day there and be back in their favorite city in time for dinner. That's the same length commute that many of my friends who live outside NY take to get into the city. It always amazes people that Toronto is so close. It also reinforces the idea that Buffalo should aim for becoming a strong mid-size city... with a mega cosmopolitan city within a short drive. Listen to what Florida writes as part of the lead-in for his article:
"And yet everywhere we go we are met by Torontonians who either seem mystified that we would move to what they imply is a second-rate city, or seem to be seeking some kind of validation in our answer."
Sounds a bit familiar doesn't it?
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Comment Options
al-alo
sounds just as good as Mil-cin-ago.
but as far as regional approach: amen, amen, a thousand times amen! a little high speed to connect it all would be a great and sensible start.
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atypical
Build a new stadium in Niagara Falls, NY. Still convenient for Buffalo, Rochester, and most of all, those coveted Canadians.
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Denizen
As long as the border exists (plus our stupid useless DHS) the Buffalo and Toronto areas will never function as one economic unit except Canadians embarking on plenty of cross-border shopping trips at our big-box retail clusters.
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NSphere
I agree with the regional concept but he is not being innovative... the Golden Horseshoe concept is not new, trying to link all the way to Quebec is overreaching, and I just don't have much respect for Richard Florida. I'm sorry to sound negative, but I find him to be a terrible writer that poorly defends his "Creative Class." (I do appreciate the notion of a creative class but his validation, praise, and support of the group is questionable at best)
At least someone else with some influence (however questionable it may be) is supporting this cross-border regional approach.
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zen
Being from Buff it sounds great but for Torontonians isn't a bit like New Yorkers being told abt the potential powerhouse between NYC, Albany, and Troy (distances greater I know, but still)? Plus, as others mentioned, the border crossing dilemma is way too constrictive to ever foster any kind of "consistant" inter-city commute.
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rb66
How about a bridge over Lake Ontario. From Ransomville, NY to Toronto. :)
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david
Read Florida everyday at The Creativity Exchange
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hodgepodge
i know i'm dreaming, but. . . a reliable, quick (1 hour station to station) train between our cities would really be a benefit; especially for us. even if it's expensive, i would love to come back by train after last call up there.
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bison716
I think we should definitely invest building a brand new Bills Stadium downtown, either near the waterfront or somewhere behind City Hall, with a "Grand Train Station" that would connect it smaller short-run local stations and long-run regional destinations, which could include our new Casino, Waterfront (Bass Pro & Inner Harbor), Outer Harbor, Elmwood (near the new Art Gallery), Niagera Falls (Casino area), Clifton Hill district (Canada-side), Downtown Toronto, Rochester, Eire, & Syracuse. Think of all the fans we have (region-wise) that would pack downtown during sundays and what great varity of restaurants and businesses might evolve from all these great cities to have easy access to Downtown Buffalo. The smaller short-run destinations would get outsiders more familar with our other destinations we offer besides the Bills game (Elmwood, Inner & Outer Harbors) and would connect our city as a whole alot better. A major investment, but think how great it would be for our city and regional fans!
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sally
He does not seem to be even close in getting his facts right. He is saying that there are 22 million people from Toronto to Rochester - what a ludicrous statement. All of Ontario from Quebec to the Arctic Circle to Minnesota only has 11 million people. Thus he is implying that the Buffalo to Utica area has at least 11 million people!!! He's nuts!!!
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Abbottroad
Actually ontario and quebec combined have a population of approx 21 million. most of whom reside along lake ontario and the st. lawrence river.
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brokeleg
Hodgepodge- how sweet would that be? It would benefit Buffalo a lot more than it would Toronto. It would give Southern Ontarionians a quick and efficient way to visit our city. I'll bet more would be willing to hang out in Buffalo then we all imagine.
Brace yourselves kids I'm about to drop a bomb. Playing a home game in toronto is the smartest decision the bills have made in recent memory. I'm tired of everyone bitching like they're gonna move there. If anything the Bills will move to LA. The bloodthirsty NFL can't resist that huge TV market, even though for awhile LA had two teams and lost them both. I say they dont deserve one. Canadian TV ratings won't count, thats why the NHL struggles financially. We need toronto's money. It's sad but true. Back in the 70s i think the Green Bay Packers played 2 home games a year in MIlwaukee in Milwaukee County Stadium, home of the baseball Brewers. That is the reason the Pack is still in Green Bay. They went beyond their own town and turned themselves into a state team. The Bills have the opportunity to be an international team. We don't have a moment to lose. We have to do everything we can to better our chances of staying put after Mr. Wilson passes. He said so himself that after all the millions of dollars we as a people have spent on that team that the Bills will be sold to the highest bidder after he is dead and gone. That bidder will come from LA. Mark my words. As we speak the Dallas Cowboys are building a 100,000 seat stadium with a ton of luxury suites. Luxury suites are the meat and potatoes of a football team's income. Gate sales are a joke compared to corporate boxes. Its great that Bills fans sell out so many games but it will never be enough to keep our team here, especially with our low ticket prices. its nice to be able to have families afford to go to games but in the cold business of professional football we are dying.
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EricOak
I found his piece riddled with cliches and exaggerations. When I lived in Toronto, every single person I knew who was from another Canadian city felt out of place--they all felt that the other major Canadian cities were not only more beautiful (Toronto is hands down the ugly duckling of Canada), but also less authentic. I'd like to see how he feels in five years.
He has been a strong booster of Buffalo in the past, but Florida strikes me as highly impressionable and fad conscious lately. And his name for this new fangled land--TorBuffchester--is, I hope, a joke. We can promote business and cultural trade for sure, but I think these three citites have their own signatures, their own authentic stories and lives, and sorely do not need to be sewn together into a lame quilt.
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hodgepodge
... and, has anyone ever tried taking a train (Amtrak) from downtown buffalo to toronto. total time is over 2 and 1/2 hours with off-board inspection at the border and multiple stops. and, it's always late. a better train obviously would be a better thing, even if it only has a few departures per day.
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RisingDamp666
Buffalo ally itself with that sleepy lttle hamlet Toronto? How absurd! Of course this transplant would love to vindicate his poor judgement by asserting some affinity with the Center Of The Universe, but such is the plight of all those who cling to Buffalo's outer fringes that the air is thinner, gravity is weaker, and the mind inevitably drifts into childish non-sequiturs: "TorBuffChester" indeed!
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georgethomasapfel
Yeah, gotta have a better name, "TorBuffChester" doesn't cut it... how about ...
Buffonster Heyyyy..
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STEEL
brokleg,
You may be onto something. My father's theory is that Wilson is aiming to show the league that Buffalo's TV market is actually TorBuffChester which would be one of the largest in the League at around 9 Million people. Once they understand that there are actual people in Canada that buy products and that they are interested in the Bills they will focus on putting the Jacksonville Jags in LA
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TheWhyNotGuy
Burochonto? Torchestalo? Cheektoronto? West Senecanada? Hamiltonawanda? Tofuster?
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RisingDamp666
LA already has two pro football teams, The USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins. They don't need a third.
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Buffalopundit
Tor-Buff-Chester, meet Schengen.
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SLEEPL8
whynotguy...you go it dude...Burochonto. It sounds like a south american warrior or something. The world beware...you may fall upon the sword of Burochonto!
unfortunately It also sounds like a taco bell menu item...I'll take a burochanto with sour cream and cheese and a large pepsi...
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