There’s nothing like getting out of your city and daily routine to gain a fresh perspective on things, and I’ve been fortunate to have done a little bit of that lately.
The first trip was with the whole family over Mardi Gras week to Nashville and the Smoky Mountains. We’d been to the latter, but it was my first time in Nashville. No slam on the city at all, but after seeing Music Row and comparing that to our Bourbon Street, when it comes to choosing a destination for a raucous night out — for, say, a bachelorette party — I’d say there’s no contest.
What did blow me away, however, was the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. I’ve never been to anything like it. Since my husband was there for a conference, I had the task of entertaining two kids for three days. Luckily, with 20 places to eat and drink, an indoor/outdoor waterpark and acres of lush indoor gardens (including multiple waterfalls and even a boat ride through the resort), we never had to leave the resort. It definitely gave me a new appreciation for the importance of all the work that’s being done in and around our convention center in order to stay competitive with our neighbors.
And now I’ve just returned from a girls’ weekend to Austin. Last year, the city ranked as the second fastest-growing city in the country, driven in large part to a booming tech sector. Austin is home to offices of multiple tech giants, including Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Oracle and SpaceX. According to PitchBook data, in 2021, VCs invested over $5.5 billion across 412 deals in the city, more than double the amount of capital invested in 2020. The entire city felt young and vibrant — clean and functional. Experiencing the effect a booming tech scene can have on a city again made me appreciate the work being done in New Orleans. The music and bar scene was everywhere, and thanks to a uniquely designed bridge that has attracted millions of bats, the beautiful lake adjacent to the city is enjoyed all year long without any mosquitoes!
Austin was impressive, but it didn’t have the soul of New Orleans. The food was good, but our kayaking guide was quick to tell us he makes a trip at least every year to NOLA because the food and the city itself is like nowhere else. We definitely have no shortage of issues — which so many of the incredible nonprofits highlighted in this issue are hard at work to solve every day — but in seeing cities like Austin I can see a bit of how we could be better while still keeping the best parts of who we are that nobody else has, and that’s exciting to think about.
Also… we need to get one of those bridges.
Thanks for reading,
Kimberley Singletary
Editor
Kimberley@BizNewOrleans.com
