Alex Marshall muses on a new T.V. show set in Portland and how distinctiveness is so important to a city's success.
Marshall writes:
"More than a major league sports team, more than an opera house or symphony, having a network set a television series in your city is an announcement, that you have arrived as a metropolis."
The show Marshall is talking about is called "Life Unexpected," and it uses elements of the city like the light rail as set pieces.
"Beyond income per capita, unemployment rate or overall wealth, Portland is a city that is itself and nothing else. That's rare these days."
FULL STORY: Distinctiveness: A Big Secret to Cities’ Success

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