Florida Celebrates Florida

In an indication that the "creative class" era may have finally jumped the shark, the city of Miami is reveling in the arrival of Richard Florida himself as a sign of the area's arrival as a "Creative City."

1 minute read

August 20, 2012, 11:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Let the global race to secure Richard Florida's signature on a lease begin!

With the influential author taking his talents, and "matinee-idol looks,"
to South Beach, Viglucci views Florida's winter migration south from his current home in Toronto as conferring a "blessing on the endeavors of Panther Coffee, Wynwood and the sprawling, still-unformed city that contains them."

So, with Florida's arrival, is Miami "ready to take its place in the creative economy alongside San Francisco, Boston, Seattle and Washington, D.C.?"

"Miami's newfound cultural allure, and its design-focused urban revival, [Florida] says, have made it a location of choice for people who, like the
Floridas, could live anywhere. That includes CEOs with Beach
pied-a-terres, DJs, star chefs and Latin American tech entrepreneurs.
(The sunshine helps, he admits.)"

And although, as Viglucci notes, "the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area that is Florida's
new winter home ranks relatively low on his creative-cities indices...
it does score 11th in the nation for tolerance, a factor he says bodes
well for the region's ability to attract and retain talent."

Watch out LeBron, there's a new superstar in town. 

Sunday, August 19, 2012 in The Miami Herald

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