DC metro, Boston, and RDU has a leg up on the Silicon Valley of the east coast. I have made plenty of work trips and stayed at hotels in Mountain View, Palo Alto, Cupertino, and Freemont. You do not want that? I do not want that for the area.
Thanks LHSfaninVA, I have no doubt you know about such things and I'm certainly not qualified to take issue with what you'd know. Unfortunately, I still have the imagination of a kid. Give me a few more years and I'll probably have the complete mentality and temperament of one.
Most of us, around here, might wonder how could "Maiden" ever compete with these huge metropolitan areas you mentioned. When I think of DC The U.S Government comes to mind, Boston, I think of Harvard and brilliant students, Raleigh-Durham with NC State, Duke and Carolina and Research Triangle Park. All these places have the roads, population and workforce along with the other amenities to accommodate and sustain this type of business.
Just wondered if it isn't possible, though, paradoxically speaking, that Maiden has enough to maybe compete with these other areas or is off to a good start. It's at least, a de facto part of the Charlotte metropolitan area which claims the second largest banking center on the east coast behind New York and similar to San Francisco. There is a fairly large and diverse work force within driving distance, Maiden is easily accessible to an international airport and centrally located between to interstates carrying traffic in all four directions and there is undeveloped land for expansion and housing. North Carolina has a right to work law unlike Boston and DC, and Raleigh-Durham has what I'd think of as considerable northern influence along with Wake County which was and probably still is the wealthiest county in this state. Point being, there is that possibility of cheaper labor and less union concerns, at least initially. I think Catawba County would do all it could to provide the necessary infrastructure and utilities, along with lower taxes.
Where this area would fall short as opposed to the others is the lack of prestigious universities. Some years back I read that the progeny for the high tech industry came out of Stanford University's school of engineering. It's been a long time since I saw this but it wouldn't surprise me if that is correct.
The only large four year institution in this area is UNCC which I've also heard has surpassed UNC Chapel Hill, recently, in overall enrollment. In NO WAY am I trying to compare UNCC to Stanford or Chapel Hill, but it does have a school of engineering and other technical studies, and with proper funding, someday, it could possibly help to meet the needs and provisions of something requiring the skills and thought that high tech would require. On top of that, for the higher paying jobs, for someone coming to the area moving shouldn't have a lot of effect.
Frankly, I believe we have many smart people in this area that could handle most kinds of jobs in that industry, given the opportunity (hey, we might get you to come back home) , and even people with the training for very skilled work. I mentioned infrastructure, utilities and future development for facilities and housing, one of the people we post with on here, I'm thinking, is an engineer. I don't want to say his name so as not to embarrass him, but it rhymes with GrizzlyLevel. Please correct me if I'm wrong on that.
Saying Maiden could be the new Silicon Valley may sound far fetched and said in a lighthearted way, but strangely enough, I believe it's reasonably possible.
You remember Coach Harris, I had a bet with him once. We were at the Block Smith gymnasium on East Rhodes Street, the bet was he could not hit a half-court shot in three try's. The very first one was nothing but net. It was a two-handed set shot. at his age I couldn't believe it. He was very gracious. He called me a sucker and told me "You cannot beat a man at his own game", and that I should have known since he had made the bet.
So, Before you write me off let me repeat my disclaimer of knowing less than you and having a big imagination, but hey, doesn't bizarre thought kind of fit in with that field.
Postscript: Have a set of 1962 encyclopedias. When they were published Cupertino was similar in size to Maiden, back then. Maybe it's the little blue dot's time. Just a passing thought. 😊
Side note: You mentioned having been there, I assume it was to Apple Headquarters. That would be something to see. In photos it looks surreal. It looks like the mothership or the Pentagon with all 90 degree angles smoothed out. I think if I weren't afraid to fly I'd go see it.
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