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NOVEMBER 18, 2007

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THE ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE 1880

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How the Internet is changing your life: In Parade magazine

Is it hip to be here?
Boosters seek X factor that would take Southeast Texas to nth degree of cool
By SARAH MOORE

Texas marks Beach Road

Lost highway gets historic designation
By CHRISTINE RAPPLEYE

THE ENTERPRISE

THE ENTERPRISE

Mark M. Hancock/The Enterprise

SABINE PASS Taking an afternoon drive down Texas 87 between McFaddin Beach and High Island is but a memory to

Lights glow as twilight falls on the ExxonMobil refinery in Beaumont. Cheerleaders boosting Southeast Texas aim to

create a cool identity to help draw new residents needed for projected refinery expansions.

Think of Southeast Texas as the nerd you mocked in high school only now hes your boss. You know why? When nerds rise up saying, Nerds are cool, then people respect them, said Mark Viator, industrial alliance facilitator for the Southeast Texas Workforce Development Board and one of the most vocal cheerleaders for regional pride. At a recent presentation to Jefferson County Commissioners Court, Viator made a rallying call to make Southeast Texas cool again. In order to attract the work force necessary to staff the massive projected refinery expansions, the region is going to have to put its best foot forward, he said. And in the words of an old song, Youve got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, you know the rest or so say marketing experts in cool cities like Austin, PortCOOL, page 4A

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THE BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE

Sunday, November 18, 2007

COOL : Invariably the question comes up, why do I live where I live its ... a question that annoys me
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land, Ore., and New Orleans. When it comes to branding, those cities have a leg up as established, card-carrying cool destinations, drawing the young, ambitious and excitement-seeking like moths to cashmere. With a region such as Southeast Texas sometimes rather unromantically referred to as refinery row convention and visitors bureau people have to work a little harder. But people such as Viator said with the projected $12 billion to $15 billion in refinery expansions, Southeast Texas reputation could make a Uturn. The class nerd could finally come into his own.

Truth in coolness
The region certainly has some powerful selling points, supporters point out: close proximity to the beach, Houston and the Piney Woods. Then theres a friendly and caring community (just ask any Katrina evacuee) and a strong tradition of musical excellence. Representatives of cool cities recommend sticking with the strengths. Debra Wakefield of the Portland, Ore., Visitors Association said its best not to try to be everything to everyone, and above all to be honest about what your region has to offer. You should highlight your strengths and go with those, she said. Do things that feel good and natural for your

area. All agreed it is important above all for a city to stay true to itself. New Orleans, for example, is a city long romanticized in song, film and literature, and its reputation appears to have evolved quite without any effort or public relations campaign. Its pretty esoteric the way it happens, said Mary Beth Romig of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau in a telephone interview. It kind of bubbles up from the ground. Southeast Texas essence might be said to bubble up out of the ground as well, but in more of a crude way. And while the region no longer produces mass amounts of Texas tea, its still the regions lifeblood. And residents find lots to love here. Internationally recognized photographer and artist Keith Carter, a longtime resident who could live anywhere but chose Beaumont as his home, is impatient with the haters. Invariably the question comes up, why do I live where I live its always a question that annoys me, Carter said. I love going other places, and I love coming back here. And although some deplore its lack of cultural amenities, Carter finds inspiration in the gritty, authentic rhythms of day-to-day life in Southeast Texas. He savors the lyrical speech common to a people deeply rooted in religious tradition,

where phrases straight out of the King James Bible flow like communion wine. The blend of cultures, from Cajun to Mexican to Vietnamese, brings a rich and diverse menu to the table, where hush puppies sit next to boudin and gumbo and tacos. Its useful if you lead a creative life, Carter said. This kind of place is stimulating or claustrophobic, depending on your attitude. He loves being 30 minutes from the Big Thicket and 90 miles from Houston. He loves the trees, the friendliness of residents. But, though he loves it, Carter can nonetheless find room for improvement. We need more green space in the city, he said. We need to make a concerted effort to make this the prettiest place we possibly can. He sees the Neches riverfront as an underused resource. In most cities, the riverfront is a huge attraction, he said. And, as an artist, Carter longs for more galleries, cafes and opportunities to hear live music things that nurture the artistic soul. I think the economy is only part of the picture the cultural aspect is almost equally important. That could be improved in our city. Carter hopes the economic boom expected with the refinery expansions will help nourish the citys creative spark. I think we have everything in place, Carter said. We just

need leadership to bring it forward.

Culturing a city
Urban planning guru Richard Florida said cities would do well to invest in cultural projects to attract talented, creative people like Carter, according to a scholarly article from the University of The Netherlands posted on the Internet. Florida, author of a number of books on the role of creativity in the modern economy, postulates that in the future, economic growth will be fueled by innovation arising from what he calls the creative class. Artists, designers, writers, scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs will be the driving force in the economy. And while Florida and other planning visionaries have said you cant build a creative city from scratch, communities can build to encourage it. Neighborhoods with mixed uses conducive to bustling streets at all hours of the day, and a street pattern that allows pedestrians to easily cross over to other blocks make a city more dynamic, Florida said. A variety of buildings of different ages promote opportunities for different types of entrepreneurs.

Wholl lead the way?

Experts say building a great city takes great leadership. Wakefield credited Portlands progressive attributes like public transportation and

strict control of urban sprawl to a strong mayor who had a vision and wasnt afraid to stand her ground. Viator agreed strong leadership was key. This is the day for strong, positive leadership with solutions, he said. Its very easy to be against something we need to be for things and investing in the region. Viators dreams for the region include such pragmatic goals as a first-class public education system and a strong Lamar University, where research and development would fuel and enhance economic opportunities. He visualizes churches working together to hold the social fabric together and reach out to people in need. More opportunities for childrens outdoor activities such as organized sports and biking trails would be part of a familyoriented community that would appeal to younger, innovative community leaders. If were going to get the workers we need, we have to have something for them to come to not just a job a way of life, Viator said. We have to be positive about ourselves and the future we want. People dont want to go to a place thats negative. Robert Lander of Austins Convention and Visitors Bureau said education is a good place to start when it comes to creating that elusive cool vibe. Certainly an important aspect of the level of hipness is

the level of education of its citizens, he said in a telephone interview. Austin, recently named one of the nations Top 10 cool cities by Travel and Leisure magazine, is a city that built its reputation on a foundation of quirky individuality. Lander said Austin attracts smart, young people who keep Austin weird and the city courts them. We protect the things that make them happy, he said. We will never ever sway from our music scene. Even world-class cities such as New York dont sit back and wait for the world to come to them. Chris Heywood, director of tourism and communications for NYC & Co., said his organization launched a campaign Oct. 10 to promote the Big Apple nationally and internationally. New Yorks tourism industry brings in $25 billion a year and employs about 368,000 people. Its about promoting the destination and not resting on your laurels, he said. Everyones fighting for the same tourist dollars. So while money cant buy coolness, coolness does have a price tag. Lander offered one other time-tested piece of advice about coolness: We dont ever say were cool. The minute you have to say youre cool youre not. We let other people say that.

smoore@beaumontenterprise.com (409) 880-0730