Introduction to Cities

Bowman chapter 3

Social theories of urban spaee and place.

Perspectives in the post-World War II era

In chapter 3, Sharon Zukin describes the ways in which cities have used their former sites of industrial production and turned them around into sites of upscale consumption (museums, upscale shopping districts, arts districts etc.). One aspect of this which Zukin does not discuss in this chapter, but does in some of her other writings, is the public/private development of sports complexes and arenas by cities in order to generate revenue. Discuss this strategy. In your personal experience, is this a viable economic strategy- for example, do you think the now-christened Mercedes-Benz Superdome and the Smoothie King Center have improved the quality of life in New Orleans?

Remember, in your answer, the more theorists from the chapter you discuss and how their ideas relate to your experience, the better your grade will be. Read the enclosed article to jog your thinking about this matter.