Reply #24: Miami is indeed a blue city in a red state [View All]

[RagingInMiami]

People who move down here from elsewhere either love it or hate it. They love it because the weather is gorgeous, there is plenty of diversity and plenty of nightlife. No one parties harder than Miamians.
But some people end up hating it because at times, it can seem like a capital city in a third world country. If you don't speak Spanish, you can literally find yourself against a brick wall in certain neighborhoods. The traffic really sucks down here. I think it's the worst in the U.S. and it's getting worse each day.
On a positive note, the city is now growing upwards because we have used up all our land space. So condos are going up everywhere near the heart of the city, which hopefully, will reduce the traffic, increase property values and create even more restaurants and nightlife.
They are also building a new performing arts center in downtown Miami.
The plan is to turn Miami into a Manhattan of the south. Miami has always had a bit of NY envy. Many NYers refer to it as the sixth borough because it's their second home.
Another good thing is crime is down. We no longer shoot each other at the drop of a hat.
On the negative side, Miami is the poorest large city in the country. We are a city of immigrants and high grade industries have been reluctant to open shop down here. Although the cost of living is better than NY, LA or SF, it is quickly rising. If you invest in one of the hundreds of pre-construction condos that are going up around the city, you will have made a wise investment. The problem is, many Miamians are going to be left behind once they are all built.
If you like sports, you'll be in of the hottest sports markets in the U.S. We got Shaq and the Heat. We got the Miami Hurricanes, who have won five national championships. We have the Florida Marlins who have won two world series' in just over 10 years of existance. The dolphins just hired Lou Saban as their coach, who lead LSU to a NC last year.
PM me if you want any other info. I was born and raised here and can tell you whatever you need to know.

EDIT: Miami-Dade is one of four southern counties that are all blue; Monroe County (the Keys), Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale) and Palm Beach County (West Palm Beach and Boca Raton). The saying in South Florida is the further north you drive, the further south you get.