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Don't forget that one of the principal reasons young people who are native to any city--not just Columbia--leave when they are ready to "go out on their own" is their belief that in order to "make it alone," they need to get away from parents and other family. Many of them actually plan to return "home" one day, although we all know how often that doesn't work out once one is away and involved first in job and perhaps eventually in marriage and family of one's own. So young people don't always leave because there isn't attractive vocational or professional employment near home; there are other, more personal reasons.

If the Three River parkway is one of your main draws to keep young adults... then there is no need for any further discussion for this article. It comes down to good jobs, low crime, affordable housing, supporting the arts and a favorable attitude about the city. Period. Columbia is lacking and this panel can't help because they don't have the power of the pen. Local gov. needs to be revamped.

"Excels in independent film?!?" We have ONE hole-in-the-wall arthouse theater. And even that's probably going to get shut down the first time they try to show a controversial film after they take that new public funding. Austin we're not.

this is the first quote in the story...."We are the regional knowledge-economy leadership group here, tasked with transitioning Columbia from traditional economic opportunity to what we would consider the knowledge-based economy." This jargon spouted thinks he's gonna make Columbia more appealing. Sounds like he's simply figures out a way to make a living by taking common sense and cloaking it is BS.

Columbia was the first city in SC to pass a Gay Rights ordinance. SC isn't gay friendly, but Cola is. If you want to make a difference, you can't beat Columbia. I've also lived in Chicago and Portland, Maine (which is half Cola's size), and I was never able to make any kind of impact like I have in Columbia...and I *did* return to Columbia.... And the city government isn't "borderline dysfunctional." Trash gets picked up, fires put out, police dispatched.... It's that kind of talking Cola down that causes the problem. In Chicago under Jane Byrne, trash didn't get picked up, streets didn't get snow-plowed, etc.

While I'm ranting here - has anyone involved in anything interesting in Columbia ever met the people on the panel for this story? I don't recall seeing them at the Columbia Museum, 701 Contemporary Art Center, the Hunter Gatherer, the S.C. Phil, Southern Exposure, Trustus.....

and if you can't find something to do, you aren't looking. Of course we don't have the top POP and ROCK touring acts (classical, folk, jazz and other genres do show up, as well as Impressionists and Broadway touring companies, but hey...) We do have some pretty top rate entertainment for a city our size....and there aren't a lot of places so close to both beach and mountains not to mention that we also have great access to natural rivers and creeks, a National Park, etc. and I can be pretty much assured of running into someone I know if I want to, and I'm not even all that social. You can easily be where everybody knows your name.

Jeffrey, I think you're being pretty hard on the panel. Greg is an economic development guy, so he uses business lingo ... what's wrong with that? Arts people use arts lingo, business people use business lingo. And no, the panel wasn't comprised of arts people. I don't think that diminishes their dedication to the mission, and it doesn't mean that arts isn't on their radar. Greg obviously recognized that it was important and worthwhile for Engenuity to get involved with artistic entrepreneur training ... that's surely worth something, even if you don't seem him at 701 openings.

This wouldn't be so sad if this wasn't the same exact conversation we were having 15 years ago... and Columbia was a lot cooler then. We need another Holderman (sarcasm).

Seems like a group of people figured out how to get themselves paid while giving the rest of us a pep talk about how things could be better if only....

Dan... you are probably right that I am being too hard on the panel. I'm sure their intentions are good, but I just don't understand how people who don't seem very involved in the community are suddenly in charge of it. Part of this comes from my frustration with current city leaders (including some in the arts) who I have never seen at a concert, play or art show.

Akhenaton has identified what, in my mind, is the key to understanding the problem, although perhaps I take a slightly different view of it. The problem is perception, and that is more complex than can be explained away by the jobs and the confederate flag issues. I once had a friend who moved to Hawaii with her husband because he had been transferred there by his employer. Now, I have never been to a more pleasant, beautiful. and climatically desirable location in my life, where the natives are just falling over themselves friendly, and so on, but I regularly received letters from her in which she berated the place. She said once that she would give anything to get back to Kansas, that living in Hawaii was like being in a prison. Obviously she wasn't really talking about Hawaii; she was talking about herself and her perception of her life situation. When people express their feelings about living in a particular location, they say far more about themselves than they do about the supposed subject of their assessment. It would be interesting to see an objective "inventory" of what Columbia and the immediately surrounding area has to offer its citizen or potential citizens. Indeed, that's exactly the sort of thing the economic development panel might produce, among other things, and it would be interesting, further, to be able to look at that next to inventories of comparably sized cities around the country. I believe locals might be surprised at how their city stacks up. Pretty damned well, I predict. But Akhenaton is correct, as I said at the outset: It's a matter of perception. We can have amazing weather, vocational opportunities, entertainment, educational opportunities, health care facilities, natural wonders, and so on, but if people's perceptions are negative it will all be for naught. One of the reasons California was and is so popular, aside from the work opportunities, was its widely recognized attitude of acceptance of everyone, any nationality, any sexual preference, any race, any politics, and so on. That provided great grist for the comedic mill over the years, but the people came in droves; in fact, some think that it was to its detriment it was so attractive. Now I lived for a few years in California, and I didn't find the people any more accepting than they had been anywhere else I had lived. In fact, being an "outsider" in those days was perhaps worse there than anywhere else I had lived. You don't hear about that, though. The point is, though, that people, generally, have an impression about California whether it's deserved or not, and South Carolina has a reputation, deserved or not, as well. People's perceptions of the place may not be accurate, but they are real and have to be dealt with. People who live here have their perceptions as well, not just of South Carolina but of Columbia in particular, whether they represent the facts or not. Our education system does need a major overhaul, but so do the systems of many,many other places around the country. Comparing standardized test scores does not present an accurate picture, and someone who truly understands that issue needs to get busy explaining that to the rest of the world. Columbia is, indeed, close to the buckle of the Bible Belt, and that is nowhere more apparent in its reputation for treating people with other ideas with less than open arms. Columbia, however, is far more tolerant than most of the rest of the state. And so on. I have already rambled on far too long. Quit whining, Columbians, and get busy letting the rest of the world know what a great place we think this is to learn, work, play, and live.

You want to know Columbia's biggest issue/challenge/problem? It's located in the state of South Carolina. There are simply perception issues attached to the state of South Carolina that cannot be overcome by Columbia, maybe even moreso since it is the state capital. No where is this more evident than with the Confederate flag flying on the state capitol grounds. And the basis for Columbia becoming a talent magnet or whatever you want to call it is JOBS, plain and simple--specifically, high-paying jobs. And an abundance of high-paying jobs is linked to education. South Carolina doesn't invest in its universities like, say, its neighbor to the north does. Even primary and secondary education lacks proper investment, especially since South Carolina is well-known to rank at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to education (there's the perception issue again). If ever progressive leadership were to be seen in the Legislature, specifically in certain key positions, then you'd see real progress in South Carolina and Columbia. Until then, old battles will continue to be fought and state leaders will continue to be reactive rather than proactive and Georgia and North Carolina will continue to run all kinds of circles around it.

I couldn't help but laugh at the quote,"one of the things that came out of the survey was that the perception of Columbia and Midlands-area residents of their area is lower than people who have moved here or people who are visiting the area". Exactly. The more you know, the less you like. If the board members are not all indigenous Columbians, they cannot POSSIBLY empathize with our city's situation and thereby are powerless to change it.

Greg is a complete Dick.

There are no good jobs here, that's why people leave.

If Columbia truly wants to start attracting young people, it may be best to set their sites on being the best in SC. How do we rate compared to Charleston and Greenville? Recreation:Columbia does have a national park. And two large state forests that are great for hiking/picknicking. but they would not draw you to the area, are more fun to use because they are close. Greenville has multiple parks that are connected making for pleasant long hikes. Charleston has several good parks, as well as tremendous dog parks for people with canines to congregate in. Charleston has the beach, which outranks lake Murray as well as Lake Hartwell. Frankly rivers with "don't drink the water" advisories aren't very attractive-even if the parks along such are nice. Charleston wins. Jobs: Unless you are in state government there is minimal oppurtunity here along with lower wages than the upstate. Wages and oppurtunities in Charleston aren't great either. Greenville has leveraged it's 100 some miles of interstate between two big cities into a good manufacturing base. Cost of living: Rents are higher here than the upstate, similar to Charleston. Surprising to me is the cost of eating out, which is about ten dollars a meal (for two) higher than Greenville for similar meals. With the lower wages, the win here is for Greenville as well. Crime: There seems to be too many parts of the city that would be desirable to live in apart from the crime rates. We need to clean up this city. Charleston has these areas as well, but no. charleston is easy to avoid. Greenville keeps it quiet. Nightlife: There are good places with people that are similar to you in all three cities. Universities: Never have I heard someone in Greenville decry the lack of diveristy that a big university would bring. There are equal amounts of odd people in each town. (Some of my friends) And lets face it, all three are still highly right leaning towns that favor comformity. (nothing wrong with that) There is also enough access in all three towns for post grad learning. So there may be good things about Columbia, but it lives in the shadows of the two other major cities in SC. It even mentions them in its "short drive to the mountains or the beach" theme. Columbia is a great place to raise kids. Our schools may be bad for the midlevel students, but there are at least two districts that do a great job for the acheiver. This is not as true for Greenville or Charleston. We should expand on this strength, and can get to the point that even the less desirable locations are considered safe to live for single females (a good stand-would I let my daughter live there?). It may be cool to attempt to attract single twentysomethings, but I think it would better serve our community to go after young families. But nothing will happen without a broader employment base.

The problem is, while Columbia IS getting better about being *somewhat* of a 'cool' place to live, it's just not happening fast enough for the young crowd. Just yesterday, a friend of mine who's a senior at a school here in Colatown told me she's basically counting down the days when she can get the hell out of here and go to California. She's SO disappointed with the music scene here, and that's what she's going into as a career - advertising and marketing of bands, etc. As for me and my husband, right now we're staying here basically because 1) the cost of living is cheap as hell here 2) in this market there's no way we could sell our house 3) we both have good jobs so yeahe, we're hanging onto that! But we recently came back from a trip to Montreal, QC, Canada and I gotta tell ya' - every time I travel to a place like that and have to come home to a place like this???? It's just damn depressing... :( Our public transportation system sucks, we are so NOT a green city...ugh, don't get me started!

FT recently held a similar forum on the state of the arts, with perhaps a more broadly based panel of influential people in the field. While this panel discussion could have been weightier if city or county elected officials had been present, the average age of this group is noteworthy. When young business leaders show interest in making downtown Columbia a more desirable place live, work and thrive, rather than simply a place to work during the day, I'm hopeful that it's a positive sign for the future of downtown arts and entertainment.

Sarah, I think you make an excellent point about the pace of change. I love Columbia, I am fully committed to being here and I have seen a lot of changes in the 20-plus years I have lived here, particularly vast improvements in the dining scene and the rise of the Vista. But you are right: Things move very slowly, and things you would like to see happen in 2-3 years often take 10, or don't happen at all. (Example: I've been hearing for a decade or so about the need for a mid-sized arts venue ... where is it?) On the other hand, one of the points that came out of the discussion was how much one individual can create change on their own in this town. It is truly astounding: Richard Burts and the renovation of 701 Whaley; Andy Smith and the Indie Grits festival; Natalie Brown and Alternacirque; the Columbia Quad Squad; Kevin Varner and Hunter-Gatherer; the restaurateurs behind Gervais & Vine, Solstice, Mr. Friendly's, etc.; Michelle Wang and the Miyo's empire, etc. In each of these cases (and plenty of others not mentioned), you're talking about one individual or a small group that made a commitment to Columbia and has had a huge and positive impact on our cultural life. Who knows what other contributions might be forthcoming? Of course there are many things that I (and many others) would like to see change, and faster. But sometimes the only way to effect change is to be the change yourself.

As one of the members to the Talent Team, I'd like to address a few points on behalf of the organization I represent, Columbia Opportunity Resource (COR) a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization (i.e. no paid staff - learn more at http://www.ourcor.org or find our group on Facebook). Everyone should know that Lindsey Spires and I are entirely volunteers in this effort. Lindsey and I, in addition to our commitment to this project, put in countless hours for COR, on average 5-10 a week. To address the concern about native versus non-native (Mr. Ease): I would argue I am the ideal candidate to raise my voice and hand for this project and its spin-offs. A third generation Columbian and USC alumna, I moved to Atlanta the day after I graduated due to the proverbial "lack of opportunity." Seven years later I still referred to Columbia as "home" and now I'm more than happy to tell anyone why I'm a Boomeranger (read/learn more about Boomerangers in our survey results at http://www.columbiatalent.com). Jeffrey, I'm sad that you do not remember meeting me several times at various events! I'm an alumna of Columbia Dance Theatre and the USC Dance Company, in addition to being an avid supporter of the arts community. What I most remember about you is your sock collection! (smile) You may not see Greg Hilton at 701 Whaley, but you will see him at any and all of the multitudes of awesome outdoor recreation opportunities in the area. Our other team members lead and volunteer and serve more organizations than I can count. They are the heart and spirit of the Creative Class. My point is - our team is out there. We look forward to meeting you (again). Katherine Swartz, CAE 2008-2009 Board Chair Columbia Opportunity Resource

Hi. Greg Hilton here. The huge volume of comments to this article tells me one thing...we have hit a nerve. That gets me excited b/c it means we have passionate people that are tired of the status quo and see a vision for something different in our community. You all may not have known me, but I'm here and involved because I want to be. I'm a transplant from Ohio/North Carolina and came down here seven years ago to get my Graduate degree. I could have gone anywhere (as any of you could), but chose to stay because I felt like whether personally or professionally, I can actually make a difference here. That is what matters to me…being part of something bigger than yourself. Dan chose to put me on the cover and our team in the article, but it could just as well have been any one of the thousands of people that in their own way are actively making this a better community… Trust me...there is a ton (A TON) wrong with Columbia and I often times have to breathe deeply (inhale…exhale) to prevent myself from getting too worked up. However, at the end of the day, complaining is the absolute easiest thing to do. It requires talking, typing, and perhaps some independent thought (depending on the individual). I could go on and on about the lack of public transportation, bad decisions that have been made by some leaders, the lack of green space, no bike lanes, a lack of cool outdoor cafes/eateries, no sustainable plan for growth, pervasive crime, a lack of community pride, or the completely fragmented way so many organizations in our region operate....BUT, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT! SO, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? At the end of the day, you wake up in Columbia, you live/work in Columbia, and you go to sleep in Columbia…so, it is actually up to you…funny how that works. To the comments regarding "getting paid to do this", yes, EngenuitySC is one of the professional organizations that has dedicated people and resources to addressing and solving this problem. Would you rather our community not invest in this, would you rather we go deal with an easier and less important task? We could just let your comments go unanswered, let these issues fester, and accept that everything is "GREAT". That is not the case. So, you have to ask yourself, as a volunteer or as a part of your job…”what fires me up the most and what can I do about it”. Regardless of how much money our city/region throws at this issue, if we cannot come together to change the way things work here, we're toast...pack it up. And while, yes, we are tasked with taking on these types of issues in my organization, this is one of many projects that we are focused on. And its offshoots are also but a few of the many projects for which I volunteer my time...every week. Whether it is a YPO, Harvest Hope, teaching ESL, street cleanups, rocking out the music scene, or supporting the arts...t is a matter of doing, not talking. There are people, who I am proud to call partners and colleagues who put in ridiculous hours after work just to make change happen. Are you one of them? So, here’s our challenge to you. For every negative thing that was said, thanks for your feedback and for sharing many opinions that we too believe. Now...stop talking and start doing…we need you and Columbia needs you…cause it ain’t going to happen by itself…that much we know. If you don't know HOW to get involved, ask anybody in the article, send us an email at info@columbiatalent.com, check out the Free Times for more, or just ask any of the hundreds of people working everyday to make it a better place through volunteerism, the arts, entertainment, or economic development. Change is not easy, and big change requires big thought...thanks for your big thoughts. Cheers, Greg Hilton