|
A mayor's brilliant observation is not generally open to the public and
<br /> Garland is one of those cities that is only used for special occasions. 1
<br /> ring the Dallas-Ft.Worth metro area, I understand that you can make the
<br /> d would in most cases be called a technical argument that Gonzales is j
<br /> '' tellite of those cities.But like most Ill the wine capital of the region based
<br /> things in Texas,Garland is too large on Constellation's significant presence,
<br /> (population 226,000)to be simply G A R ■T.A N D but this to me did not feel like a wine �•
<br /> thought of as a satellite.The city lead- capital.In talking with people from the
<br /> ers do,however,have to work hard TEXAS MADE HERE city,I also did not get the feeling that
<br /> to escape the very large shadow that they had a strong connection to that
<br /> Dallas and Ft.Worth cast. The City of Garland's tagline is"Texas Made identity.They were far more invested
<br /> Interestingly,Garland has the Here"because the city is home to over 350 in their advanced agricultural busi-
<br /> distinction of being the"Cowboy Hat manufacturing firms. nesses and their central position in the
<br /> Capital of Texas:'They are the home of agricultural identity of the region.If the
<br /> four of the nation's largest cowboy hat Emotional truth matters,and I had not locals don't buy in and believe the stated
<br /> manufacturers,including Resistol,Hatco, reflected on that until Mayor Athas
<br /> and Milano,which make brands such as planted that seed.Cities everywhere
<br /> Stetson and Wrangler.Garland produces spend millions on branding and iden-
<br /> over a million cowboy hats each year and tity in the hope of creating a vision for
<br /> can rightly call itself the Cowboy Hat citizens as well as luring tourists and
<br /> Capital of Texas. businesses to their community.
<br /> I met with Garland Mayor Douglas Those campaigns work best when
<br /> Athas and,as we talked,I mentioned that they feel real to us.The cowboy hat
<br /> the cowboy hat claim was an interesting thing did not feel real to the majority
<br /> distinction for Garland.He smiled and of folks in Garland,but the Texas
<br /> said something that I thought was just Made Here identity did ring true. ,
<br /> brilliant.He said the cowboy hat capital If the branding does not match the i
<br /> distinction was"factually true,but not emotional truth of the place,you ,_,
<br /> notionally true:'He told me to look have a problem. 'i:ii 11
<br /> ,und as we walked through Firewheel
<br /> own Center,the city's open-air mall.No The locals must buy in
<br /> one was wearing a cowboy hat. Gonzales,Calif.,is in the heart of
<br /> Yes,Garland produces more cowboy northern California's agricultural
<br /> hats than any other U.S.city,but to the center,also known as the"salad
<br /> average Garland citizen,it was not a day- bowl"of Monterey County.Gonzales
<br /> i
<br /> to-day reality.It was not emotionally true (population 8,187)makes the claim The City of Gonzales,Calif,calls itself the"Wine
<br /> Capital of Monterey County;'but this brand does not
<br /> to the people of Garland.Being to the east of being the"Wine Capital of Monterey ring true emotionally.
<br /> of Dallas,Garland did not have the same County"because it is the home of a large
<br /> cowboy culture that exists in Ft.Worth. wine production facility owned by Con-
<br /> This was a point I did understand.I had stellation Brands. identity,it is very hard to get others to
<br /> been to the region before,and Ft.Worth, Constellation Brands is a huge bever- believe it.
<br /> to the west of Dallas,has much more of age company that claims it is the"No. 1 j
<br /> the overt cowboy culture than other cities premium wine producer in the world" Work toward the promise
<br /> in the region.Dallas is a global business as well as the"No. 1 multi-category This is not to say that you can't"fake it
<br /> city,but Ft.Worth was once described to beverage alcohol company in the U.S." 'til you make it,"but eventually you have
<br /> me as"a city of Texans:' However,its presence in Gonzales is not to pay off the promise and become what
<br /> Mayor Athas said that Garland the archetypal vineyard we imagine,but you have declared in a way that does ring
<br /> needed to find something that was rather a large factory that outwardly is true emotionally.Which is exactly what
<br /> emotionally true in how it distinguished indistinguishable from any other indus- happened in St.Petersburg,Fla. (popula-
<br /> itself from other places.The answer was trial facility. tion 246,000),where I live.
<br /> not too far from the hat manufacturing I was in Gonzales during what they In 2009,the St.Petersburg Down-
<br /> identity. Garland is home to over 350 call"the crush;'which is when millions town Arts Association,a not-for-profit
<br /> other advanced manufacturing firms as of pounds of grapes are literally crushed coalition of the city's galleries and arts
<br /> well.Thus they selected as their identity to begin the wine-making process.You institutions,declared St.Petersburg to be
<br /> •xas Made Here;'which is not only could smell the grapes in the air,and that the"City of the Arts"based on the large
<br /> etua1ly true—their manufacturing was certainly memorable.However,the number of arts organizations in the city.
<br /> sector employs thousands—but far crush only happens a couple times each It was clearly an aspiration. j
<br /> more emotionally true to the commu- year.The plant has a tasting room,but it
<br /> nity as a whole. (continued on page 10)
<br /> MINNESOTA CITIES I MAY/JUN 2014 I 9
<br />
|