Everyone loves a good rivalry story, which may be why the tension between the city of San Francisco and Google has been flooding the Bay area news. The Bay Area locals are sick of the “entitled techies” and the wealthy software engineers and computer programmers are tired of being under-appreciated by the hostile activists. With the rising competition over housing and office space, perhaps it’s time for federal authorities step in. Because from the looks of it right now, dedicated protesters and Silicon Valley CEO’s are never, ever getting back together.
Many smaller start-ups have already moved their headquarters to smaller cities such as Portland and Austin. However, large tech companies want to be where the most skilled tech workers are, and right now that’s Silicon Valley. So in order for the next Silicon Valley to be created, the Big Four (Apple, Google, Facebook, and Twitter) need to all move at once. Where to? As Mattew Yglesia of Slate Magazine argued last month, Cleveland makes the most sense to us. Here are a few reasons why:
Affordable Housing
It’s no secret that the cost of living is much more affordable in Cleveland, Ohio than in San Francisco. To put it into better perspective though, a software engineer making $100,000 in Silicon Valley has the same standard of living as a software engineer making $62,000 in Cleveland.
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Unlike smaller cities’ airports, Cleveland Hopkins has regular scheduled flights to every large North American city. Which means Cleveland is already set up for convenient business travel.
Plenty of Room
The relocation of tech companies to Cleveland would create new business opportunities in terms of high-end restaurants, coffee shops, and retail centers without over-crowding existing local businesses. There is plenty of real estate and office space already available and more than enough room to build more.
An Inviting Environment
The technology industry in Cleveland has been booming over the past few years. The relocation of big tech companies would give Cleveland’s local startups a better chance of getting investors. The locals would welcome the new job opportunities and the economy would flourish.
Would you like to see Cleveland be the next major technology hub? Comment below and let us know your thoughts.
If you’re currently looking for a technology job in the Cleveland area, let the experienced team at Area Temps help you land your next position. Contact us today and we’ll work closely with you to find a job that best suits your skills and career goals.
