Is Opera Part of Leisure-Oriented Redevelopment in the Largest U.S. Cities? An Empirical Assessment of a Historical Cultural Innovation

Abstract

Analysis of the 25 most populated cities in the United States shows that all have at least one opera house. Most are located in the city’s downtown, near City Hall, a convention center, high-end hotels, museums, and upscale dining and shopping opportunities. Most are surrounded by high-traffic-volume roads, providing easy access for visitors. Finding a massive opera house in an older city such as New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles is unsurprising. Yet, efforts to invigorate the downtowns of rapidly growing cities like Austin, Charlotte, and San Jose include opera houses. Opera houses, in short, are symbols that help cities project soft power and success. That soft power draws investors, tourists, and suburbanites for entertainment, as well as residents who want to live near cultural amenities. While opera houses strengthen cultural districts, boost the value of downtowns, and bring in revenue, they also displace people with limited incomes and restrict the development of affordable housing and land uses with limited real estate potential in cultural districts.