A new study revealed Dallas as the second most nostalgic city for millennials.
The study was conducted by BetMGM Casino and ranked America’s top 20 most nostalgic cities. The cities were ranked by how much they reminded residents of the 1980s and 1990s. Physical events, music events, and demographic data all played a part in the study.
In first place was New York City, which ranked highest for the number of nostalgia-evoking venues such as comic book stores, record stores, and roller skating rinks.
Dallas ranked second, followed by Houston, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, tied for fourth, and Atlanta placed fifth.
The study ranked cities based on the number of operating venues associated with 80s and 90s nostalgia. These venues include arcades, comic book stores, vintage clothing shops and other stores that nod to nostalgia.
Study conductors at BetMGM Casino used Google Maps as well as TicketMaster data to measure how many themed music events were held in the city. Additionally, the U.S. Census data helped researchers see the concentration of millennials in each city.
One of Dallas’ most famous nostalgic factors was determined to be horse-drawn carriages, which can be seen trotting through the city.
In April, a Dallas City Council member formally proposed prohibiting horse-drawn carriages.
“Are we going to be prudent and proactive as a city?” said Council Member Adam Bazaldua (District 7) who chairs the committee, per KERA. “Are we going to modernize and continue our investment so we are truly aligned in a goal to make our streets safer? Or are we going to allow for nostalgia to break logic?”
While the ban was mostly focused on the well-being of the horses, it raised the question of the potential impact on small businesses that rely on horse-drawn carriages, as reported by The Dallas Express.
In June, Dallas City Council spent more than an hour debating on whether to ban horse-drawn carriages in the city. Eventually, the Council decided to push back the vote until its upcoming August meeting to give committee members more time to debate.