San Francisco Tries To Fix Its Hellhole Image, Hires Tourism Boss To Boost Morale
There's a new sheriff in San Francisco, but he doesn't work in law enforcement.
One of America's Most Disgusting Cities says it knows exactly what is hampering this once iconic jewel -- bad press. That's right, everything you hear about San Francisco is a media exaggeration of the reality on the ground.
Scott Beck, whose last job was as Toronto's tourism czar, says his biggest challenge in his new role will be reversing the “ongoing narrative about San Francisco as a monolithic experience, when it’s clearly not.” Beck says the reporting on the city's safety is “not 100% accurate.”
Wait, what about the CNN reporter being robbed while reporting on crime, Scott? San Francisco being a complete hellhole where Americans shoot up fentanyl and take dumps in the streets seems to be the only bipartisan thing Americans actually agree is happening...in San Francisco.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 02: A homeless couple sleeps on a sidewalk in San Francisco, California, United States on September 2, 2023. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
According to a recent Gallup Poll, 48% of Americans viewed San Francisco as unsafe. 74% of Democrats viewed the city as being safe even as their beloved CNN was being robbed in broad daylight. And if Democrats truly do feel like the city is safe, they sure have a weird way of showing it.
In August, the San Francisco Chronicle claimed tourists "are coming back" while also noting that a rebound for the city "could still be years" away.
To illustrate how bad things have gotten, the San Francisco Travel Association launched a $6 million tourism campaign, which is the largest in the group's history. Meanwhile, at least 17 retailers have left the Union Square district since 2020 with most of the companies citing customer safety and shoplifting as major concerns. Things are so bad in downtown San Francisco that even Whole Foods said enough is enough. The company announced in April it was closing its flagship store after opening in March 2022.
Pedestrians walk by a store that is closing on June 14, 2023 in San Francisco, California. San Francisco's downtown continues to struggle with keeping retail and commercial properties rented following the COVID-19 pandemic, and lags behind all major cities in the U.S. and Canada. Westfield has stopped making payments on a $558 million loan for their mall at 865 Market St. weeks after their anchor tenant Nordstrom announced plans to pull out of the mall. Downtown San Francisco has an estimated 18.4 million square feet of available real estate. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Yeah, but how bad is it for tourists in San Francisco? It's gotta be fine. This is all just an exaggeration by MAGA supporters who hate the city and are always out to get the libs.
Here's the Civic Center Inn, an old motel that sits .9 miles from Union Square. Let's take a look at the progression and what's happening to San Francisco before our eyes.
Here's 2021:
Now let's see January 2023:
Now let's get a look at the Civic Inn last week:
Who represents this district on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors? None other than Mr. Dean Preston, a Democratic Socialist. That's not an exaggeration. It's right there in this bio.
Good luck to the new tourism boss who will have to battle against a socialist politician who clearly doesn't care if his own neighborhood is destroyed. The locals actually voted for this behavior.
If squalor tourism is your thing, there's probably never been a better time to visit San Francisco. If you look hard enough, you might even be able to find a local who will take you on a 'Doom Loop' where you pay like $30 to see all the death and despair on the streets.
Just remember, if you're renting a car, NEVER leave the car with your bags inside. EVER.
Stay safe out there.