we built sioux city

{youtube.com}

So I grew up in Sioux City, Iowa. Recently a video about Sioux City has gone viral across the world wide web. After watching it I was appalled! I think I shook my head in disappointment during the entire five plus minutes. Yes, it is Iowa and a little behind the times but this video takes it back to 1991. Sioux City improved immensely since I moved away 15 years ago (Art Fairs, theater productions at the Orpheum, colleges and so on). However, this video ensures that you would never think twice about visiting.

So after the five minutes were over, I had to know all the details behind this folly. The creator of the video is Melissa Lanzourakis-Joens. She went to California State University-Long Beach for two years, graduated in 2004. She was a reporter Sioux City's local TV station KTIV. She is now the group sales manager for the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City.

I found this snippet on siouxcityjournal.com

The video was the creation of Melissa Lanzourakis, group sales manager for the Tyson Events Center. She said the video isn't meant to be serious and she isn't dwelling on the negative responses. Some people just want to be negative, she said, and would say nasty things even if Sioux City landed the Olympics.

Her goal was to get 1,000 hits on the video by Monday. She was blown away when it garnered 4,500 hits by the end of the day. As of 5:20 p.m. Tuesday, it had 22,189 views on YouTube.

The goal was to show RAGBRAI riders they're going to have an awesome time in Sioux City. Judging by some of their positive responses, Lanzourakis hopes some RAGBRAI riders could come early to check out Sioux City before the ride.

"If people are coming here early to be a tourist, then the video definitely went beyond my expectations of what I thought it would accomplish," she said.

Final thought: Her main goal was to get 1,000 hits on youtube during a determined time period. I wonder how she feels about that goal now? Did she ever think about how this video might reflect to a global audience? How this might affect the entire community? She stated that "[people] would say nasty things even if Sioux City landed the Olympics". It is completely acceptable to trash talk one on one about Sioux City, it is quite another to do what Melissa has done. She is in a position of leadership within the community. If this video came from some high school students, there would be no drama.

Well there is one thing for sure, some teenager will be egging/TPing her house in the coming days, after all they "built Sioux City on rock and roll", right?

Comments from youtube:

In related news.....Sioux City property values plummet 37% in 24-hour period.

Okay, let's end a good note. Something good must come of this mess.

- Visit the remodeled Orpheum theater {orpheumlive.com}

- Attend the 17th Annual Art fair Sept 3rd-5th {siouxcityartcenter.org/artsplash}

- Enjoy, Saturday in the Park July 3rd the free 20th annual music festival will feature Carlos Santana, Steve Winwood, Michael Franti and Spearhead. The event draws over 35,000 spectators.

- Dine at my favorite restaurant Minerva's. The Cajun Chicken Linguine is perfect and the Tiramisu is heavenly.

- Taste test Coney Island hot dogs at the Milwaukee Weiner house and Coney Island Weiner House. You decide which one is better. (my grandma prefers Coney Island Weiner House)