Sounds like somebody on the city council is from Chicago!

It works for me - quite well actually.

I was curious so I looked up Minot. Sounds like "Little Chicago" is actually an old nickname for the city and it did in fact have quite a past with illegal activities and was actually at one time a distribution hub for Al Capones booze smuggling operation. Given what I found on Wikipedia - I think it works and I do think for tourism the back story behind the town is quite interesting and certainly not dull. People love to connect with wild but true stories - even if illegal. There's something about the "heck"  with the rules attitude or something that is a draw for people.

Chicago Magic!

Well, it doesn't really have a ring to it like "Little Italy" but, we went through a downtown name change about 20 years ago when it became Uptown Charlotte. It's taken decades to get used to it!

It wouldn't make sense to me to do this. Can't they come up with something a bit more creative?

I have never been to Minot.  Unsure if this will prompt me to visit.  It's not a negative but why?  

I see no advantage whatsoever to adopting such branding. Not all people have a positive view.

An Al Capone museum ???

Well, I am from there & I can assure you that people world wide come to see the old Chicago bootlegging & mob stuff. We even have stuff from Capone's era around & we wouldn't call it Little Chicago.

It is not a compliment IMHO. There is also a weekly street sale called Maxwell St. that  people might be thinking of also. Anything 'stolen' was found at Maxwell St.

I'm with you, why highlight this? There are probably things about Indians in your area & you wouldn't highlight those attrocities any longer.

Here is Tampa Fl many festivities and the NFL team are centered of the alleged invasion of pirates and the raping and pillaging that ensued.

Gasperilla, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by accused rapist Jamis Winston, and the former Devil Rays of baseball fame are the CELEBRATED banners of the region.

As a culture, regardless of the signs we wave when we advocate for our cause, as a people we are violence loving and get pumped walking on the dark side.

In Minot, it will be seen if the leaders walk in light or darkness.

My money is they have giving themselves over to darkness.  What the citizen teaching valuers to their children think is irrelevant.

Sounds like an inferiority complex slogan. There has to be a less “needy” seeming way to promote the place.

We have two areas known as "Little Chicago" that I know of, neither of them are a good thing.

After reading all the responses thusfar ... I like Dan Pittsenbarger comments. Very interesting.

Little Chicago in my mind is a negative.

Whats a Minot?

I wonder why they selected Chicago.  Why not Dallas? 

Well then, why not brand it as little New York?  I see nothing appealing about it at all.

Great one.

Looks like Minot is selling itself short?

I like the current name, the Magic City, better than Little Chicago. Maybe name a street in Downtown Little Chicago Way & call it a day.

I think they need to go back to the drawing table for this one. Maybe they can have a contest and let the residence come up with cool branding. 

Sounds like you have local politicians who are blowing hot air. Just like the ones that were the reason Chicago was labeled "The Windy City".

In my oh so humble but esteemed opinion, why would Minot want to be Chicago or Little Chicago...Why steall Chicago's thunder?

A

I'm not a fan of rebranding, especially when it references another city.  It's like trying to make yourself seem more important.

Bob, what about "MISSLETOWN"?

At Christmas instead of hanging mistletoe,  the city could hang garlands of miniture Minuteman III missles.      ^_~

I do not know why a city would want to be affiliated with it? Having a towns own character and being individual is more attractive. 

Stick with "The Magic City" and let imaginations of the people create what they will!

They should stick with "MAGIC" or come up with something original, I'm sorry we are talking politicians though!

do you have alot of crime???  

When I read about Chicago or see it mentioned on TV, it is all negative.  With all the crime going on in that city, I would not want to give that negative thought about Minot.  Not a good way to promote Minot  

I get a not so good vibe from the title.  Can't see how this would entice anyone to go there.

No.

I agree with you. Why use someone else's brand to define the community

Shaking my head in San Jose.

I suppose maybe if they are trying to develop the town as a sightseeing / vaction spot and developed the ... connection to the gangster era in Chicago I guess it could be a good choice but honestly I don't know.

Chicago, gun deaths every day,? Chicago, murder capital?  Branding to Chicago seems iffy to me. The national news is not helping Chicago's brand.  

I don't undstand what the value would be. I would prefer a phrasse that evokes wanting to be there.

Heard of Little Tokyo, Little Saigon, Little Warsaw, West Chicago before. 

It got be Irish and green too? 

The people who think this stuff up need to get out more often where the the true answers await. Branding a city means setting a high bar and keeping it there. First question: Is the city doing a good job now regardless of their brand?

Bob, after reviewing the posts, I endorse the majority on this thread. 1) "Minot Magic" resonates.   Where would I bring the family on vacation?  To the land of infinite magic or stuck in history's mayhem capitol?  Having said that, a one-off tourist attraction museum could be a good thing - featuring Minot's specific ties to that era to satisfy both history buffs and Prohibition aficionados.  No one gets left out... but the focus should be Minot's unique calling cards.  What brings folks there really?  "Magic in the Heart of the Midwest."  Or "Minot Magic in the Heart of the Homeland." This also plays on the reputation of the nationally known Midwest family values.  Because .... if Minot goes to Little Chicago, what's left after the shootings, booze and prostitution???  How fast can we say, Let's get outta here!  2), if you go Little Chicago, over time the real area assets get downplayed, they no longer fit the image of Minot as Chicago's 2nd fiddle.  3) This is not the same kind of decision as a Little Italy or Chinatown, with the international and immigrant history those names connote to people.  Little Chicago is just not in that league.  4) IMHO Minot would sell itself very short walking away from what it stands for and taking on a restricted brand/image/personna.  Little Chicago might bring folks there for a day but Minot has much more to offer.  Sacrificing all that good stuff for another town's name that may not have universal appeal is like throwing tourist dollars away.  If I want Chicago, I go to Chicago.  2nd Chicago sounds like second best.  Keep your Magic Minot.

Does Minot have a lot of gang violence these days?  That seems like a really bad branding.

I am not should about copying Chicago,  they do have lots of shootings there.