Culture_and_Eggplant

I would definitely agree with masochist...build up your region population. Connect your downtown area to areas of medium to high density population. Make sure you give these residential areas time to grow and develop -- especially focus on developing the medium-wealth residents. High wealth residents are OK, but keep in mind that if you cannot coax them into high-wealth highrises, your residential area will be overrun with estates, and your population will, in a word, suck. Make sure your residents are well educated and healthy. If done properly and efficiently, you should easily have tens of thousands of residents in just a few years game time. With that many residents clamoring for jobs, your commercial development should be ready to explode. Cobhris also has a good point. When zoning your downtown, make sure you zone exclusively medium to high density, taking into account a transport system built on roads and LOTS of avenues, with consideration for any future mass transit system (I recommend subways...they are fast, and mostly underground). Read this article for more detailed information: https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=146&threadid=78505&enterthread=y True, it is called "Making Money the Easy Way", but is also a great look at region play, and touches on some great strategies for developing land. It should give you a good idea where to start, and of course encourages you to use your own ingenuity and creativity when designing.