New York became a hub for commerce and culture because it was a very successful port city. With the completion of the Erie canal, it connected the American hear

New York became a hub for commerce and culture because it was a very successful port city. With the completion of the Erie canal, it connected the American heartland to the Atlantic Ocean. This naturally led to it being the main port for immigration as large numbers of people came to the US in search of economic opportunity. Decades of sitting at the center of the northeast corridor, the richest metropolitan area in human history, has made it a solid contender for the financial capital of the world. You can't simply build more New Yorks, the geography and history that produced it are unique. Of course not everyone wants to live in New York, indeed there are many cities that each have their own unique circumstances drawing vast numbers of people, and all of them experience great demand. But there's a reason you can't just through up a bunch of skyscrapers in South Dakota and get everyone to move there.