The Millennium Center

[attr="style","padding:4%;"]What most people think of when the words “Millennium city” are spoken. Skyscrapers with colorful capes flying against the wind. Originally a Jewish community, now the Millennium Center is home to one of the fastest growing economies in the United States of America.

Superhero fights against villains and monsters are a daily occurrence and the Center’s main attraction to many. It’s the city where people are always looking upward to catch some of their favorite masked adventurers.

[attr="style","padding:4%;"]Corporations started settling in the Millennium Center when they realized there was money to be made from the heavy influx of caped heroes . Advertising and talent agencies were the first to show up in the skyscrapers, fighting over whatever caped wonders they could muster to sell products.

As such, Millennium has become a popular location to make movies about caped avengers. Hollywood producers choose to hire individuals with actual powers to perform the dangerous stunts that appear on the big screen. Several documentaries have been made detailing the lives of some of the more prominent citizen superheroes and a few movies too.

Corporately endorsed superheroes have become such a huge part of the world that laws have been passed to prevent corporations from gaining a monopoly on hero brands. When a new superhero appears in the public, even without registering a patent he has a “personal brand”. Corporations will often try to acquire said brand from the superhero himself or make contracts to use his image.

In contrast, supervillain brands have a “free game” policy. It’s first come first serve to buy the trademark from the government. However, there is the “Villain Relief Clause” in buying villain properties which ensures that 25% of all the profits made from said property go to the families affected by the said villain and for reparations of damages caused. There’s also a time period between the crime and the availability of the trademarks. Some villain brands are outright blacklisted by the government due to the heinous nature of their crimes. Due to all these factors and the volatile nature of supervillains, most investors tend to avoid these trademarks.

Investors can choose to purchase shares on specific superheroes instead of just large corporate entities. Based on the number of supervillains said superhero beats, how many headlines he makes, and overall how prolific the hero’s brand reflects his status on the stock market. To put it into perspective, your C and D list superheroes or brand new heroes are penny stocks. The neighborhood superhero catches the occasional thug or helps an old lady cross the street. Your B to A list superheroes are the NASDAQ, they stop mob bosses and fight the occasional supervillain. Your friendly neighborhood types. Then you have your blue chips. A-list and above only. They fight the huge monsters, stop the alien invasions, and save everyone from tidal waves. Gods who walk the Earth. Their stock is the most expensive.

To counter fraud, the IRS keeps track of the shares being traded and analyzes the exchanges. For example, if someone attempted to manipulate the stock market by having a hero purposely lose against a villain so the stock will drop, allowing them to buy the shared for a cheaper price, then having said hero win against a villain so the stock price would go up again. They might get away with it the first time, but after the second or third time this happens they would get caught. It’s not uncommon for someone who frequently trades superhero stock to get audited.

Startup internet and technology companies tend to choose the Millennium Center as the east coast alternative to Silicon Valley and a more underground version of Silicon Alley. The high concentration of metahumans has made it a breeding ground for new technologies developed every day. Though, these advancements in the invention haven’t made their way into the mass public yet. New venture capitalists and entrepreneurs are born every day in the Center.

Real Estate is a significant part of Millennium City’s economy. In 2005, the value of the city was approximately $780 billion. In 2008. about 560 corporations had headquarters inside the city. The highest percentage of those corporations are located inside the Millennium Center.

Health Care & Research are an important component of the city’s economy. The city holds some of the most prolific research laboratories such as D.W.A.R.F Labs, Redrum Pharmaceuticals, and Rosebud LLC. These labs attempt to find cures for some of humanity’s diseases and create bioweapons to sell to the government, though the latter is often classified.

[attr="style","padding:4%;"]The Bank Tower: Houses the city’s most prominent news outlet; the Daily Statement. Originally the Statement was only a newspaper, but due to print’s dying nature they have expanded into an online and televised news outlet.

Eisner Memorial Park: Across the street from the Byrne Plaza is the memorial park, commemorating events, superheroes, and people important to Millennium city. The Unsung Hero Memorial stands for superheroes who may disappear in battle but were never confirmed to have died. It’s for the heroes whose sacrifices go without recognition. The park also holds a memorial that mourns the tragic event of the 1986 alien invasion.

The Super-Culture Museum: Established in June 1990, the Museum holds exhibits detailing the first appearances of significant superheroes and supervillains from the 20th century and their struggles. It runs tours every hour, the tour starts with the Stone Age of Superheroes some can be considered only legends and it ends on today’s icons.

Finwood: Where the upper class of Millennium’s population resides. The entire neighborhood is composed of newly built mansions with incredible architecture

McGregor Towers: A highly deluxe set of towers overlooking the bay. Typically owned and rented by executives and single members of the upper class.

Millennium City University (MCU): The top college inside the city and the number one place to earn a degree in metahuman studies. Many of the officers working in the special units force are required to attend classes here in order to enter said units.

Fort Fredric: A military base by the south of the city built in the 1960s. Some theorize that the base exists as a surveillance hub over the city. They’ve intervened in metahuman affairs when situations seemed out of control, but not much else is known about the ongoings inside the base or the secrets it holds.

Forestside: A neighborhood of tenements and brownstone townhouses share a commune with other kosher shops and delis. Inhabiting by white-collar workers and retired elderly. The community offers plenty of trendy shopping places and movie theatres all around.

Smith Inc: A new business opened in 2020 for the sole purpose of cleaning up messes that few want or dare to touch. Got a monster under your bed? A ghost in the halls? Does a witch curse your family? Send the monster hunters an email and they'll swing by taking care of it for you! Smith Inc is sponsored by the United Nations. Any complaints and concerns should be forwarded to the New York United Nations offices.

Schulz: White picket fences, Levi’s jeans, bottle Coke and Schulz. The embodiment of the American lifestyle. Schulz is the name of a neighborhood where families go to raise their families. It isn’t rare to see kites flying in the air and kids playing Football in the street.

[attr="style","padding:4%;"]The Doctor’s Burgers: A local chain started back in the 50s. The menu is cheap and the food is served fast. There are around 43 restaurants around the country, but the very first and largest restaurant sits in the heart of Millennium City. Now serving breakfast all day.

Millennium City Aquarium: First inaugurated in 1954, the aquarium went through criticisms for keeping their animals in small locations. A petition was signed to have it shut down in the early 2000s, so the place has been remodeled to rehabilitate sea creatures.

Swan Pier: A large pier overlooking the north Atlantic ocean. Open for fishing aficionados with only a fee of $5. Known as a hot spot for fishing bass, salmon, and catfish. it’s not a rare sight to find fathers and sons waiting for their next catch!

Conway Gardens: Stadium where the Millennium City Rogues play basketball. The stadium was built in the 1990s. It can seat up to 21,000 people.

Millennium City Convention Center: A multi-floored love letter to modern architecture, the center is most commonly associated with the Millennium City Convention where the world’s heroes and their culture are celebrated. Other events such as the Millennium city Technology Convention are hosted, where the city’s greatest minds come together to show off their new inventions for possible buyers.

Millennium City Classic (MCC): The hotel is the location of choice for newlyweds and tourists, having a great view over the city for those hoping to catch a superhero fight from tall heights.

Pantheon: An invite-only superhero club. The existence of such an establishment is completely hidden to the public to ensure no villains would ever try to attack it. They host parties twice a month and it’s rumored they keep an empath on their staff to avoid infiltrations. Costumes are banned. Guests are expected to follow a formal dress code.