Abstract: Traditional industries were pushed into the background in urban economies of the post-Fordist period, and both in capital turnover, as well as in employment it was the service industries, that became dominant. Consequently, those towns were in winning positions in this urban competition, in which the tertiary branches of the economy and improved services (information economy, R+D sector) could become the engines of urban development. The role of cultural economy in urban competition has recently been upgraded. Our study examines the role of cultural economy in urban competitions.