The real, live population center may be disposable, perhaps it would even be better to get rid of it.

The mythical version, however....

We LOST A CITY. We didn't decide to abandon it (ahem - rebuild at a better location) we LOST it. We said we would rebuild it and we FAILED. We lost one of our own cities. Not just any city, one a good many of us have been to. America the invincible does not lose cities.