Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the essential factors contributing to the growth and success of smart cities, providing a comprehensive analysis of key elements that are crucial in fostering the development of smart cities. This study explored the impacts of technology-driven applications, corporate involvement, the role of experts, citizen co-creation, city-led strategy governance, and sustainable urban practices on overall attitudes towards smart cities. Additionally, the study examined the impact of overall attitude on the growth trajectory of the smart cities and satisfaction. Research design, data and methodology: To collect data, this study employed an online survey conducted by a reputable research organization. Data analysis involved the use of factor analysis, ANOVA, and regression analysis. Results: This study unveiled significant impacts of technology-driven applications, corporate involvement, the role of experts, citizen co-creation, city-led strategy governance, and sustainable urban practices on the overall attitudes. Furthermore, it demonstrated that the overall attitude significantly influences the growth trajectory of smart cities. Conclusions: This study identified key driving factors for smart city development, suggesting that the consideration of sustainable urban practices emerges as the most significant factor influencing the growth of the smart cities.