ATLANTA | Development Thread VI

[TarHeelJ]

I LOVE the Big Chicken. I just wish it were in the city...it's pure Americana and something that international visitors should get a look at. I'm not ashamed of it at all.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by One ATLien

You def hear a lot more foreign languages in Atlanta, then just a few years ago. A lot of those are people who live here though, and while international tourism may have steadily increased, it is still no where near other major cities in America at least. Just travel to DC, San Fran, Chicago, Miami. I have traveled to many places around the world, and spend half my life living in the Middle East and the other half in Atlanta and know what real tourism look like, Atlanta is not there yet. And while Atlanta is known to most people, it is not a city people mention when they wish to visit America, unless they have family who live here.. or are passing through the airport. Every time I bring up Atlanta, I hear "ohh I've been through the airport" or "do you see rappers?" How great would it be when we finally get to the point were Atlanta is mentioned among the other cities in North America as a place people would like to visit, not to see family, or go to a convention or pass through the airport.. just visit. Like "I'm going to America this summer, I would like to visit Atlanta, Chicago, Miami" Etc... The point I was making was what in my opinion would gave a major boost to the image of this city internationally, and put more people on the streets.

When I traveled internationally I got just the opposite from most people...a real interest in Atlanta and what it's all about - but that may have been a leftover affect from the Olympics back in the early 2000s. We have definitely taken strides internationally toward name recognition and prestige, but it takes decades to get to the level of some of the cities you listed above. The most well-known cities in the US will continue to be the same cities, but I could see Atlanta joining that list in the not too distant future.

I'm not sure we need to "do" anything specific but continue more urban design and continue to add world-class attractions. We have a few but I'm not sure we have specific ones that can attract tourism on their own. One day we'll have our Statue of Liberty or Golden Gate Bridge - but we can't force it to happen. Those attractions weren't seen as game changers at that time - they became world-class through the years.

[One ATLien]

Originally Posted by TarHeelJ

When I traveled internationally I got just the opposite from most people...a real interest in Atlanta and what it's all about - but that may have been a leftover affect from the Olympics back in the early 2000s. We have definitely taken strides internationally toward name recognition and prestige, but it takes decades to get to the level of some of the cities you listed above. The most well-known cities in the US will continue to be the same cities, but I could see Atlanta joining that list in the not too distant future.

I'm not sure we need to "do" anything specific but continue more urban design and continue to add world-class attractions. We have a few but I'm not sure we have specific ones that can attract tourism on their own. One day we'll have our Statue of Liberty or Golden Gate Bridge - but we can't force it to happen. Those attractions weren't seen as game changers at that time - they became world-class through the years.

There is more of an interest in the city lately for sure, I meet alot of those people abroad as well, they have the interest in the city but are not willing to go out of there way to visit the place unless they know someone there. I still don't see it as place people are willing to visit like the other big cities, not even close yet. And it doesn't have to take decades either, Atlanta is doing a lot of things right now. I love the direction the city is going in, although it seems slow at times. Add to that just a few really big significant projects, and things can change and grow exponentially. And of course we cant force anything, in the end of the day that's up to the people who are capable/can afford to do something about it, we are all here just discussing what we would like to see changed in Atlanta.

[scania]

Originally Posted by TarHeelJ

When I traveled internationally I got just the opposite from most people...a real interest in Atlanta and what it's all about - but that may have been a leftover affect from the Olympics back in the early 2000s. We have definitely taken strides internationally toward name recognition and prestige, but it takes decades to get to the level of some of the cities you listed above. The most well-known cities in the US will continue to be the same cities, but I could see Atlanta joining that list in the not too distant future.

I'm not sure we need to "do" anything specific but continue more urban design and continue to add world-class attractions. We have a few but I'm not sure we have specific ones that can attract tourism on their own. One day we'll have our Statue of Liberty or Golden Gate Bridge - but we can't force it to happen. Those attractions weren't seen as game changers at that time - they became world-class through the years.

Good points...I see it also as marketing and pride. The direction of the city we can all agree is good. But, let me express it this way, I think we could use an epicenter. Or at least develop a hub. To where when people visit, tourists as well as locals want to be there. Museums and things of that nature are cool. But I don't believe its something that draws people here other than already being here for business, or locals finding something to do during the day.

[One ATLien]

Originally Posted by scania

Good points...I see it also as marketing and pride. The direction of the city we can all agree is good. But, let me express it this way, I think we could use an epicenter. Or at least develop a hub. To where when people visit, tourists as well as locals want to be there. Museums and things of that nature are cool. But I don't believe its something that draws people here other than already being here for business, or locals finding something to do during the day.

I agree, a lack of a real epicenter is a huge problem for Atlanta. Hopefully Colony Square, and all the density forming around 14th and Peachtree would be the answer to that in midtown. And maybe with the underground redevelopment, we can have another mass epicenter in downtown as well. Hopefully all high quality and somewhat unique projects.

[jpk1292000]

As Atlanta grows in size and redevelops intown neighborhoods, its global appeal will rise organically to a certain degree. Cities like NYC, LA, SF, Chicago are bigger metro areas than Atlanta and with size comes a higher caliber of amenities and global visibility. Certainly, one hurdle, and it's a big one, is that Atlanta doesn't have a big body of water near downtown like most international tourist cities have.

Side note: I just don't get the massive appeal of Miami that must exist given other comments on this board. I guess it's the combination of a beach plus a tropical location in a big city that draws wealthy European and South American tourists. I did not think Miami was a great city when I last visited it, thought it was a bunch of half empty, tall condo buildings inhabited by slick-looking rich people. Maybe I just visited the wrong area.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeanuts

Project Flux Capacitor aka the Proton Therapy Center is set to get a new injection of funding so that the final stage can be finished finally.

This is awesome news! Good for the city and the many people it will impact.

Originally Posted by Hokiehaven

I think ATL can be bigger than just a laid back artsy city though, ATL is a lot of things to a lot of different people, rap, hip hop, gritty, chic, transportation hub of the world, South GA is one of the biggest agriculture places in the country outside of CA, civil rights epicenter, and many other things.

I think a big part of it is, ATL spreads the creativity out too much as the city itself is so spread out and it's even hard to know what's going on sometimes.

I concur on all accounts.

Originally Posted by One ATLien

Great points, and Atlanta is heading in that direction, the small chunk of the beltline that exists already left a significant impact on the city imagine when its all complete.. One building is definitely not enough, but it will potentially be huge boost. Think of it as big bonus for the city, that compliments all the good work happening now.

For what it's worth, I'd absolutely love more aesthetically pleasing skyscrapers and wow factors. While I like it, I'm not so hot on Opus Place.

[One ATLien]

Originally Posted by jpk1292000

As Atlanta grows in size and redevelops intown neighborhoods, its global appeal will rise organically to a certain degree. Cities like NYC, LA, SF, Chicago are bigger metro areas than Atlanta and with size comes a higher caliber of amenities and global visibility. Certainly, one hurdle, and it's a big one, is that Atlanta doesn't have a big body of water near downtown like most international tourist cities have.

Side note: I just don't get the massive appeal of Miami that must exist given other comments on this board. I guess it's the combination of a beach plus a tropical location in a big city that draws wealthy European and South American tourists. I did not think Miami was a great city when I last visited it, thought it was a bunch of half empty, tall condo buildings inhabited by slick-looking rich people. Maybe I just visited the wrong area.

I was just in Miami again for thanksgiving break. And I agree with you for the most part. I appreciated Atlanta a lot more after visiting Miami this time. I don't understand the appeal to the level Miami has. Even my friends who live in Miami just constantly criticize everyday life there, and stuff they have to deal with. A lot of things there just seem too tacky and cheap. Everyday life there is not on the same level as Atlanta, Atlanta is just a more convenient city, we have better everyday food options, amenities, and In my opinion smarter growth projects.

[One ATLien]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

This is awesome news! Good for the city and the many people it will impact.



I concur on all accounts.



For what it's worth, I'd absolutely love more aesthetically pleasing skyscrapers and wow factors. While I like it, I'm not so hot on Opus Place.

Exactly, I'm happy about opus though, but I do wish it was more aesthetically pleasing, the old rough renderings where more satisfying in my opinion, I loved how the buildings curved on the top

[West Peachtree]

Originally Posted by One ATLien

I agree, a lack of a real epicenter is a huge problem for Atlanta. Hopefully Colony Square, and all the density forming around 14th and Peachtree would be the answer to that in midtown. And maybe with the underground redevelopment, we can have another mass epicenter in downtown as well. Hopefully all high quality and somewhat unique projects.

Centennial Olympic Park, with its proximity to CNN Center, World of Coca-Cola, still new Center for Human and Civil Rights and College Football HOF, complemented by Phillips Arena, Falcons' new Stadium, World Congress Center and Downtown Hotels, is the must see venue for international and domestic visitors. Surely, the ferris wheel stands as a testament to that.

Could all of that be wrapper better marketing wise to capture a great visitation experience? Sure! The Atlanta Convention and Visitor's Bureau should - and clearly can - take the lead there.

Personally, I'd market Atlanta around the concept of 'The Peachtree". All the excitement, energy and uniqueness of what Atlanta is already known for. People LOVE the Peachtree. Experience Atlanta Anew.

[RocketSurgeon]

The things we're building should help regional tourism as word gets around, but I think the lack of long-distance visitors has a lot to do with how the South is represented in pop culture. LA, Chicago, and NYC have been romanticized for generations; meanwhile, Georgia gets Deliverance. The rise in film production could help, because if enough shows and movies are set here, it will get Atlanta in people's minds. We've had some amazing additions lately, like the Center for Puppetry Arts expansion--there is nothing else like that in the world--but it takes more than attractions and shopping to get people thinking about traveling thousands of miles to visit a city (unless that city is Orlando ).

[ATLontheRISE]

I'm really pulling for the MGM casinos for downtown Atlanta. It's an immediate game changer. People will come and then you will have an domestic and international draw. Atlanta is a lot better than the locals give it credit.

Let see what comes of underground and the casinos. I believe are better days are ahead. But certainly, you've got to admit. It's exciting times in Atlanta

[atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by jpk1292000

As Atlanta grows in size and redevelops intown neighborhoods, its global appeal will rise organically to a certain degree. Cities like NYC, LA, SF, Chicago are bigger metro areas than Atlanta and with size comes a higher caliber of amenities and global visibility. Certainly, one hurdle, and it's a big one, is that Atlanta doesn't have a big body of water near downtown like most international tourist cities have.

Side note: I just don't get the massive appeal of Miami that must exist given other comments on this board. I guess it's the combination of a beach plus a tropical location in a big city that draws wealthy European and South American tourists. I did not think Miami was a great city when I last visited it, thought it was a bunch of half empty, tall condo buildings inhabited by slick-looking rich people. Maybe I just visited the wrong area.

True! I think it was originally intended for Savannah to be the big Georgia city. Atlanta is very unique because it's the epicenter of the fast growing sunbelt region. If Atlanta had a beach, it would probably be at least 10 million metro.

[jpk1292000]

Originally Posted by ATLontheRISE

I'm really pulling for the MGM casinos for downtown Atlanta. It's an immediate game changer. People will come and then you will have an domestic and international draw. Atlanta is a lot better than the locals give it credit.

Let see what comes of underground and the casinos. I believe are better days are ahead. But certainly, you've got to admit. It's exciting times in Atlanta

No question. The city has gotten significantly better in even the last three years, with the opening of Krog and Ponce City Market, Streets of Buckhead, renovated Piedmont Park and puppetry arts center. And I'm probably forgetting other attractions.

And then another round of improvements will give the city a further boost within about two or three years with the redevelopment of memorial drive, Underground, Colony Square, all of the infill projects exploding all over the city, especially Midtown, and the transit improvements from the referendums. Another notable step forward would be the expansion of Dekalb Farmers Mkt, which was supposed to triple its size, but construction seems to have stopped. (Anyone have any info about the Dekalb Mkt expansion??)

I'm not sure exactly when ATL will have the same tourism appeal as Chicago of SF, but it's unquestionably gaining reputation. Our company has offices in SF and NY and people who would have never considered moving here even 5 years ago now have or are considering it. I think that the movies/TV shows being filmed here have helped with an improvement in Atlanta's general reputation, as someone earlier in the thread mentioned.

[Hokiehaven]

Originally Posted by jpk1292000

No question. The city has gotten significantly better in even the last three years, with the opening of Krog and Ponce City Market, Streets of Buckhead, renovated Piedmont Park and puppetry arts center. And I'm probably forgetting other attractions.

And then another round of improvements will give the city a further boost within about two or three years with the redevelopment of memorial drive, Underground, Colony Square, all of the infill projects exploding all over the city, especially Midtown, and the transit improvements from the referendums. Another notable step forward would be the expansion of Dekalb Farmers Mkt, which was supposed to triple its size, but construction seems to have stopped. (Anyone have any info about the Dekalb Mkt expansion??)

I'm not sure exactly when ATL will have the same tourism appeal as Chicago of SF, but it's unquestionably gaining reputation. Our company has offices in SF and NY and people who would have never considered moving here even 5 years ago now have or are considering it. I think that the movies/TV shows being filmed here have helped with an improvement in Atlanta's general reputation, as someone earlier in the thread mentioned.

The appeal in terms of moving here has changed even since when we moved four years ago.

Most friends we had in NYC have either moved here or are seriously considering it.

One couple we know, he's in the film industry is considering it, and it's either LA or ATL, he's just not sure his specific niche, editing will land him a job after it took so long in NY.

But, many people I know from NYC are impressed by it and it's a serious consideration, where 5 and especially 10 years ago they wouldn't have.

[Hokiehaven]

Originally Posted by ATLontheRISE

I'm really pulling for the MGM casinos for downtown Atlanta. It's an immediate game changer. People will come and then you will have an domestic and international draw. Atlanta is a lot better than the locals give it credit.

Let see what comes of underground and the casinos. I believe are better days are ahead. But certainly, you've got to admit. It's exciting times in Atlanta

I personally still don't know if a casino would be a game changer.

My personal things against it whatever, if you look at places where there are good quality casinos in cities, it's not like it does anything to make them a draw. I don't think it's the international draw or even the domestic draw you believe. One off tourist destinations aren't going to utterly change the city for the better and much of the money tends to leave the city anyway.

[Hokiehaven]

Originally Posted by RocketSurgeon

The things we're building should help regional tourism as word gets around, but I think the lack of long-distance visitors has a lot to do with how the South is represented in pop culture. LA, Chicago, and NYC have been romanticized for generations; meanwhile, Georgia gets Deliverance. The rise in film production could help, because if enough shows and movies are set here, it will get Atlanta in people's minds. We've had some amazing additions lately, like the Center for Puppetry Arts expansion--there is nothing else like that in the world--but it takes more than attractions and shopping to get people thinking about traveling thousands of miles to visit a city (unless that city is Orlando ).

I think the film industry is a big part of the changing culture in ATL.

You're seeing highly public shows and acclaimed shows being shot in and around ATL, Walking Dead being the biggest, but Atlanta and Stranger Things (takes place in Indiana, but shot here) are two others in the past years that have really started to get noticed, Atlanta is up for awards.

What I like about all these shows is they show different sides of what ATL is and can be i.e. Walking Dead shows the blight and small town suburbs, Stranger Things shows a small town suburbs and Americana every town, and ATL is like the hip hop/rap/urban part of the city.

None of these shows romanticize it, but I think they are changing the mindset of what ATL can and will be.

[scania]

Originally Posted by Hokiehaven

I think the film industry is a big part of the changing culture in ATL.

You're seeing highly public shows and acclaimed shows being shot in and around ATL, Walking Dead being the biggest, but Atlanta and Stranger Things (takes place in Indiana, but shot here) are two others in the past years that have really started to get noticed, Atlanta is up for awards.

What I like about all these shows is they show different sides of what ATL is and can be i.e. Walking Dead shows the blight and small town suburbs, Stranger Things shows a small town suburbs and Americana every town, and ATL is like the hip hop/rap/urban part of the city.

None of these shows romanticize it, but I think they are changing the mindset of what ATL can and will be.

Let's take a step back here...Some of us aren't giving this CITY enough credit. People from NYC, Chicago, etc. have been moving here for years. This is nothing new. The cost of living is probably the biggest draw. You will meet people who stay, and of course people who leave. Very seldom do I ever run into someone that lives in these condos that are from Atlanta.
But, you said something that's interesting. I mentioned earlier about how Atlanta markets itself. I know a few people that because of these shows, they lose interest in moving here. I really wish the writers would show the more of the modern, trendy, progressive side of Atlanta. As you said, these shows in general do not romanticize Atlanta. I also think, not necessarily people on this forum, but this notion of the film industry brings this huge influx of residents. People aren't flopping to New Orleans or at one time Charlotte due to the film industry...and they are not flopping here either. Atlanta has been luring people here for quite some time now, it's just been sprawled throughout the city, and the city proper. The residential boom in the city, highlights this in a smaller, more dense concentration.

[L41A]

Originally Posted by scania

Let's take a step back here...Some of us aren't giving this CITY enough credit. People from NYC, Chicago, etc. have been moving here for years. This is nothing new. The cost of living is probably the biggest draw. You will meet people who stay, and of course people who leave. Very seldom do I ever run into someone that lives in these condos that are from Atlanta.
But, you said something that's interesting. I mentioned earlier about how Atlanta markets itself. I know a few people that because of these shows, they lose interest in moving here. I really wish the writers would show the more of the modern, trendy, progressive side of Atlanta. As you said, these shows in general do not romanticize Atlanta. I also think, not necessarily people on this forum, but this notion of the film industry brings this huge influx of residents. People aren't flopping to New Orleans or at one time Charlotte due to the film industry...and they are not flopping here either. Atlanta has been luring people here for quite some time now, it's just been sprawled throughout the city, and the city proper. The residential boom in the city, highlights this in a smaller, more dense concentration.

I agree.

[ATLontheRISE]

Originally Posted by scania

People from NYC, Chicago, etc. have been moving here for years. This is nothing new. The cost of living is probably the biggest draw.

This is an example of what u mean when I say "locals or previous locals don't give the city enough credit." You didn't mean any harm. I'm sure of it. But the cost of living has been attractive. But not the biggest draw. They come because it's got a lot of everything going (including a very diverse job market for engineers like myself) on AND It's at an affordable cost. It's an added benefit. NOT the biggest reason. I don't see a bunch of people itching to get to Birmingham. Or Indianapolis. Or Louisville. Or many other cities with cheap living. You've gotta have both. It starts with us locals not down playing what is really happening. Stuff is happening big time. That's why we are here talking about it. Other cities are taking notice.

I do believe the MGM casinos could be a game changer. If they come in as promised with Vegas styled casino. Not North Carolina or a Mississippi casinos. If it's done as promised, the look and feel of downtown will change. I like the fact that we aren't a 1 Aren't a 1 trick pony and have many options. Now let's watch things mature and densify.

Btw, I think west midtown Painted Duck will be awesome. It's a destination and will be wildly successful. Would have been nice to see that entertainment on peachtree.