News / WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA - OCTOBER 2005

...a glance at what's making the news...

Brand Atlanta

The Brand Atlanta Campaign is a team of volunteers and professionals working together to create a new, compelling brand identity and integrated marketing program for Atlanta that will attract visitors, businesses and new residents to the City of Atlanta. Mayor Shirley Franklin and the Atlanta Development Authority's New Century Economic Development Plan inspired this public/private initiative to help drive business growth in the City of Atlanta, especially in the hospitality and tourism industry. By boosting the tourism and hospitality industries, Brand Atlanta is expected to support the creation of 60,000 jobs for Atlanta residents by 2009.

The national campaign will begin on November 10. It will highlight new world-class developments, like the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coke exhibit, the expansion of the High Museum of Art and Atlantic Station. The CNN Center, The King Center, The Carter Center, the Atlanta History Center, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (HJAIA), Centennial Park and historic Auburn Avenue also add to Atlanta’s unique makeup.



Brand Atlanta will unveil its new image with events around the city including:

· October 17: At 12:00 p.m., Mayor Shirley Franklin and the Brand Atlanta committee unveiled the new Brand Atlanta graphic design at a news conference in the City Hall Atrium.
· October 24: Atlanta anthem debut written by Dallas Austin during the Falcons-Jets Monday Night Football game at the Georgia Dome.
· November 10: Open House Celebration, Atlanta will unveil its new advertising campaign, see the new logo and slogan unveiled at Centennial Olympic Park and celebrate the festivities and hear Atlanta 's new anthem. Event begins at 5pm.
· November 18-20: pARTicipate! An Arts and Culture Celebration. More than 100 organizations will join for pARTicipate, a three-day showcase of Atlanta's arts and culture scene. Organized by the Brand Atlanta Campaign, the Metro Atlanta Arts & Culture Coalition, Atlanta PlanIt.com and ACVB Cultural Tourism, the celebration is an opportunity to sample Atlanta's arts, culture and heritage institutions. Visit www.atlantaplanit.com.

For more information on the Brand Atlanta campaign, please visit www.brandatlanta.com or www.atlantaga.gov



City Continues its Coordinated Response to Help Katrina Survivors

The City of Atlanta and compassionate residents continue a coordinated response to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina as they begin the arduous process of rebuilding their lives. Efforts have focused on identifying affordable housing units, organizing job fairs, donating food and clothes and helping with job training and placement. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (HJAIA) and the Atlanta Fire Rescue recently sent workers as well as supplies to the region to help and the Atlanta City Council voted to allocate $1 million toward relief efforts. The City of Atlanta has also adopted the city of Wiggins, Mississippi, a small town located 25 miles from the Gulf Coast, where damage from Katrina was extensive. The City of Atlanta is determining the needs of Wiggins and assessing how to use its resources to help the city rebuild.

For more information on continued efforts please visit www.atlantaworkforce.org or www.atlantaga.gov



RaceTown Atlanta

RaceTown Atlanta is a FREE street festival to be held in the heart of downtown Atlanta Oct. 28 - 29 at Centennial Olympic Park from Noon to 8 p.m. with concerts beginning both days at 6 p.m. The Park will be transformed into a racetrack environment to create the excitement and entertainment value of a live NASCAR Nextel Cup event.

RaceTown Atlanta will feature racing displays, show cars, live music and NASCAR drivers -- including Richard Petty, Kasey Kahne, and Dave Blaney...and it's all FREE!

RaceTown Atlanta combines the excitement of motor sports with food and live concerts. Plus RaceTown will also feature appearances, interactive games and prizes, an amazing assembly of NASCAR showcars and simulators, and nonstop feature entertainment on the main stage. The event provides the perfect backdrop to the Bass Pro Shops 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup race scheduled for Oct. 30, 2005 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. www.racetownatlanta.com



Innovative Thinking Raises $20 Million for Homelessness

On September 19th, legislation to facilitate the issuance of $20 million in Opportunity Bonds to fund facilities for the homeless was approved by the Atlanta City Council. The bonds will be issued by ADA . The funds raised through the bond issuance will be dedicated to capital projects, such as permanent supportive housing and other projects identified in the Commission on Homelessness's "Blueprint to End Homelessness." The Opportunity Bonds will allow the Commission on Homelessness to meet its fundraising goal of $40 million...years ahead of schedule.

The plan's objective is to shift Atlanta's approach to homelessness from costly emergency and crisis-oriented interventions to long-term solutions that can end a person's chronic homelessness. Funding is expected to be available by November 1, 2005 and can be spent citywide over a three year period.



Atlantic Station

After nearly eight years of planning, development and construction, Atlantic Station officially opens to the public Thursday, October 20 at 10 a.m. An entire weekend of festivities have been planned. For more information visit www.atlanticstation.com.



Esquire Honors Mayor Franklin

Congratulations to Mayor Shirley Franklin for being selected among Esquire Magazine’s “Best and Brightest Leaders!” Mayor Franklin will be featured in the monthly magazine’s December issue.



Downtown Works

Great things are happening in Downtown! Find out why office tenants, restaurants, retailers, commercial and housing developers and residents are flocking to Downtown Atlanta! November 3rd, 7:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m., Downtown Works: 2005 Development Day. Organized by Central Atlanta Progress www.atlantadowntown.com



Georgia Aquarium

On November 23rd the Georgia Aquarium will open it doors. Promising to be the largest and most engaging aquarium experience in the world, the aquarium will feature more than 100,000 animals from 500 different species in over 8 million gallons of water. www.georgiaaquarium.org.



City to Build Downtown Public Safety Headquarters

Last week, the City of Atlanta’s Office of the Mayor presented a plan to construct a new public safety headquarters for police and firefighters at a location close to City Hall. The new downtown headquarters will enable the City to maintain effective and efficient inter-departmental communications and create a best-in-class public safety headquarters.

The City of Atlanta plans to fund the new headquarters by selling City Hall East for $35 million to develop Ponce Park, LLC. If the sale is approved, all departments in City Hall East will relocate to downtown Atlanta within 30 months of sale. Construction on the new public safety headquarters would begin at the end of 2006.

At Mayor Franklin’s insistence, the developer will maintain the City’s commitment to building a live-work-play complex that also serves as a development engine for jobs in the area. Approximately 20 percent of its housing will be set aside as affordable housing. The new development also includes proposed designs for access to the Beltline with plans for a public gateway to a 2.4 acre park.



Hospitality Hall of Fame

The 7th Annual Hospitality Hall of Fame will be on November 8 at 6:30 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta. Honorees are Julia Emmons, Atlanta Track Club; James and Robert Paschal, Paschal's Foods, Inc.; and Bernie Marcus, The Marcus Foundation.

Tickets are $125 or $1,250 for a table of 10. For reservations please call Judy Claxton at 404.521.6606. For sponsorship information please call W. B. Baldwin at 404.521.6608



Destination South Awarded

Destination South was awarded Best Entertainment Production at the International Special Events Society Esprit Awards Celebration.



Hartsfield-Jackson Airport Celebrates Milestone Year

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (HJAIA) recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of its terminal complex. In 1980, the terminal complex at HJAIA was built for $500 million. Officials estimated then that the airport terminal could accommodate 55 million people annually. This year, HJAIA will serve more than 88 million passengers and forecasts accommodating more than 90 million in 2006.

HJAIA was named one of the most efficient airports in the world by the Airport Transportation Research Society (ATRS), a global aviation think-tank group. The airport has begun a 10-year development project that includes aesthetic upgrades to the facility and building an International Terminal. Construction of a fifth runway is on-budget and on-time and scheduled to be complete on May 27, 2006. The rest of the expansion projects are scheduled to be complete in late 2006. For more info on HJAIA visit www.atlanta-airport.com



Franklin Selected Best Leader

Congratulations to Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin for being selected as one of America’s Best Leaders by U.S. News and World Report and the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard! The issue of the weekly news magazine featuring Mayor Franklin will be on newsstands October 31, 2005.



Israel Chamber Orchestra Salutes Law Enforcement

The Israel Chamber Orchestra presents a one-time performance bringing together the force of the orchestra and law enforcement in ways you will not want to miss on Thursday, October 27 at 8 p.m. at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts. The Force of Music: A Salute to GILEE (Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange) www.theforceofmusic.com



Mayor’s Office of Communications Wins Award

Congratulations to the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Communications (MOC) for placing third among 29 entries in the Community Awareness category at the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) 2005 Conference in Washington, D.C. The Office of Communications won for the “Atlanta Victim Witness Assistance Program” which aired on City Channel 26.



2005 Business Growth Exposition

On Thursday, November 10, the Atlanta Business Chronicle and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce will host the 2005 Business Growth Exposition. For decision-makers from Atlanta's fastest growing companies, this full-day event will showcase the best ideas formulated for growth and success. Thursday, November 10 at the Cobb Galleria Centre from 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $49. For more information visit www.atlantabusinessgrowthexpo.com/ or call Joel Welker at (404) 249-1069.



5th Annual Horizon Awards

This first class event provides the "World of Sports Business" with an annual recognition forum to celebrate the accomplishments of the thought-leaders and innovators from the sports industry. The 5th Annual Horizon Awards for Sports Business will be an evening of entertainment, hospitality, surprises and high-level networking.

This year's event will be held on Wednesday, November 2 in the Georgia World Congress Center's Georgia Ballroom. For event or ticket information, call 404-586-8510 or visit www.thehorizonawards.com.



Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Featured

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's Robert Spano was recently featured on the cover of Travel magazine.



Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund presents the MetLife National Arts Forum Series

The Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund, a partnership of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, presents the MetLife National Arts Forum Series on Tuesday, October 25 at 6 p.m. at the Georgia-Pacific Auditorium Downtown.

Entitled, "Engaging the Next Generation of Arts Philanthropists," this panel discussion by national arts leaders and philanthropists will focus on the retiring Baby Boom generation and Generation Xers moving into leadership positions and focusing resources on agendas more relevant to what they perceive are their own generational issues and concerns.

Register online at www.MetroAtlantaArtsFund.org. For more information call 404-588-3216.



Atlanta in the Top 10

Atlanta was listed eight on the list of Top 10 Cities as Destinations for Combined Business/Pleasure Trips by the Travel Industry of America's TravelScope Survey.




News compiled from: City Newsbytes At-A-Glance (Mayor’s Office of Communications), Membership Communique (Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau), Downtown Live (Central Atlanta Progress), Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Newsletter, www.downtownATL.com, The Pulse of Progress (Atlanta Development Authority) and the Georgia World Congress Center newsletter.