Business Industry

Arc of Atlanta’s Future

Enhancing a gateway to Atlanta. Developing a smart corridor in a commercial district. Reclaiming urban land over the highway. Forward-thinking projects are flourishing with support from South Fulton County’s and Downtown Atlanta’s community improvement districts (CIDs). These self-taxing commercial property…

On the Move

Tim Keane, Atlanta’s planning commissioner, wasn’t happy when he came across an e-scooter lying on the sidewalk downtown, blocking pedestrian traffic and access to a handicapped ramp. “It was almost like someone was doing it on purpose,” trying to create…

Help Wanted

At a business summit in LaGrange earlier this year, Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler posed a question to the roughly 100 leaders in attendance: How many of you are currently hiring? About 90 percent of the group raised their hands,…

Fueling Growth

As the busiest and most efficient airport in the world, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is a behemoth – huge, complex, bustling and powerful. It’s the jewel in Georgia’s economic crown, providing more than 63,000 on-site jobs and generating more…

Infrastructure and Beyond

Thirty years ago when the state’s first community improvement district (CID) formed in Cobb County, CIDs were conceived primarily to tackle infrastructure improvements – roads, traffic signals, all the things that help get folks where they want to go. Today,…

FinTech Mecca

Most of us never think about the technology – called FinTech – that enables us to conduct everyday financial transactions. We insert a credit card at the grocery store and later check our cash-back balance, buy a prepaid gift card…

Down on Main Street

The national Main Street movement that started 39 years ago is responsible for helping transform and renew historic commercial districts of varying sizes and descriptions from sea to shining sea. Its goal, then and now, is to build communities through…

Meetings – and More

Jones Hooks says success in hosting conventions is a matter of working with what you have that is unique and making the most of it to create a “wow” moment or two. He should know. Hooks is the executive director…