Another problem in the city is that Atlanta citizens are not friendly. Efforts to encourge people to smile vs the constant look of disgust would be helpful. Why would visitors want to venture out into a city where walking on the streets they only recieve looks of hostility? What ever happened to “Hello”, “You look lost can I help you?”, or “have a nice day”

I have to take issues with this statement however, “Any Northerner will tell you it’s too Southern.” How is that possible unless you are a Northener that has no idea what the South is about? Oh wait a minute. . .
Seriously, there is almost nothing “Southern” about the City of Atlanta.

But, I also dispute the notion that you can’t be Southern and a city at the same time. Take a stroll through Charleston or New Orleans or Richmond or Memphis.

Atlanta has to continue to build both amenities that are attractive and useful to conventioneers, and to preserve the unique things about its heritage.

When German companies come to town and rebuild the Margarte Mitchell House three times so that convention visitors can see something sort of Tara-like, I don’t think we get anywhere. She called it a dump and there was nothing left of the original building when they began. It’s artificial, hollow, an attempt at a romanticized Atlanta that never and doesn’t exist.

When and if we save places like Paschal’s, however, it seems to me we have done good. We’ve preserved part of a really essential and important part of our recent history. My neighborhood association will be giving tours to commemorate the Battle of Atlanta this summer, which started in East Atlanta. Tours at Oakwood Cemetary have stepped up which I think helps promote the real Atlanta. But Atlantans have to support and promote those kinds of initiatives, which means educating ourselves about our own city and then promoting it.

I seems to me that the struggle is between what Atlanta can do to be honest to its own real history and what private enterprise will do to attract people and make money based on steriotyped outside visions of Atlanta.

Atlanta needs some time on the therapy couch in order to come to grips with who it is. We’re the middle aged business executive that has made a lot of money but has kind ignored their family and is suffering an identity crisis. Landlocked aquariums and high tech coke museums are fun but
we also need to be able to visit the old jerk soda fountains where Pendleton’s agents pulled real Vanilla cokes and to see the Woolworth lunch counter where brave young men tried to right wrongs.

Thanks for your nice comment. I’m happy to have helped and think your blog turned out great. A few notes of correction, however. The GWCC is not the largest convention center in the country but is in the top 5 largest. Also, I think the relationship with CAP was a little mistated in that our ongoing cooperation is key, moreso than it needs to be increased. We’ve enjoyed a fantastic working relationship with them and are mutually supportive of a revitalized downtown.

Thanks Robert. Keep up the good work!

It would be interesting to know how the demise of The Gold Club impacted convention business.