re: SECCG focused on staying in Atlanta

It will be closer to Austin in a decade or less. Mark my words. Texas is about to bring in some big dick money. I tried to warn y’all. Now you’re all gonna find out the hard way.

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BUT Katrina is what changed ATL.


Beyond laughable

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How far beyond?

Have you lived IN ATL from 2005-2023? Well I have. The refugees migrating to ATL (and Houston) post Katrina have exponentially changed the dynamics of this city today. Shall I share stats or are you laughing beyond

I lived in Atlanta from 1964 - 1996 and in Athens from 1996 - 2007, more or less a suburb of Atlanta. Lived ITP (midtown) until the late 70s when we moved OTP, just barely, to Mableton, about 1/4 mile inside Cobb County on Bankhead. Went to college in Mayretta.

In my opinion Atlanta transitioned from a town to a city in the early 80s when it became fashionable for Governors, especially southern Governors, to travel far and wide promoting their states as corporate paradises where regulation was lax if it existed at all and the citizens were malleable, hard working people who would NEVER consider questioning their employer on any issue…in other words their state was largely populated with draft horses who were easily exploited by the porcine elements (Animal farm reference).

Atlanta and Georgia had a long history of doing this successfully dating back to reconstruction and Henry Grady and Joel Chandler Harrison promoting the idea of the new south. While the rest of the region wallowed in mourning for the lost cause Atlanta, the transportation hub of the region before the war, having been completely defeated and destroyed, had no choice but to look forward because it’s past had been undeniably erased. While some would say it was tragic it allowed Atlanta a head-start on becoming the regional hub of all commerce and industry. The dominance of the region that exists today started then.

The 70s were a perfect storm for Atlanta. Airport development and Jimmy Carter, the original god of privatization and deregulation, contrary to what Reagan worshipers would have one mistakenly believe, set the wheels in motion for Atlanta to be the landing zone for businesses seeking escape from high taxation and what they considered burdensome regulation. Carter, born into the agrarian south, was an advocate of the new south philosophy, having embraced the ideals of desegregation that many politicians in the region clung to, coupled with Atlanta’s history of being “too busy to hate”, never exactly true but truer than the rest of the region, had reaped the benefits of federal investment largely based on the south “toeing the line”. TVA did the same thing for most of the region but it lagged that investment in Atlanta by nearly 70 years. Atlanta, in the 70s, had the infrastructure already in place to welcome corporate refugees from the rust belt and the NE. In my opinion this is when Atlanta transformed from a town to a city and changed, for better or worse.

Landing the Olympics was a result of the 130 years of progress Atlanta embraced because it had no choice. The rest of the region lagged by at least 70 years and did not begin to really begin the process of reconstruction until after WW2. The turmoil of the 60s for the rest of the south had been more or less completed in Atlanta almost 100 years earlier. The Olympics transformed Atlanta from a city to an international city. They thrust Atlanta onto the international stage and Atlanta, and Georgia, has managed to make a good accounting of itself….even thus far resisting for the most part the current political idiocy that is going to set the region back 50 or more years. Atlanta and Georgia will weather that coming storm better than the rest of the region because it has experience weathering periods of lunacy and is more diverse in opinion than the rest of the region. Charlotte is similarly situated.

Katrina certainly impacted Atlanta. In my opinion positively. Katrina put some south back in Atlanta that had been missing for years. There have been problems no doubt but the people who moved to Atlanta brought with them a slice of southern culture which had been too long missing in the city. There is a lot of that culture present in the area around MB Stadium for those who are able to control their emotions and allow themselves to take part in it. For those who fear their own shadow they will miss out. That’s on them.

I no longer live in Atlanta and probably never will again. Atlanta is a place for the young and ambitious. It’s vibrancy and hustle is perfect for the 15 - 50 crowd seeking experience, excitement and life itself. It is the perfect place to build a career for the ambitious and risk tolerant. Probably one of the best business environments on the planet if one wanted to start a business. It is not comfortable for the 50 plus crowd. It’s too much on a daily basis. I love Atlanta, it’s my hometown and among my favorite cities in the world. We go to Atlanta many, many times a year for events and long weekends. It would be exhausting to live a proper Atlanta lifestyle daily in retirement, in my opinion. It’s great for young people and equally great for old farts, but only in small doses.

Lol - downtown Atlanta only has multi million dollar skyscrapers. Investors just love pouring money into “trashy” cities.

What a stupid comment.

What's the big deal with diversity?? I mean, in the grand scheme of things, exactly what makes atlanta or anywhere else for that matter, is better because of diversity?? I'm trying to figure this one out. I think atlanta was a better place to live before the "diversity". Just spitting facts here, but convince me the diversity concept. Why is it sooooooo important. Thanks, and I'll hang up and listen.

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The rest of the region is actively doing what it has always done and it has always held them back…

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Compared to what other regions or states?

You don't think Texas, Florida or even Alabama are "pro growth" states? There's a reason they're growing in population and jobs while states like California,New York,New Jersey
and Illinois are losing both.