Atlanta News

From WABE Politics News:

Dozens of Kennesaw State University students and others gathered outside University System of Georgia offices in Atlanta Wednesday to ask the Board of Regents not to eliminate majors in Black […]

From WABE Politics News:

Georgia’s State Election Board voted Wednesday to create a committee to weigh proposed election rules before the board takes them under consideration. Board Chairman John Fervier explained during a public […]

From the Atlanta Tribune:

At a time when too many Americans are grappling with social uncertainty and the impact of declining resources for women’s health and fading support for advancing women in the workplace, Roz Clark Smith is doubling down on her commitment to transforming the landscape and shoring up her efforts to empower women. Smith, a skilled communicator, […]

The post Women In Charge: Roz Clark Smith Brings the Gift of Transformation to Women Who Want More appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.

From WABE Local News:

 A Los Angeles judge has granted a restraining order to “The Little Mermaid” actor and singer Halle Bailey, who says her ex-boyfriend, the rapper and YouTuber DDG, has been repeatedly violent […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

When CBS’ soap opera “Beyond the Gates” premiered in February, soap opera fans and veterans alike hailed it as a win for Black history and culture. On Monday, the first soap to […]

Arts Atlanta:

There’s a new art group in town. 404FoundATL is an independent artist collective and pop-up platform made up of Atlanta-based artists with deep ties to the local scene and a love for the city’s creative underground.  Their name plays off the internet error code “404 Not Found,” re-imagined to mean “404 Found” as a nod...

From the Atlanta Tribune:

The Morehouse College Board of Trustees has named renowned public health leader and biostatistician Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, a 1992 graduate of Morehouse, as the College’s 13th president following a national search. Dr. Bowman will assume the role on July 15, 2025, succeeding President David A. Thomas, who concludes his tenure in June. Dr. Bowman […]

The post Morehouse College Names Alumnus and University of Michigan School of Public Health Dean Dr. F. DuBois Bowman as its 13th President appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.

From WABE Politics News:

A Democratic lawmaker is launching a renegade effort to impeach President Donald Trump, pushing past party leaders on Wednesday with an attempt to force a procedural vote in the U.S. House […]

From WABE Local News:

Officials with Clayton County say the region is “open for business” as they seek to redevelop land for economic growth. The county recently hosted a brokers’ reception to showcase development […]

Arts Atlanta:

Each week, ArtsATL curates a selection of the most exciting arts and culture events happening in Atlanta this weekend, highlighting nine must-see experiences.  :: Thursday Atlanta Symphony Orchestra  The orchestra welcomes Canadian piano virtuoso Marc-André Hamelin for a performance of Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Guest conductor Marzena Diakun opens the concert with Weinberg’s Rhapsody on Moldovan Themes and finishes...

From WABE Local News:

When the state of Georgia handed Deloitte Consulting a $10.7 million marketing contract last July to promote the nation’s only Medicaid work requirement program, the initiative was in need of serious PR.  […]

From the Saporta Report:

Homelessness is more than just a housing issue—it’s a public health crisis affecting communities across North America and around the world. Mental health struggles and substance use can put people at greater risk of losing their homes, and once someone becomes homeless, the stress and trauma of that experience often make these challenges even worse. […]

The post Trapped in the Cycle: How Behavioral Health, Homelessness, and Substance Use Are Intertwined — And What Hope Atlanta Is Doing About It appeared first on SaportaReport.

Arts Atlanta:

Alliance Theatre’s 10th round of its Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab – a program which provides money and resources to local artists to help them develop new work – will showcase readings and presentations of its selected 2025 recipients May 15-17. Show creators Dalyla Nicole, Emma Yarborough and Vynnie Melli have been working with their teams...

Centennial Yards' wins continue with signing of large music venue Josh Green Wed, 05/14/2025 - 08:18

Another sizable live music venue is bound for Atlanta’s core.

Centennial Yards Company revealed Tuesday it has signed a long-term lease with entertainment giant Live Nation to bring concerts and more to a section of the downtown megaproject now rising from the former Gulch. 

The unnamed Live Nation venue will anchor Centennial Yards’ under-construction entertainment and sports section, situated across the street from both State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 

Expect a wide range of performances across genres, “from national headliners to global touring acts and local artists,” in the 5,300-capacity venue, according to Centennial Yards Company. 

For context, the Fox Theatre’s seating capacity is 4,665 seats, and the nearby Tabernacle’s is 2,600.

Overview of the Live Nation music venue's position and scope (foreground) relative to the rest of the entertainment district and State Farm Arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Designs call for an “unwavering focus on the fan” with “exceptional sound quality, clear sightlines, and a range of customizable options” that include upgraded food and beverage packages and premium experiences, per officials. Renderings indicate the mid-rise venue will be wedged next to active railroad lines along M.L.K. Jr. Drive. It will also neighbor the third Cosm venue in the U.S., a three-story immersive entertainment concept that’s going vertical this month. 

The music venue is scheduled to open sometime in 2027, project officials tell Urbanize Atlanta. 

Jordan Zachary, Live Nation’s president of global venues, predicted the downtown venture will fill “a key gap in the local entertainment landscape” and “further strengthen the city’s position as a cultural and economic powerhouse,” according to a prepared statement.  

The broader district "is poised to be the epicenter of sports and entertainment for the southeastern United States where people of all ages can enjoy concerts, sporting events, bars, restaurants, and retail stores,” added Brian McGowan, Centennial Yards Company president. “This new [venue] is exactly what our region needs and adds a key element to what has already been a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown."

The unnamed music facility (middle), tucked beside Cosm and active railroad lines. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Centennial Yards’ first two towers—the 292-key Hotel Phoenix and a 304-apartment building The Mitchell, both 19 stories—are nearing the final phases of construction. Centennial Yards reps said last month the apartments are on pace to debut this summer, followed by the district’s first hotel sometime this fall. 

Across Centennial Yards’ master-planned 50 acres, facets that have already opened include adaptive-reuse projects Centennial Yards South and Wild Leap Brewery. The connected, pedestrians-only Steele Bridge now hosts tailgating parties before large events with live music, food offerings, and other activities for fans and families. 

All told, Centennial Yards is expected to cost $5 billion and span some 8 million square feet of mixed uses, described by its financial backers as one of the largest public-private partnerships in the U.S. right now. It's all backed by a nearly $2-billion tax-incentive package, a record for Atlanta. 

Centennial Yards Company—a partnership between an affiliate of CIM Group and another group led by Atlanta Hawks owner Tony Ressler—is serving as the project’s master developer.  

Construction progress on Centennial Yards' entertainment component as of April, plus the north view from downtown to Midtown, Buckhead, and beyond.

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• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

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Overview of the Live Nation music venue's position and scope (foreground) relative to the rest of the entertainment district and State Farm Arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

The unnamed music facility (middle), tucked beside Cosm and active railroad lines. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Construction progress on Centennial Yards' entertainment component as of April, plus the north view from downtown to Midtown, Buckhead, and beyond.

Subtitle Under-construction Live Nation facility will be bigger than Midtown’s Fox Theatre, officials say

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From WABE Arts and Culture News:

In relationships built to last, couples understand the importance of having fun together. Play connects us, reveals new things about ourselves and one another, and sparks the imagination. Two seasoned […]

Arts Atlanta:

 Each week, ArtsATL delivers a critic’s short list of the shows, exhibitions, concerts and events we recommend for the coming weeks within one discipline in the kaleidoscope of Atlanta arts and culture. Every week, we’ll present a different art form. :: Through May 17 Out Front Theatre stages the world premiere of Trick! The Musical, based on a 1999...

From WABE Local News:

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — The Stone Mountain City Council met May 12, fired its attorney and authorized an investigation into how Mayor Beverly Jones took control of numerous accounts connected to […]

From the Atlanta Daily World:

At a time when too many Americans are grappling with social uncertainty and the impact of declining resources for women’s health and fading support for advancing women in the workplace, Roz Clark Smith is doubling down on her commitment to transforming the landscape and shoring up her efforts to empower women. Smith, a skilled communicator, … Continued

The post Women In Charge: Roz Clark Smith Brings the Gift of Transformation to Women Who Want More appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From WABE Politics News:

Since taking the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services in February, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has moved quickly to shrink the agency, firing thousands of agency […]

From the Saporta Report:

Atlanta’s best and brightest street safety advocates flocked to Wild Heaven’s West End Brewery on May 9 for Propel ATL’s 18th annual Blinkie Awards. The fundraiser and awards ceremony hosted by the citywide pedestrian and cycling nonprofit honors the work of local advocates and project leaders.  In 2021, the 30-year-old Atlanta Bicycle Coalition and Pedestrian […]

The post Atlanta celebrates safe street advocates at 18th annual Blinkie Awards appeared first on SaportaReport.

From WABE Local News:

GLAAD is the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization. Last year, Darian Aaron, a journalist and the director of Local News: U.S. South, founded […]

From WABE Local News:

A community-led effort to recall a College Park council member was recently dropped just as the case was heading back to court this month. The case to recall the now-Mayor […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Atlanta’s art scene constantly evolves, and sometimes it can be hard to keep up with all the new galleries, shows and installations. While “City Lights” shares the latest arts and […]

As summer approaches, metro Atlanta's pro hockey sweepstakes heat up Josh Green Tue, 05/13/2025 - 13:34

As two different metro Atlanta groups work to put together inspired selling points and ironclad pitches, the National Hockey League’s top brass is acknowledging for the first time a third franchise in the Southeast’s largest market isn’t out of the question. 

In a way, the metro ATL sweepstakes for pro hockey sound almost as feverish as the ongoing NHL playoffs. But regional groups seem to agree on one point—that a third time for Atlanta pro hockey could be a charm. 

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, speaking at a Friday news conference before the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs playoff semifinals game, said Atlanta’s past two failures to keep NHL franchises here (the Flames and Thrashers) won’t count against the region, should an expansion move forward. 

Bettman acknowledged the league has talked to “a couple of groups” striving to bring the NHL back to the metro, and he noted that Atlanta is a different market than when both previous teams fled north, in 1980 and 2011, respectively. But don’t hold your breath, ATL hockey fanatics: The NHL boss says there's currently no timetable for any ownership group to submit applications, and the league hasn’t entered a formal expansion phase, as Atlanta News First relays.  

The NHL reportedly won’t even vote on an expansion until ongoing negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement conclude.  

The future location of pregame (or it is pre-match) hoopla? The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, SCI Architects

At least two north OTP factions are putting together plans to potentially develop NHL-grade stadiums and surround them with mixed-uses, in the vein of the Atlanta Braves’ successful The Battery formula. And both of them are making important moves as the off-season summer approaches. 

Three days before the NHL commissioner’s remarks last week, the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau voted to fund a $150,000 study that will examine the viability of turning the moribund North Point Mall and surrounding parking lots into a pro-grade arena—and one that could thrive when hockey isn’t in season.  

Recent overview of North Point Mall's layout, uses, and occupancy. Courtesy of Trademark Property Company; 2021

The contract was immediately channeled to a sports arena consulting firm that will weigh potential fan base and possible off-season uses, as WSB radio reported. The analysis is expected to take about five months to complete.   

Last spring, a group called Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group comprised of city officials and influential sports figures—including NHL broadcaster and former player Anson Carter, a longtime metro Atlanta resident—announced their intention to lure pro hockey to the mall site. 

Time could be of the essence, however.

The commissioner’s remarks seem to have lit a fire underneath Vernon Krause, the car dealership entrepreneur and head of Krause Sports and Entertainment who’s been leading the charge to bring the NHL (and a massive, adjacent mixed-use district) to Forsyth County for the past two years. 

Krause told 11Alive he’s preparing to travel to New York soon and formally pitch the NHL commissioner, who Krause feels could be edging the league closer to the point of voting on expansion to metro Atlanta. 

How the 100-acre project would be positioned where Ronald Reagan Boulevard meets Union Hill Road along Ga. Highway 400.The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, Nelson

Krause’s grand vision—a 100-acre, stadium-anchored, live-work-play megaproject called The Gathering at South Forsyth, near the Fulton County line—tallied a significant win in January when the Forsyth County Commission voted to approve its required zoning. 

The project is expected to cost in excess of $3 billion, with $1 billion of that funding the cornerstone arena that would also stage concerts and events. 

Last year, Forsyth County leadership and citizen referendum voters OK’d plans for providing up to $225 million in future property taxes to help make The Gathering a reality—but only if the new district secures an NHL franchise. 

A main street and retail corridor in the multi-billion-dollar proposal. The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, Nelson

The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, SCI Architects

Krause told the news station his team has met key criteria—securing shovel-ready land, zoning, and county approval—for a “completed package” that could be potent when applying for an NHL expansion franchise beyond the current 32 teams. His lawyers continue to draft “definitive documents” to present to NHL brass, he told 11Alive.

Krause noted that his team’s research shows pro hockey in Forsyth County would be well-supported. 

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• OTP news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

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Union Hill Road at Ronald Reagan Boulevard The Gathering at South Forsyth NHL Hockey Professional Hockey Cumming South Forsyth Forsyth County Stafford Sports Vernon Krause Carl Hirsch The Battery Atlanta Nelson Architects Kimley-Horn Kimley-Horn & Associates SCI Architects Stone Planning Dovin Ficken Greenberg Traurig Arizona State University Sun Devil Athletics JLL Novus Innovation Corridor Atlanta Regional Commission Alexander Babbage Atlanta Surveys Surveys Cumming City Center NOFO Brewing Referendum Forsyth County Referendum Bobby Orr National Hockey League North Point Mall OTP Suburbs

Subtitle NHL commissioner hints at expansion prospects; Alpharetta and Forsyth ready possible pitches

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From WABE Politics News:

When Georgia’s governor and a lightning-rod congresswoman decided last week to not run for the U.S. Senate, it seemed like the waiting game was over among Republicans seeking to challenge […]