Good evening everyone.

Welcome to the two thousand and twelve.

Well Tom Planning Day celebration our
event tonight is titled When are waist

line at odds over stadium proposal.

My name is Richelle Dawson and

I'm vice president of the student
Planning Association and

one of the organizers of tonight's event.

The objective of all time played a is a.

As a global event is celebrate
the field of planning and

to make other were others
aware of what planners do.

When choosing a format for
tonight's event we could

not think of a better way to celebrate
planning been to see it in action and

in the form of community gathering and
discussion.

As a result the planning committee
decided to attempt to create a forum for

the Atlanta community to discuss one
of the most pressing local development

projects.

The proposal for a new football
stadium in the downtown area.

We hope to explore the implications of
a new stadium on the downtown area and

surrounding communities but
also on the broader plan and

goals of quality economic and
community development.

Before we begin to express my
gratitude to all the people and

groups the helpmate tonight.

It's a success.

First I would like to
thank our guests because.

Who and who we will introduce
more properly in a moment and

for our presenters earlier this evening.

Lauren Cardone And Mackenzie Madden.

I don't like to think thank the College
of Architecture in the school of sitting

regional planning for their especially for
their facilities support.

I would like to thank
doctors Dr Brian Stone.

Melinda Williams and
Tracy Blackwell for their guidance.

And Dr Larry Keating and at the annual
Smith for their support and insight.

Finally I would like to think
the student Planning Association and

the world planted a planning committee.

For their creativity and
the issue of unwavering energy.

Finally tonight by and
hears from point all of us together.

Thank you so much.

Again I'd like to thank you all for
joining us.

Evening.

I hope that you enjoy the program.

Now I ask you please help me and

welcome welcome in the chair of
the school is that every child.

Dr burst out.

Thank you.
Richelle.

So good to see all of you here tonight
the school the reach of city and

regional planning works to
advance sustainable resilient and

just communities in Georgia and
throughout the world and.

Our world Town Planning Day celebration
has been going on for quite some years.

This tradition began in one nine hundred
forty nine and has been celebrated in

November annually by many planners and
planning associations around the world.

This week they'll be celebrations in
that I know of in Toronto in Brussels.

In the in Rio has Spain in Honolulu and

Madeira a high Kingston Jamaica
as well as other places.

There will also be a weapon our.

That will begin tomorrow and run through
Wednesday that's being hosted by thirty

planners organizations in different
countries around the world including

the American Planning Association on
the theme of smart communities connect and

if you visit the A.P.A.

website you can find a portal
little get you into that women are.

Here in Atlanta our world Town Planning
Day celebration is organized as you know

by the student Planning Association.

And I want to recognize the students
who've been involved in trying to bring

this together tonight they include Johnny
Aguilar Meredith Britt Aaron Cooper Erin.

Rachelle Guzman Sarah Macaulay
Gillian Campbell Kate Marino

Landon Reed Audrey Spiegel
pattern over and Travis voile.

These members chose to organize
this year's World town winning day

celebration around a discussion of
the stadium proposal for Atlanta.

Sports stadia have been focal points for
urban development and civic pride.

Going back perhaps to the Roman Coliseum.

But never before the late twentieth
century have they cost as much as they're

costing Today we're talking at price tags
in excess of one billion dollars for

some of these stadia.

Proponents describe these facilities
as investments in our future.

As tools that will bring economic
development to our communities and

as iconic images that will serve
as focal points for civic pride.

At the same time.

These stadia.

Come at a time when urban
infrastructure is decaying.

Schools are failing and
taxpayers are in revolt and so

their price tags are not easy to swallow.

And the sea of parking that often
surrounds these stadia creates gaping

holes in our urban fabric
which challenge walkability.

So these are difficult decisions.

There are strong potential upsides and
serious potential downsides.

I hope that some nights
discussions will be helpful.

So all of us here in understanding these
proposals but especially to the city of

Atlanta and this region in making
decisions about these this proposal.

Again thank you for being here.

Now welcome I'm not aware how to turn out.

Thank you thank you thank you Michel.

And thank you Bruce.

My name is Patrick Terra Nova and

I'm the president of the student
Planning Association and

I want to just again thank you for
your attendance tonight.

And before we get started.

I know we're anxious to get in.

I'm just going to go over a few
housekeeping items the way tonight will

work is throughout the evening will
have a few poll questions for you.

The audience to answer.

So you will have.

A few questions and
you can text in your responses and

we'll show them in live time.

And also I'll introduce the speakers
one by one they'll speak for

ten minutes apiece and

then we'll move on to our panel discussion
where you can ask them questions.

So just to explain real quickly
how the poll will work.

This is how you can
text in your responses.

The code in highlighted in green
is what you will text to and

then you'll have a series of responses
to a given question that will correlate

to a number that you will text in and this
is just an example of how that would work.

So you text.

The code which is an orange that
correlates with the response to

the number which is highlighted in green.

And just as information
standard texting rates apply.

We do not have access to your phone number
and also capitalisation does not matter

but spelling and spaces do so
well that's how the poll tonight.

I hope you can participate.

So we get started.

We'll just have a quick test and
example if you get your phones ready.

The first question is What do you think is
the most important function of a city in

the regional planning professional if
assisting in the development of a new

stadium helping mitigate impacts to
surrounding communities which is code

five four seven two four nine providing
information on potential economic

impacts which is code five four seven two
five zero developing a recommendation for

best location which is code five five
one two six eight or all of the above.

And here we go.

And there we have it.

That was pretty quick.

So I think you guys have the gist of it.

Wait a minute.

And we're getting some more responses in
with her we'll give it a couple seconds

to to update.

What it wants.

You know what.

All right.
I think we

have the gist of how people
are answering to I think we can move on.

So I guess we're all of
the above kind of people.

So now for
the first real question of the night and

then we'll move on to our speakers.

What is your opinion on the Atlanta on
Atlanta building a new football stadium.

I do not support building a new stadium
code five five one two seven one I support

building it and providing public funding
code five five five zero nine nine.

I support building it but only with
private funding code five five five

one three zero or
undecided five five five one three one.

And we'll give it a couple seconds to
allow everyone to get their responses in.

It's kind of interesting.

That's when the sun.

OK I think that's pretty close.

Everyone everyone's responded to right.

So just make a mental note of
your responses because we may or

may not get back to this
question at the end of the show.

So.

So now I'd like to go ahead and
introduce our speakers.

Speaking first tonight is
Mike Duggan who currently

serves as the state representative for
District twenty four in Forsyth County.

He serves on the education energy
utilities and telecommunications and

the science and technology committees
prior to taking office in two thousand and

eleven he served.

On the Forsyth County Board
of Education and

i spent his career in
the technology industry.

He helped establish the Alpharetta
based startup radiant systems

in the one nine hundred ninety S. And in
two thousand and one he founded Tier one

a leading engineering consulting
firm in Forsyth County.

Representative Dudgeon has
also helped found quality labs

which conducts research on new computer
architectures and artificial intelligence

a representative Dudgeon has a passion for
youth and public service.

He has been an active to
member in his community and

he has served as a leader for
the Boy Scouts.

Representative Dudgeon has a bachelor's
and master's degree from in electrical

engineering right here from Georgia Tech
and he hails from Johns Creek.

Ladies and gentlemen please join me in
welcoming Representative Mike dudgeon.

Thanks Pat microphone work.

OK.

Appreciate upline to come back out told
him I have a pretty busy schedule one

Georgia Tech calls it goes the top of the
list like I said I'm a graduate here from

the eighty's doubly a lot of Georgia Tech
is still the best school in the country in

my opinion anything I can do to
come back and help here is great.

I've got a senior in high school
who's wavering between U.G.A.

and tech and I'm trying to push
really hard to text yelp yelp reform.

So about the stadiums.

You know I'll talk a bit about
where I'm coming from but

you know stadiums more
the panels will get more detail.

I'm sure a lot of them will want to
call public private partnerships than

philosophically I don't have an objection
with that in fact nothing to specially for

road building the nothing public private
partnerships are important projects I

think seventy five corridor expansion
the looking at what the state.

I think is a great example of that So

philosophically I don't have a fundamental
problem a public private partnership so

I kind of wanted to get
that out of the gate.

I'm odd job the state legislator in
the wholesale legislature the past four or

five years not been particularly fun
though the title has been in love.

We've been for two years a part of what
we're doing is a very tough budget

environment so we're having to say no
to a lot of people the state budget

is roughly nineteen billion dollars
this year it bottomed out at seventeen.

It was as high as twenty one a few
years ago before the recession hit.

That's a limited amount of money and
Georgia's a balanced budget state by

constitution so we don't get to borrow
money to spend more than we take in.

So every year we have to
make some hard decisions.

A year and a half ago I had a whole
bunch of college students and

if you all were there outside the Capitol
for several days and we were discussing

the Hope Scholarship and funding
restrictions about twelve education

is a lot of districts around the state
that are not operating under ninety days.

What's teacher for

lows a lot of stress in the education
system right now that's going on.

So you have to consider this as
a backdrop of the new mom and

where this decision is coming from and

what is the current financial situation in
the state the state is healthy financially

in the fact that we are one of seven
states with a AAA bond rating.

So we've kept our financial house in order
of the balance budget really helps but

the bottom line is there's not a lot of
money sitting around to go to projects.

So we have to make those
difficult decisions it is and

it is very top of the legislator to be
the one to have to tell a teacher or

have to tell a state trooper No you're
not going to raise for the sixth or

seventh year in a row and you know.

The alternative to this state budget
environment would be to raise taxes and

I want to get that today but I will tell
you that my constituents particular would

be electing a new
representative if I pushed for

a large tax increase and
in general it is different.

Different parts of state but if you
add up the general mood of the voter

around the state based on
my colleague's legislature.

I'm not really in the mood to rise taxes.

So that's the environment we're doing so
what's going on with the done.

A couple years ago and this was before I
was in legislature represented Taylor was

there the Georgia legislature all theorize
an extension of the hotel motel tax for

the city of Atlanta for
up to three hundred million dollars for

the next thirty years and if the Atlanta
City Council so voted they could apply.

Thirty something percent I think
thirty nine percent of that tax

could go towards a new stadium project.

So this was again approved by
the legislature back in two thousand and

ten before I was there so that money is
sort of sitting on the table that is being

discussed right now with the wall congress
center of forty and with the with

the Falcons about the stadium deal so
they kind of have that money on the table.

They are looking perhaps to increase
bonding authority maybe some other public

money and that's where they may be
having to come back to the legislature

next year and talk a bit more about
that in a minute but so what's going on

with the Dumb as most of you know the dome
was built in the early ninety's and

I want all of you know
it's not fully paid for.

Yet the bonds in the dome don't fully
expire until two thousand and sixteen.

Though if there was a stadium
project refinancing all

that obviously part of the deal but
the dome actually is still not paid for

think is interesting and one way to look
at it too is you know making decision

about a stadium is what do we have and
what do we not have the Georgia Dome is

able to attract every
top in sporting event.

Except for one now.

Commissioner Goodell has made it
pretty clear he's not going to bring

the Super Bowl back here
with the Georgia Dome.

But it does attract as you see
championship going into the Final Four

basketball term we back here next March
will probably be in the in the running for

one of the new college football playoff
games in the College Football Hall of Fame

cross-tree.

Peach ball.

We bring in premier of sporting events
here it's not like we are sitting around

not having a lot of from your events here
but it doesn't bring in the Super Bowl and

then it fell very badly wants to bring
the Super Bowl here and that's part of

the reason why they're looking at
this at this particular project.

But I look at it again from
a priority point of view.

When you're doing budgeting just like
you're doing your household budget or

your personal budget you look at what I
have to have in what I want to have and

what would be really nice to have in
the current environment in my opinion

that right now a new stadium to replace
a Georgia Dome which already works pretty

darn well is a nice to have and
fundamentally at this time in the.

In the life of the state.

We don't have money for
the nice to have top of the things and

that's kind of the genesis
of where I'm coming from.

I'm sure some of these panels sirrah
much more expertise on all the economic

ramifications.

I know there are studies that will
tell you that it does pay you back

to build the stadium
some that say it won't.

I'm got a good study that I think
says it won't pay you back.

I have no idea what the other
panelists are going to say so

much very curious to hear some of
the data because I'm an engineer so

I'm a day to God like to hear it but
you know part of what's going on here.

You know how let me go to
skip to my one thing and

then come back to what
I think is going on.

Fundamentally I got involved in this
last February when the legislature was

in session then the budget
included ten million dollars for

land to expand the World Congress Center
footprint downtown and some of us

legislators are like is this going to be
for a stadium and they said well probably

maybe not but not really sure that's kind
of what got us going saying well we want

to put ten million dollars in the budget
to be given or gifted to the Falcons and

so we've developed a resolution
which is a non-binding statement for

the legislature and I had twenty eight
co-sponsors who said that we wanted to

make sure that if they did a stadium
it was done basically with free market

money and not with public money and that's
kind of how I got into this and then.

Now I've become sort of I don't know
exactly how it happened but I become one

of the people who seems to be asked to
talk a lot on this issue and on doing it

but it wasn't something that was seeking
out to become the anti Falcons guy.

I'm a huge football fan I was born and
raised in Tuscaloosa Alabama with

Bear Bryant on the wall one Georgia Tech
a huge Georgia Tech football fan a season

take it's been going here
ever since I graduated.

I go to Falcons game I love football.

So I have nothing against that and
not pass no judgment of you

planners about how the stadium should
be whether it's good or bad for

the community and
let you all figure that out.

I'm looking out of my hat as
a legislator and as tax payer.

And here is how I sum it up.

We have a problem right now.

Then this country is a very bad problem.

Opinion which is that the voters
do not trust their government.

There's a lot of reasons why the voters
should not trust your government as

the governor has done a lot of a lot of
crazy things a lot of things that don't

deserve trust you look at the voters trust
the federal government about this much and

the trust of state.

Maybe this much of the trust of local
guys about that much and I feel as as

a relatively new legislator that I want to
do anything I can to restore that trust

and I think we solve some of the lack
of trust in the recent piece plus vote.

I mean there was controversial issues
about whether the project was good or

bad but
I think it failed as hard as it did.

In my county was not in the a lot of
region it was in the mountain regions in

the transport it was no controversy
about whether Marta was good or bad or

any of that it was strictly about
roads and it failed three to one

one because of anti-tax but
two because our my constituency.

You know that looks pretty good but
I don't believe you.

The Georgia D.O.T.
they're going to change it around.

You're not you're going to new legislator
guys you're just going to bait and

switch and do a bunch of other stuff and
there's a lack of trust built up there and

so in that environment of lack of trust
and we've just come to the voters and

said we don't have enough money for
roads we want to pay for sales tax.

We don't have enough money for school.

So we're going to cut back the number of
days teachers would have enough money for

the Hope Scholarship for when to cut
it back from one hundred percent.

We don't have enough money for
raises for any state employees and

all these things we can't can't can't
can't have and then I'm a voter in us.

By the way we have money to build
a stadium to replace the perfectly good

stadium that's right there to me
that doesn't pass the smell test.

And in talking about this.

I have a lot of positive feedback for
what I would call the average

voter interesting enough that hasn't
been a particularly partisan.

I'm a Republican I come from
a Republican suburban part of Atlanta.

But I've had a lot of feedback
from both sides on this.

So I don't necessarily know where that
breaks down completely on partisan

partisan values.

So I'm looking at it
from a very big picture.

I'm not schooled in the gory details
of studies of the interim to

hear what the panelist side of an arms
looking at it might have as a legislator

somebody who has to be the guy who makes
that hard call of what we can and cannot.

For and that's my perspective a detail
point before I close is that.

Om another reason that people don't
trust the government is because

they change their minds all the time and
I've told people this publicly

the legislature already promised a three
hundred million dollars hotel motel tax.

I'm not interested and
I don't think anybody really that I'm

working with is interested in
revoking that I'm going back

on that commitment that comment was made
by the legislature it's on the table and

you know we can debate whether it's a good
idea probably would have voted against it.

Had I been in the legislature at
the time but it's already there.

I would respect that but
mob position is that.

There should be no new state money and
no new state backed bonds or

the state taxpayer dime for
the one who's who's backing of the bonds.

That's my opposition you know the three
hundred already on the table and

that better needs to be good enough.

They want.
I get up early showed up to

me to come in today and go jackets.

That's

really classes.

Thank you.

Representative Dudgeon next
we have Rashad Taylor.

Rashad Taylor is the youngest member
of the Georgia general assembly and

has been serving the fifty fifth District
in Fulton County since two thousand and

nine he serves on the education Mart
oversight and Ways and Means Committee and

serves as the deputy whip for the House
Democratic caucus in two thousand and

seven representative Taylor was named one
of ten rising stars in national politics

by Campaigns and Elections magazine and

has served as political director of
the Democratic Party of Georgia.

In addition to his work in public service
representative Taylor is also an active

member of his community.

He is the founding member and
has served on the executive committee for

Atlanta jobs with justice and is also
sat on the board of the youth task force

representative Taylor is
originally from Washington D.C..

And attended Morehouse College.

Ladies and gentlemen please join me
in welcoming Representative Anthony

represent representative Taylor

thank you.

This is own here home.

Well thanks so much.

I'm happy to be here.

I live not far from here.

I live in the historic West
the neighborhood I represent some

small portions of Georgia Tech currently
in the legislature my district is

only in the city of Atlanta and it goes
from Buckhead to Fort Macpherson and so

I represent some of the wealthiest
imports folks in our city.

And in two thousand and
ten in the city of.

I did do a little this will
help me stay on track.

So two thousand and ten the legislature.

Mark Burkholder used to be the speaker
pro-tem rose to become speaker temporarily

from nor Fulton North Fulton County
sponsored house Bonanno

three that extended the hotel
motel tax in Georgia.

And then extends it to twenty fifty and

we use the hotel motel tax in Georgia for
several things.

If funds are Atlanta Convention and
Visitors Bureau a portion of

it some portion of it goes to the city
of Atlanta some portion of it.

About thirty nine percent or so.

Thirty three percent.

Goes to pay the debt service on
the Georgia Dome that we built

in one thousand nine hundred nine
that motel tax was set to expire

in a few years like Representative Dudgeon
said and so the legislature.

Or extend that seven percent hotel
motel tax in Atlanta to fund either

renovations to an existing multi-purpose
down facility or for a new facility.

And I actively helped actually save this
bill from dying a death on the floor

of the House in two thousand and ten for
two two reasons that were in the bill.

One of them is that a new
facility must be located

in Atlanta on the George World
Congress Center authority property and

for me I'm going to Atlanta guy.

I want to keep the Falcons in Atlanta this
is around the time you know we heard L.A.

is looking for a team I lays the number
one media market in the country.

They're still looking fourteen you've
got you know talk of want to move

the Falcons outside of the city of Atlanta
and actually from Washington D.C. And

a quick story a few years ago the
Washington Redskins moved their facility

outside of the District of Columbia to
the state of Maryland for one reason

because they couldn't come to an agreement
with the mayor on building a new facility

in our case stadium at that time I think
was twenty five or thirty years old.

It was crumbling at that time and so
the owner of the Redskins moved the team

facility outside the city of Washington
D.C. and it is really hurt the city and

so now they're actually talks about moving
the team back into the city awash in D.C.

So I come at this with an experience
of having an N.F.L. team actually leave

the host city for another location simply
because you can't come to an agreement

with the local elected officials on how
to build and finance a new stadium.

The other reason that I supported none of
the reactively was that said that before.

We get this indebtedness to the state at
the World Congress Center Authority must

have a signed agreement with an N.F.L.
franchise for the duration of the debt

service meaning as long as we're going
to have to pay a bill on this no.

The World Congress Center
must have a contract in the.

With an N.F.L. franchise that they
will lease space in this facility for

as long as we know the payments
on this facility for

me those two points are very
important to pass in this bill.

The speaker one of the folks who
introduced us talked about urban

development and civic pride when it comes
to state theirs but there's a third reason

that we need to be on the front end
of this and that is competitiveness.

You know we have cities like Charlotte and
other cities around the south that

are really trying to be
the new leaders of the South.

They're trying to become
the new Atlanta and

so every time we try
to get a track to new.

A new when we call a new convention a new

a new site for four for
the NASCAR museum for

an example we're competing with other
cities so we have to stay competitive

as a city as the leader in the south and
so actively supported.

This legislation.

Joe for characters to be the governor of
Georgia in one thousand nine hundred nine

he actively supported using public
money to build a Georgia Dome and

he said the Georgia Dome is
a wise business investment.

For the state in the same way as
the Georgia ports of Savannah and

Brunswick are you currently have the
governor of Georgia the mayor of Atlanta.

The president of United States.

Everyone is concerned about deepening the
port of Savannah because they understand

the economic impact that the port of
Savannah has not just on the savannah

region but on the state of Georgia as
a whole cargo that comes into the port

of Savannah travels all across
the way is in Georgia and

so it has an economic impact beyond
just its regional impact and

I think we have the same thing with the
Georgia Dome and I think Joe Frank Harris.

Laid that out in a great app and
he wrote back in one

thousand nine hundred nine February
sixteenth one thousand nine hundred nine.

Actually And one thing we know
is that the Georgia Dome has.

About a three hundred million dollars
annual economic impact on our region and

that's not insignificant three hundred
million dollars economic impact by one

facility owned by the World Congress
Center I think is a significant economic

investment in this region particularly
the time where our economy is struggling.

And so how do we.

Why is it land to the city that it is and

we got the one thousand
nine hundred six Olympics.

We have the chick fil a boa
we've got Super Bowls we've got

Wrestle Mania next year we're
getting the final four.

We also got another
Super Bowl in two thousand.

It is because of what we have
built on the World Congress Center

property the Georgia Dome used to be
the world's largest domed facility.

We were ahead of the game when we talk
about entertaining people in our city

the World Congress Center is one
of the largest civic centers

in the country and we're able to attract
a lot of these conventions a lot

of these organizations a lot of these
sports venues because of what we have

built in the World Congress Center area
not just the World Congress Center itself.

You've got the Georgia Dome you've
got Phillips Arena you've got

Centennial Olympic Park and now you're
going to have the multi-modal Gulch area

going in and near the castle very Hill
neighborhood what we have built there and

Marta intersecting in two or three
different ways coming into that area.

I think is very important for our city.

We live off of a sales tax in
the city with sales taxes did when

people come into our city and buy and
shop and invest we lose money.

We're not able to do some of
the things they're representative

doesn't talks about us being able to do.

A lot of people who talk about this
always compare to the tease blast and

I actively actually
opposed the teams blast.

We remember on July thirty first.

Remember these colorful billboards
write the T.V. ads and.

One man with the C. L. the difference in.

The whole tomato tax and the T.'s Plus I
think are two important points to make one

where extending an existing tax this
isn't a new tax is not a tax increase.

It's not a new tax and I like to tease.

It's not an across the board
regressive sales tax.

Meaning when you go to the grocery store.

You're not going to pay more for
groceries where seniors go to C.B.S.

They're not going to pay more for their
prescription drugs by extending the hotel

motel tax and so I think the one thing
we've got to be clear on is it's not

a new tax it's a tax that exist that we're
simply extending the life of this tax

to twenty fifty The other reason I support
using the hotel motel tax to fund.

Partially a new stadium is because

it's a tax that is largely borne
by people who visit our city.

If you live in our city and you happen to
be able to have to stay in a hotel for

five nights six nights a week that you're
going to pay a seven percent hotel motel

tax but if you live in our city and

most like probably everyone in our
city you stay at home at night.

They're not going to pay this
tax you will never see or

be affected by this hotel motel
tax this is not a tax increase

that you'll see when you
go to the grocery store.

This is not a tax increase.

You'll see when you go buy a car.

This is not a tax increase.

You'll see when you go shopping for
school clothes.

This is something that is borne
by people who visit our city.

They visit our city to do work visit
the World Congress Center to visit

the Georgia Dome to visit Philips Arena
divison to the Olympic Park and for

me it only makes economic sense that
to have the people who are visiting our

city pay for the resources that
they come to actually visit.

There were five cities.

Six franchises about five cities over
the last thirty years that lost N.F.L.

franchise teams Los Angeles twice.

The Rams and.

The Raiders.

I believe.

Baltimore originally
also franchise St Louis.

Originally lost a franchise Cleveland.

Lost a franchise Houston lost
a franchise of all of those five

cities six wearing ties is that
left their host cities four of them

years later were able to react tracked in
a fell franchise they are not a major city

in this nation if you don't have an N.F.L.
franchise.

You can't consider
yourself a major leader.

If you don't have an N.F.L.
team if you don't have an N.B.A.

team no no one's going to want to come and
live in your city and stay in our city and

play in our city.

If we don't have things that
attract people to our city.

And so I'll wrap up here just
with this when we look at

the fourteen's that last N.F.L.
franchise but then regained it in a.

Houston regain difference.

And even I know who is mascot that is.

Cleveland Browns That's right.

Cleveland Browns the Baltimore Baltimore
Baltimore Ravens and the St Louis Rams

the Houston Texans the Cleveland Browns
Baltimore Ravens and the St Louis Rams

each of those cities lost their
franchise they regained their franchise.

But guess what at a greater cost.

The reason and here and
here's what's so important.

I think that I'm going to sit down after
I say this the reason those cities lost

their franchise was the same
reason the Redskins left the city.

It's because they couldn't come to an
agreement with the local elected officials

or building a new facility for their team.

And so when they want to retract attain
the Houston Texans into the city

of Houston ended up paying seventy
three percent of the financing for

a stadium to retract and then a felting
Cleveland seventy six point five

percent of the total cost of construction
was borne by the taxpayers in Cleveland.

Baltimore it was eighty
seven percent in the same.

It was one hundred percent This isn't
ten years ago is now fifteen years ago.

It's not twenty years ago.

This is within the last few years to me.

We've got a balanced
investment here in Atlanta.

When we built this dome in
one thousand nine hundred

nine it was all public dollars.

Arthur Blank didn't have to put one
dime of skin in the game on this

existing down all we have now
is a plan that really calls for

about thirty three percent of
public investment and about.

Almost a clipper at about sixty
seven percent of private investment.

Unlike some of these other cities that are
paying more than seventy eighty St Louis.

It's one hundred percent of
the construction costs in Atlanta.

We've got a balanced approach.

We're asking the public visitors to our
city to come up with thirty three percent

of our Newdow and we're asking are the
black to come up with sixty seven percent

to me that's a much balanced approach
than we had in one thousand nine hundred.

It's an approach to the lack of
support but typically as long

as it comes with community investments on
behalf of the Atlanta Falcons you've got

to have a public investment in
the facility and the infrastructure.

So I walks all that you've got to have the
private money to come up with the rest but

you've also got to have the Falcons and
the World Congress Center step up and

continue to play an active
role in the community.

I hope Reverend motley
will talk more about that.

I want to talk about a full
public policy standpoint but

I think in terms of a balanced approach.

You've also got to have some community
investment on behalf of the Falcons.

I think they're committed to that and
that's the talks go forward.

I hope more details will come out about
that but I look forward to your questions.

This evening.

Thank you.

Representative Taylor and.

Next we have Reverend Anthony Motley
who received

his bachelor's degree in one
thousand nine hundred for

Morehouse College majoring in religion and
minoring in philosophy.

He also has earned a master's of arts and

Christian education from the
Interdenominational Theological Center.

Reverend Reverend motley
accepted the pastorship

of Lindsey's Street Baptist Church on
September seventh one nine hundred eighty.

Reverend Motley is deeply involved in
community activities seeking to improve

the conditions of the socially and
economically disadvantaged and

he is active in several organizations
which include the Concerned Black Clergy

the new era state convention of Georgia.

The Progressive Baptist Convention
the American Baptist Convention

the Atlanta Baptist minister Union
the Vine City Housing Ministry and

the English Ave Community Development
Corporation has also served as an adjunct

professor at Morris Brown College and
he hails from to see Alabama.

Ladies and gentlemen please join me
in welcoming Reverend Anthony motley

Thank you.

All right.
OK Is that better.

I was hoping that I was less so
I'd have more time.

But.

In the pass of
the Linda Street Baptist Church and

I have been serving there for some.

Thirty two years.

And.

Normally I go around.

Me in knowledge my
distinguished panelists.

And the wonderful people many of
you in the audience who work with

in community service.

Normally I just go around.

Talking about.

Loving your neighbor.

That's what I'm accustomed to doing.

I'm a preacher.

Of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And.

I'm comfortable talking of.

What Jesus.

He instructed us to first of all love.

Him with all of our hearts and
minds souls and strength.

And then he instructed
us to do something that.

In two main instances it is tremendously
lost on much of the discourse.

As it relates to much of
the sermonizing that we hear.

And that is.

Love for each other.

A lawyer.

An attorney asked him a question
what is the greatest commandment in

Jesus answered him by saying love the law
that God with all that hard mind soul and

strength and the second is like unto it.

Thou shalt love thy neighbor.

And that's a general statement that
covers everyone is both individual and

collective it's love your.

Latino neighbor you know African-American
neighbor your gay neighbor.

Your straight neighbor.

Your Baptists Methodists his couple.

Older Rolo sanctify.

Neighbor love all of your
neighbors as you love your self.

And that's a tall order.

And it's both it applies to both
the individual and institutions alike.

It's personal love and
it's corporate love.

And so in the midst of this issue this
very critical issue of the coming.

We believe the imminent
coming of this new stadium.

We've seen this before.

We've seen it in the dome stadium.

An English Avenue community of which.

The industry church is a part of and

weave and
we serve as a very challenge to community.

Perhaps maybe now

nothing more than perhaps three
to four thousand residents.

Having decrease from
upwards of twelve thousand

back in the one nine hundred sixty S.
and seventy's.

Due to a great many causes that we don't.

Time to go into the Z. evening.

But for the.

Because of the neglect because
of the indifference towards

the English Ave community you would know
the community because it's west of you is

southwest of Georgia where your neighbors
and we love you and we hope you love us.

We love the government and
we want the government to love us

and for those of you perhaps who
haven't ventured in that direction.

It is the community where lady by
the name of Katherine Johnston

ninety two year old lady
was a life was taken.

By the police department.

Good police department they do good work.

We love them.

They're part of our community.

We need them but it was a terrible
terrible tragedy in a terrible

mistake that cost the life of our
grandmother one of our grandmother.

As she said in her room.

Some false tips to because our
community is so infested with droves

that upon some tip they.

Instead of knocking on
the door like they would do.

Perhaps in another community they simply
busted the door down in Winnie and

factoring and she her life was
taken in a hail of gunfire.

So we are a challenge to community.

And actually.

As it relates to the stadium
we don't have the luxury.

I you know we.

I don't think it's the right.

Climate or.

Right time.

All of the good arguments
that have been put forth goes

by my good friend Rashad notwithstanding.

For the city to be a first rate and
first class city we all want that.

But at the same time even
with those things that.

Polls the coming of the stadium
as my good friend argue

we don't have the luxury to oppose it
that we him in a delay because for

our community.

We just need we just want to catch
a ride on the first train that's

producing some resources.

That can be shared with our community.

We are in that desperate
of a situation in English.

Have a new community.

And so what we are proposing.

With the correlation of pastors and.

Community activists and
others because of the.

Impact and because of the fact

that English Ave community in the van city
communities together are the communities.

Of great this impact.

Great is impact that the stadium will have
will be onerous whether those in the go.

Whether it's over across from that
church or Herndon homes once existed.

Either way our communities
will be impacted more

than any than any of the so

we are proposing that because of
the investment by the taxpayers.

Only represent.

Now we're standing with my good friend
Rashad said as it relates to those who

visit our city being
the largest contributors.

Although we eat in the restaurants of
the whole we work in the restaurants.

We writ lease room and
space in the restaurants local taxpayers.

So we do have an investment as well

the bottom line is that three hundred
million dollars of public money.

Will be invested.

In to the construction of this
this billion dollar stadium.

The question is.

What is the return to the taxpayers.

Own the profits.

On the investment from the profit.

What is what are what is
the return to the citizenry.

For that three hundred
million dollars plus.

Investment in more specifically what is

the return on the investment
to the two communities.

Of great is impact.

What is that impact.

This is a study.

From the N.P.A.
UL economic development committee

in packages read just a little
because it's a very lengthy.

Impact Study.

The one minute.

One minute in P You were economic
development impact of the proposed

open air stadium.

Loss of business opportunities

all businesses inside
the stadium impact on Church.

Is noise in Greece and a grease me.

People come in and become a thank you.

Potential to decrease
availability of parking for

church members potential to distract
you from church attendance loss of.

Economy for the church ties and

offerings I'm seriously concerned about
that we feel it I could go on and

on we feel it when there is again
on Sundays our churches suffer.

Listen we have members who are faint.

We're not knocking I'm
a fan of the fountain.

We love the foul.

But the impact on our communities
our two communities is unbelievable.

And we suffer in attendance.

We suffer.

In revenue.

We suffer this.

Let me be frank with you.

We suffer a few days before the Games.

The police descend upon English Avenue
in Van City and basically.

Whip the natives in to cooperate.

They let the community
know in no uncertain terms

that good people look coming
from other parts of the city.

We want you to behave yourself.

There are arrests.

In the community.

There is intimidation.

In the community own and
on and on I could go.

What we're proposing is
a share because of the Ampat

own us a share in the windfall
profits windfall wonderful to have.

A top notch city built.

Where what.

What is greatness if all
of the revenues go up.

That's what the election is going to
be about the law if all of the their

revenues are going to the one who say it.

Nothing is coming that we are proposing.

That our communities first.

Share in the profits profit share
that revenue stream is create.

If we sit down at the table
with the appropriate parties so

that the communities of greatest impact
will share in the profits of parking.

Very dismaying.

Vendors.

On and on down the and
we are your neighbors.

And we deserve.

To share in the bounty.

That God has created.

For all of his children.

Thank you very much.

Thank you thank you Reverend Motley.

Lastly we have Dr Benjamin flowers
who is a member of our very own.

Faculty here at the Georgia Institute
of Technology architecture college.

Here is he's been a faculty member
since two thousand and five and

his work examines architecture as a form
of social activity intersected by politics

culture and local economies his work
specializes in the ways that stadiums and

other structures are constructed to
the ends to which they are used and

the nature of public reaction to them.

Dr Flowers research has attracted
nationwide recognition and

he was awarded the two thousand and

ten outstanding academic title in
architecture by Choice magazine.

Among his recent publications
is Stadium architecture.

This will iconic iconic Graffy and
the shaping of urban and.

Sporting identities which was
published individual in sport.

Dr Flowers received his Ph D.
from the University of Minnesota and

his BE A from Wesleyan University
in Middletown Connecticut.

He grew up in Khost Rica Honduras
Guatemala book area Romania and

Washington D.C. Ladies and gentlemen
please join me in welcoming Dr Benjamin

flowers in this.

Thank you and I would hear me.

I teach in this classroom every semester
and it's always nice to come here and

see excited faces.

I really appreciate that.

It means a lot to me.

I come to this topic from the perspective
of an architectural historian.

But I also come to it from the perspective
of a fan of monumental urban structures

skyscrapers and
study that said I'm not uncritical

to the complex issues of power and

planning and geography that these
kinds of structures raise so

what I want to do is briefly talk about a
couple of issues and then suggest a couple

of ways in which this project because
I agree with I think it will happen.

The growth coalition is
is is entrenched and

the political establishment I
think wants to see this happen.

I think it will happen.

The question is how does it happen.

So first thing.

We tend to think of study or

stadiums as buildings that host sporting
events and perhaps this was at one time.

True but since the late one nine
hundred seventy S. stadiums

are actually something else their machines
generate revenue that is the goal.

The goal is not to get more
fans in the stadium the goal

is to get the stadium to generate more
revenue per fan per day of operation.

And that's one of the main reasons
why stadiums went from costing say

four hundred million dollars.

In the one nine hundred ninety S.
to a billion dollars today.

So those costs are not about bringing
more people in to watch sporting events.

They're about raising more revenue for
the team owners.

Why is this the case when the N.F.L.

in particular study here are one of
the few revenue sources that aren't shared

the revenue sharing with
the rest of the league.

It's expected the average
increase in value of a sports

franchise that has a new
stadium is one hundred percent.

So the Falcons are currently
one of the lower

value weighted franchises in the with
the construction of new stadium.

They would immediately move.

Much higher up the tier value and

likewise of profitability because those
profit it's not just the ticket sales.

It's the concessions.

It's the parking.

It's all of those things because even
though there are public funds that go

towards the stadium construction in
general the rental agreements given to

Team owners are quite generous in fact
often to the point of being free.

So those are the kinds of broad
economic conditions that compel

team owners to want to have new stadiums
it's not about producing necessarily

a better experience for the fans.

It's about revenue that's fine.

We live in a society where revenue
generation is considered an appropriate

and valuable way to spend one's day but

we should be clear on what that means for
the public.

The other is that jobs numbers
around study construction routinely

only account for this jobs
associated with the new stadium and

do not take into account the jobs
lost with the end of an old stadium.

So when we talk about jobs numbers we're
almost always hearing numbers that

describe the value added without taking
into account the subtractions that almost

always really I think it's.

Powerful forces are at work

so just hold.

Maybe you can see you can see

the sequence that can you hear me on this.

So the other thing is those job numbers

they have to be parsed and
they have to be understood.

Somewhat skeptical of the transition

often the argument is that people who
work at the old stadium will find jobs in

the new stadium in fact recent
studies have shown that.

This is not often the case that
there's often a high rate of turnover.

The other is in terms of increases
in tax revenue is we very rarely see

these studies take into account
substitution effects which is that dollars

are being spent at the new stadium are
dollars that aren't being spent at other

local businesses so
they aren't new revenues.

They're swapping for revenue that
would have been generated elsewhere.

This is problematic for one primary reason
which is that dollars spent at study

especially N.F.L. stadiums
United States are dollars that are not

likely to be respected
in the local community.

Whereas if you go to a restaurant and
you buy a meal there.

The revenue that you generate
that restaurant owner likely

will respond those dollars on things for
their restaurant in the local community.

So the overall impact
economic impact of the city

is often felt outside of the locale in
which built in very interesting ways.

Again this is from someone
who when when I travel.

You can talk to my wife about she knows
I will say we have to do this stadium in

this city to me why do we have to see
these are all the same it just that what

your seats in the field.

This is no none of these are very
very important places and they

are because the cultural ritual associate
with sport is incredibly powerful.

And it is the case that in.

Urban contexts in the late twentieth
century twenty first century studying

architecture utils their cathedrals
were important rituals take place

urban identity is formed.

These are valuable things the question is
what is the appropriate way to finance

that the other things that big
sports are not actually very good

big employers N.F.L. teams don't
actually employed that many people and

in fact the average N.F.L. team
according to a study in the mid ninety's

employed on average one hundred
twenty full time people year round.

That's not that many.

There are some economists that
have proposed one in particular

that the economic impact of an N.F.L.

team is actually roughly equivalent
of that to a large supermarket.

If I said I need three hundred million for
a large supermarket you would say flowers

you out here are not going to happen
this is the best supermarket ever

Atlanta will have a reputation as
the place with the greatest supermarket

in fact bringing them in the U.K. has
a Selfridges which is the supermarket but

it's designed this outrageous
architecture in fact people like me

do go to Birmingham to go to that
supermarket so you know you can have

the last couple of things is that
you talk about an iconic structure

and in the first you don't
have an iconic structure.

I want you to many of them
start your study really

iconic and we don't usually think of them.

You know mind as the vision.

You see that looks great.

The other is a building can't become truly
iconic if it only lasts twenty five to

thirty years.

So if you tear down a building
of twenty five years.

It's opportunity become
iconic severely constrained.

So we should think about it in Europe
you have studied that and renovated and

enlarged over the course of
sixty seventy eighty years and

those artifacts icons in the urban fabric.

Finally the thinking on these projects
is often remarkably convention.

Word which the we should think of
this not as a stadium project but

rather a billion dollar infrastructure
project in the city that has very few

large scale infrastructure
investments hope that can't.

It's not should we or shouldn't but
rather if we're going to do it.

What should we can ask for
besides just a field and

stands that are active it is only here for

the difficulty and
then possibly maybe at best sixty or

seventy more days of your other projects
in South Africa construction new study

has been crucial public health clinics
to assist in fighting each of your kids.

In England there is a project that
you can acquire the one percent

are on certain large scale projects and
apart from funding.

I would certainly want to grow from
others comes and we should ask ourselves

what just three hundred million
dollars in public expenditure get

one percent of revenue generation for
annum.

That is Reese responded and
you just need one percent.

You probably three percent

more all of the private investors that
will go to are the only place you leverage

is capital that six hundred seventy
million dollars will be expecting

something in return that investment
public dollars shouldn't do otherwise.

What the nature of that return
might be is open for discussion.

So I think that's one or
the other is program adequate.

We're going to build something really
really big you can accommodate

lots of other things.

What might become of the educational
center childcare public health

the range is there the range is open.

You don't find someone becoming on
the boat and becoming a billionaire.

But being emotional think people have
always wanted to have the capacity to

be quite innovative in Georgia
will Congress Center has produced

extensive master planning
documents that outline a ring.

Range of options.

We need to have a dialogue about this
project as it goes forward which I think

will embrace those options and
see what can this be it's going to happen.

But what do we want to be looking
we aspire to have it to be

if we want to be actually something and
then a distinctive and

different new fact I think that's
precisely the kind of thinking that would

choose that which would
be unusual benefit.

I suspect for both teams and
the ownership and

there needs to be some kind of way to
find a capacity both sides to gain

rather than if it's simply a statement
that operates as most do most of the games

accrue to munition and
very few of the games.

It's.

The economics on the state impact
economically public funding of

almost uniform amongst all
the studies they do not do a good

job of generating revenue or jobs you can
spend that money much more effectively.

If you want if that was your goal.

The studies are quite clear.

So instead since we're the tangible facts
are not as great as its proponents claim.

If we're going to look for intangible ones
then we need to find intangible ones.

Likewise but if it's really can you stop.

Thank you thank you and

thank you thank you Dr Flowers.

I well the sounds great.

Now so I had next to a thank
you again to all for panelists.

Now we'll get into another
interactive course when I saw I have

another text question for you and the
question is What do you consider the most

important impact that a new stadium
might have on the city of Atlanta.

Again the code that you're texting
to is two two three three three.

And the response possibilities are further
revitalization of downtown Atlanta

sixty five four.

Five five five two impacts on
surrounding residential communities

five four six zero two zero
job creation five four

six zero to one increase the potential
to host the Super Bowl or

large events five four to five
four seven two four seven or

other five four seven two four eight.

We'll give it a couple seconds.

To different code or race or well.

Imagine what you think
the answer might but

we'll see if we can get back to it later.

The next day was something that
I know a lot of us are looking

forward to is the panel discussion so now
if we can do this in an orderly fashion.

I will momentarily move down
right here in the aisle and

if you have any questions for the panel.

He's just lined up right down here and I
will give you the mike to ask a question.

Good afternoon.

My name is Deborah Scott I'm the executive
director of the organization called

Georgia stand up and you're right on.

Part of what you dealt with today is
really called community benefits and so

I guess my question.

To the panelists is and all.

For all of you is what community
benefits should actually be derived

from this project and how do you propose
the community to receive us because you're

both elected and thirteen as well.

If so how can you help
the community actually achieve

the benefits when you talk about
community health care clinics and

child care and
revenue going back to the community.

How could that actually be done
here in Atlanta thank you.

For.

You know I think that's a great question.

I think.

I think a great model to use or start with
is actually some of the work that you're

going around for MacPherson and getting
the community involved in understanding

actually what it is that the community
wants and needs and then help and

facilitate with them how to go about
getting in the making to happen.

And so I think they're going to you know
there needs to be some technical support

for the community to come together
figure out you know exactly what

it is that they're there and

they want that they need how they're going
to be impacted from the new stadium and

then the go collectively like the
communities or a former occasion have done

in trying to get some some think
the Greens with the workers in authority.

And the Falcons and so I think I think
that's the first step is just give me

to get a good technical support together
to actually get their concerns and

everything laid out in a way that they can
actually get something done without just

a bunch of meetings and people shouting.

As you know.

Stadium construction goes on the joy of

good history as it relates
to helping the surrounding.

Communities.

And that has been sort of
an excuse from some quarters.

To not place as much emphasis on it or to
oppose the state in coming all together.

But I think as my good friend Dr Flowers
has mentioned the creativity of.

Many of the full.

Who are in involved in in
the stadium effort along with your.

Creativity from Georgia
stand up as a relates to

putting together that whole
package of community benefits.

I think if those two parties come together
with with those kinds of structures and

those kinds of models that ways can
be found creative ways can be found

to address the needs of the community and

I think that's very key
looking at the needs.

We are a resource poor neighborhood and
community.

And you know we were talking about public
and private options as a related to the.

To Obamacare on the own
the national level.

Well we need some private and
public options to all for

the boys and girls in challenge
communities like English avenue

to address that educational
needs that health care needs.

That dental needs own and on a known
there are incredible needs role models.

Sister and Brother organizations.

That's a beautiful program.

That.

Sally Yates was a U.S. attorney.

Put together.

With service providers for
sex offenders and

they utilize the the industry church
facility and what they did was they.

They asked the ex offenders to
to come to Linda street and

they call together the service
providers such as job trainers.

Salvation Army boys and girls.

Health care folks.

Drug treatment folks out all
the folks all across the board and

they learned those tables up in that
church and they asked those acts of

Findus to go to the tables of
which they had the greatest need.

It's something on that order as it relates
to addressing the pressing needs of

our brothers and
sisters in the English Avenue community.

Dr King saying that if we don't learn
to live together as brothers and

sisters in this country in
society we will perish as food.

And I believe that we
have to learn how to make

resources available to all of dosh too and
the other thoughts from the panel.

I would just add that we have in have in
the past at the School of Architecture

done studios on remediation of things like
the expanse of park Iraq Turner Field

about ways to retrofit that to turn
it into something actually much more

pleasant and livable.

I think that the school public policy
is well positioned to to do studio

questions like these I think there's
incredible amount of creativity.

And thinking available to the G.C.C.

and the proponents of the stadium
project should they be looking for

right next door to where this site
will eventually take place and

we encourage them to consider doing so
I think we have another question.

Thanks.
My name is Ryan's

on the assistant director at Common Cause.

GA And I have a question that's
tangential to the community look.

And even if it.

It's mostly to do with I mean there
is none of you are representing

the Jewish center authority or
the UN if he's here tonight.

So these discussions are really useful
to generate community involvement.

They are really you know we have a lot
of teeth that no one is here to listen.

So I was wondering what each of you
thought you said it was an invention or

if you think that the INS or
the Congress and

should take more of an active role in
engaging annals like this and community.

I'll start on that I have personally

met with the World Congress Center
authority to sort of convey my message and

the message of some of my colleagues in
the General Assembly who agree with me and

one thing I would think is truth is that
you know they could've hammer a deal with

us a long time ago and
I think one reason that they've taken so

long is because they are trying
to build more communities for

because they'd right off the bat and
get a resoundingly.

You know films up from
enough of the people.

There's enough concerns and enough
issues out there with the public that I

think they are trying to look for this and
and I think they're there were there or

they may not be here but I think
there's a there's a strong awareness ma

talk to those folks they know that people
out there have concerns about this

being a wise investment and want to make
sure it's done the right way and then

all come about the previous question and
I never really thought about the idea of

tying some of the the revenue generation
back to some things in the community.

Interesting I mean that's and
that's a you could probably give the a lot

of city councils part of the authority on
the tax dollars part of the agreement to

the finals and
money back though if we into doing this I.

I don't have a principal
objection to that.

I've been involved with this is
two thousand and ten actually

in addition to when I'm out there are
sponsored the bill that increases the OR

extends it for the city of Atlanta just
Fulton County the hotel motel tax and

the conversations I've had with
the workers on earth already.

Folks with the Arthur Blank folks
with the Atlanta Falcons folks about

what are you going to do for
the community there was a.

For example there was a pot of money
available for small businesses that were

displaced or impacted by the stadium
a few years ago I had some.

Businesses small businesses
in my district in English.

I haven't been City who approached me
about if that pot of money will be

available for
example if a new stadium is built.

The feedback I got from the World Congress
Center in the Falcons is once we figure

out we're going to pay for this stadium.

Will definitely have an aggressive
conversation on community benefits and

community investment.

I mean it's a you know it's a process.

The commissioner for the N.F.L.
I think was in Atlanta today.

You know that the mayor and governor.

I think there's going to probably
been announced A very soon.

About what the state was no look like
how we're going to pay for it and

then how we're going to impact and
invest in the communities I think that's.

It has to come.

I think if we talk about
a balanced investment.

And so I think it's coming time and was I
think this is the appropriate time now for

the community to get together under maybe
the technical support of a Georgia stand

up to come up with here's how
we're going to be impacted.

And here's what we want so that when
the time comes to come to the table.

We come to the table with a clear plan and
objectives are what we wore

rather than trying to figure out at
the last minute what we want and

then at the end of the negotiation we
figure out we should have asked for

something completely different
if we had just had the time and

planning to get together so
I would not under or

discount the the importance of
the technical support and bring in

the community together because you've got
diverse community voices English ave.

Yvonne sitting in particular.

Averred there are communities
that emerge similar but

they've got bird the reverse the snake
voices within those communities

that neither want this think
the worst things and some giving most

people together at the table and coming up
with something that they can all agree.

They all can agree on
the goals of the work arms and

the Papas is going to be likened cats to

walking the story more often is
something that has to be done and why.

I think we've got to start now.

So that when the conversation is ready.

We're ready to be at the table.

There Any other questions that

let

him is Jim Schneider.

I'm the land use and zoning chair for

the Atlanta planning advisory board
I live in Kassab airy hill and

you haven't mentioned if it depending on
what location is Mary Marietta Street

artery Association obviously would be
impacted by the northern location.

But one of the things that bothered me in
the past a great deal is that the city has

shown no spine in talking
about land use off of

the with Georgia World Congress Center
campus because when you start spilling

out who don't know you're
allowing people to use land for

parking service and
that's really a negative and somewhere.

I mean I obviously know that George stand
up and doing that for a long time but

a lot of planning advisory
board is all twenty five and

use covers the entire city and lately.

I think in the last two years the Near
West Side has been talking the M.P.U.

seven talking to each other.

That's the vehicle that we need to have
and we need to have a commitment from

the city of Atlanta that the land use
issues will not be just paved over because

the congress center wants to but
because they don't own that land by.

Property and the other thing that we've
sort of talked on that we haven't got

the point is where is
the way to build full

time types of jobs around the Congress
Center now we understand that the only

model is talking about some of that and
that's going to end up but this location

the bust of the Georgia Dome now and
we've got to find a way and

there are other models in other
cities where there is more activity

around the state that we don't
have here Turner Field is a prime

example of nothing going on around
it other than you get a few vendors.

But they're not generally there if
the if the Braves aren't there.

So we've got to find a model for
that and it's not just you know find

City English Ave and God forbid that's
such a declining population in the city

is such a bad history of doing
economic community development.

They don't know how to do it.

They all want to throw money in the never
have any money you've got to get

the communities to build on themselves and
I challenge the churches

because frankly it will come out losing
one more Mount Vernon after this.

But in fact go and then you're left
with Friendship Baptist base would be in

the air and it's in it inundated
with tailgating party.

And certainly my neighborhood and

we have a problem with the city really
wanting to have a force with me keep them.

You know by force of noise ordinance
parking trash all those things and

that and impacts you know fine city and
in the shadows as well.

So we've got these
issues of all around and

we need to make certain that that happens.

My Terje you.

Where do we get that incentive to
make that happen on the land use and

the code for some of these folks for

churches actually where
the there where you mention.

Both.

Well Hernan friendship.

Central United method is an east and
west Mitchell.

Absolutely.

It was a light when you
have to correct the racial

currently is eighty twenty four how people
get to the average Falcons game eighty

percent by car twenty percent
by other means the estimates for

the the number of surface parking spots
they would need in a twenty minute walk

from the stadium is something
the range of twenty three thousand

really the what needs to happen
is there needs to be a system for

getting people to a stadium that's located
in town that is a vehicle based and

that's a long term proposition but
if you're investing a billion dollars and

you're talking about
long term investments and

I would say some kind of idea of
how you would more robustly link up

the stadium with more meaningful public
transportation systems and networks and

look at the parking elsewhere and
then use that revenue that's generated to

mean to allow vacant lot to be developed
into something else so that people

are illegally allowing people to park
in there for twelve bucks per car and

then leaving or churches finding that
parishioners can't get in on Sunday.

You know those are the kinds of
issues that have to be addressed and

it's it's not impossible.

It can be done it just
needs to be foreground and

let me add that as it relates to
those churches you're talking about.

Churches with constituencies that
greatly as it relates to population.

Go way beyond the populations
of the communities I'm saying.

Because we have forty eight churches
twenty three churches in English Avenue

and forty eight in all in English city and
so you're talking.

Let's say any A low.

You're talking ten thousand they boast
of ten thousand plus members and

those members are some of the movers and
shakers of this.

As relates to any our cause
an industry we move in cheek to.

Lease close to a thousand members
Allee's own role of the church is

that most of our ninety percent
of our constituents come from

the metro area and
some of the finest communities and

some of the greatest professional
folk in this in the city and so

they descend on these communities
they have invested their tithes and

offerings their resources their gifts
that talents in that churches they

descend on it every Sunday and throughout
the week Bible study other ministries.

So we're talking capacity
of twelve thousand.

Plus as a relates to seating capacity.

Of all of those churches
it in a given one city.

And so keep that in and
when you think of communities that they

make up folks who make about
congregations from all over the city and

that number would be some like what
traits of all the constituents together.

My God I don't know maybe fifteen
goes to two hundred thousand folk.

So we have time for
two more quick questions.

So if.

I'm the more Dixon.

Come now any group.

Actually by trying to
market a law firm but

I tutor and which is directly
across the street from the dome.

I guess my first question is for
representative and

one of the slides you explained.

I guess the city that had last seen.

And how they pay for them out of the new
stadiums will pay for public funds

those C.D.'s head at the time
I guess outdated the state

of the all is replaced the actual
dome the Ravens replace them or

stadium and
Cleveland replaced musical data.

I'm actually from Baltimore
some you know intimately.

You know.

Acquainted with the situation.

Can you explain what the agency is to
replace a twenty year old stadium and

a correlation.

I guess between the figure that
you cited in your Power Point and

how it relates to your place in the dome
which is not is nearly old a stadium as

though it's a great question.

One the DOE.

I'm a couple of points.

By the time we pay off the debt on
the dome it'll be twenty five years old.

The war Congress Center is actually
scheduled to pay off the debt three

years early.

And we've currently got even though
it looks great and it's you know.

I go to the stadium
the dome as often as I can.

It's the fourth oldest
facility in the league.

So you talk about it's only
twenty five years old.

It looks good and
we're still attracting the Final Four for

next year but the question is do you
replace it when it's thirty years old.

Your place and when it's thirty five
years old when it's the oldest one it's

the third oldest in the league.

It's the fourth oldest in the league
by the time we pay off the debt will be

twenty five years old and like an old car
and you don't keep putting more money into

it than it's worth when you may as
well go ahead and get a new one.

And so when you talk about the urgency of

that region like my analogy with the old
car when we talk about the urgency.

I'm looking at it from a long term
perspective it's the fourth oldest

dome in the.

Facility in the N.F.L. is a very
competitive competitive business.

It is a business and
it's designed to make money.

There's a reason that their
act that the city of L.A.

is putting a big money to attract
an N.F.L. team it's a it is a business.

But it's also a twenty
five year old facility.

And at the end of the day.

Do you replace it.

When the seats came Alun the roof caves.

When the turf is coming up.

I mean at some point.

You know you decide that you're
going to make the investment.

And you decide with the level of the
public investment will be I don't think it

should be an open ended public investment
probably wouldn't go beyond what we've

done now in terms of the hotel motel tax
and I certainly wouldn't increase taxes

to pay for it but
I think extending the hotel motel tax

that's currently not really hitting
the pockets of people who live in Atlanta.

It's a tax that's dedicated for
this reason so you can't.

If you don't use it.

Sale let's spend it on education or
transportation or this or

that it's a it's a dedicated.

Funding source it can only be used for
those things to plan the Convention and

Visitors Bureau to fund the debt
service on a dome facility so.

You can really shift that money around to
other parts it's kind of like you know

they talk about the Social Security
lockbox you pay your taxes and

so to get it can only be spent on that one
thing and that's on the motel hotel motel

taxes for the moment so it's a tax that's
borne by the people who visit our city.

And I want Atlanta to stay competitive and
so for me the urgency is

that it's the fourth oldest in the league
and by the time we pay it off.

It'll be twenty five years old I see
Representative shaking his head.

I'll give him a couple seconds to
get his take on have fun debating

things in education we do but I like
him because he's a very smart guy and

legs great arguments.

What out of the dumb was not built
to last twenty five years they'll

tell us a lot longer than that.

I think by the collar.

And since we can't all of them got a good
ten fifteen years left that if one has any

major problems head on it.

They're just trying fundamentally that
a fellow is trying to increase the revenue

per dollar which to me is
not a big enough reason for

almost all right we have time for one last
quick question and you have the honor sir.

Jamila also you know Mr Vice
said the couple of things.

It was mentioned about the salon going to
the lines to have discussions around this

and it was also mentioned that Lana
has a bad history of redevelopment

one of the things that I've observed
is there's a lot of talk and dialogue

that has happened over
the years a little is going on.

So my question is how do we structure
this so that there is not just

dialogue but
there's also a structure that make

sure that community interests and some of
these that you talked about are actually

doing better in the in the partnership
because a partnership has to be right

in a way that the partners under
their real business goes to

wherever those of says that people
governments have ever tasted.

We're not living up to their room then the
other point is that in that legislation.

It also talks about innovation in
these funds whose bit of basis.

The Georgia Dome has
the potential of being iconic

if we make that decision but
that's also part of this dialogue so

how do we put this but this is
an adorable they're just they're just

legislators open to helping with
the churches actually put this

in place so that the churches
in partnership with You were

destroyed because I know you have such
partnerships and even with the R.T.C..

This.

And a few minutes.

Don't can be put in the same
category as the lottery.

I'm not a supporter of the lottery but
I did support the Hope Scholarship.

When it was really a scholarship
not turned into what it is now.

But unless something is benefiting people.

Unless there is a direct That's a good
term benefit is having a direct benefit to

enhance the lives of people which
the domain an obvious what can't do but

at that can be creative ways just as the
lottery was use and much of the revenue.

Was used to sin poorer kids to
college creative ways can be used for

the these windfall profits from the
stadiums to be siphoned funnel redirected.

Back into the communities to meet some
human needs to meet the needs of the says.

And those particular of the least of these
and I hope those who going out to be

planners would have that moral component
in you and not just becomes a profit.

I've got a real practical thing to
point out in that the legislation has

given this authority to land
a city council say Council as

the thought authorize use of the spawns
and so really a dialogue with your city

Telcel men would be very good because
those guys are going to be the ones.

Dotting i's and

crossing the T.'s on exactly how this is
going to rock the city of Atlanta mayor

and he tells what I would suggest y'all
really for the community to really engage.

They're the ones holding the cards
on the details of my right represent

their I mean we talk about zoning and
my own use on that.

I mean that's more of the city and
counting function in terms of

the state legislature the most
that will do in the future.

I think it's increased the workers and
is bombing the party and

then they'll come back to us.

Probably when they're ready to do the.

Action to relax the sales

taxes on the construction materials
used to actually build the new doll so

that'll probably be thirty million
dollars in sales tax revenue.

That the state won't get to function for

the function material so that.

So you have most of the conversations
that are happening moving forward will be

happening with the city and

in the government that's why the mayor and
the governor and

the commissioner remain polite about that
is where it rests that we essentially

just extended the ability to have
the hotel motel tax used to either.

Renovate the dome or build a new facility.

Dr Flowers would you like twenty
seconds R.T. if you have any thoughts.

I'm neither an elected official nor
a man of the cloth.

So I have my definition the least
influence on that question I think will

end the quote you and I want on on that
note so real quickly we'll give it

one last try and then we will be done for
the night after a couple announcements.

So again the code is two two three
three three same question as the first

question What is your opinion on Atlanta
building a new football stadium and

it's the same responses and
I can read them to you.

I do not support building a new
stadium five five five two seven zero.

I support building it and

providing public funding five six
zero one zero here at work and great.

I think you guys have it all figured
out so I'll just let you vote.

Will give it some new more seconds.

Things.

OK

I think it's pretty much stopped.

So we have a slight change from.

Zero undecided one for
M one thirty percent of you want to

pick up if you vote for
Saddam to you for just for

reference the change in numbers was
slight but a little bit of an influence.

After a night.

The original numbers were thirty
five seven thirty nine nineteen.

So slightly less support after
the panel discussion but more or

less similar but
interesting to note the slight change and

with that said I will now hand
the microphone over to Richelle.

OK I have a very respectful of your
time thank you for joining us tonight.

And thank you for our panelists
we have a small guest for you.

Just Georgia Tech.

Thank you have a good evening.

And we really do hope that this
is just a continuation and

it was just more of the you like.