The Atlanta Convention and Visitors bureau announced last month that declines in tourism were so drastic that they were cutting major contributions to employee retirement benefits. This affected one of my friends and made me think about why so many people had stopped flocking to the ATL. While the economy is a fool, the girls still drop coins at the drop of a dime. There is more to it than simply hard times and that something more is Shirley Franklin.
Yep. Shirley Franklin ruined the city of Atlanta. There, I said it. I have been thinking it for a month and I finally got that out.
I know you girls out there love this ole girl and honestly, I do as well (she’s like a big brother or an old uncle). She and those flowers are beat, but she really has a lot to do with our city’s current economic decline.
Franklin and the Atlanta City Council bet the future of our city on condos and real-estate. Beloved clubs and nightlife staples like Club Visions (formerly Club Khia) and Backstreet were forced to shut down so that condos and retail properties could be built. The thinking was that taxes and the revenue generated from the retail shift would take the city to the next level. Instead, it took the city down, and I mean way down.
The lack of sell-out crowds for the ACC championship game two weeks ago was blamed on the economy, but the blame lies with Franklin and elected Atlanta city councilmen.
Why would any spring-breaker have come here? Honestly, why would anyone want to come to a major US city that provides nothing to do in terms of nightlife? We have no French Quarter, no magnificent mile, no Times Square. Atlanta lacks anything even remotely resembling night life.
So thanks, Shirley! Thanks for ruining the downtown of the city I love so dearly.
8 comments:
Shirley couldn't see caring about ruining the city's economy, she has flowers to purchase and pin to those beat ass suits. She doesn't care Corey, how rude of you to distract her from coordinating her outfits...lol!
To be fair, she inherited the mess of Bill Campbell, and bad city government accounting, failing infrastructure and a host of other problems. The real estate craze started way before Franklin, and a lot of other cities tried to use infill and "live work play" condos to spice up inner city areas, Atlanta wasn't exactly a solo player there. I don't think she was equipped to give Atlanta what it needed and still needs. A diverse economy, more indutrial development, and middle class jobs and housing.
I think Atlanta's decline started a long time ago. Maybe this says something about major cities with dominant black leader, i don't know.
PS. Nightlife? Anybody remember all those clubs in Buckhead that now do not exist to make way for those New York style skyscrapers you see up there?? I wonder what or who voted all those clubs to be gone ? ... Atlanta's problem is, and always will be RACE, plain and simple.
A-M-E-N! Every ounce of me wants to love Shirley Franklin, because I think we agree on probably 95 percent of issues. But she represents nothing but the failed promises of progressive leadership.
She has been horrible on gay rights issues, has ridiculously favored Atlanta's power/business establishment at the cost of working people and affordable living, and her biggest failure HAS to be Richard Pennington still being police chief. Forget perceptions in rising crime: Pennington's drug task force was operating like something out of "Training Day" and they wound up brutally killing a 92-year-old woman.
That is shameful, and Shirley is shameful.
I agree with catchingupat20. She inherited a mess. What killed ATL is the overlooking of sewer system that was passed over by 3 other mayors. Now Shirley killed the nighlife when she signed the bill for clubs to close at 3am, when ATL was known for late night venues. I guess they did not realize that it would effect the conventions and tourism. Now we will not talk about that CEO who miss calculated some type of tax revenue for underground that is what started the down fall of ATL finances. Shirley needs to make some changes so she can go out with a bang.
shirley is defintely pro business but equal blame must be put on the council, Bill Campbell, and Ray Lewis' 2000 fiasco.
I agree that she inherited the mess from other mayors, but on the other hand, I don't see any improvements under her watch.
Shirley Franklin is not the blame. As far as the night life in buckhead the community in which the clubs are controls everything. Buckhead wants to be a manhattan of the south. There are clubs there just not for many black people. What people have to understand is the the wealth in the city of atlanta is gone. When sandy springs became a city much of atlanta's tax base was gone. If buckhead were to become a city the city of atlanta would be nothing more than detriot. Our downtown is very poor. No highend anything. Atlantic station nothing more than section 8 excuse me tax credit based area. A city full of nothing but black people will not prosper. Always look to detriot for an example. I am black myself but people must realize stuff. Any many people who utilize venues in atlanta live in the burbs ie decatur etc so your money is not helping. What is in your communuty? Nothing but ramped crime and ghettoness.
How long are you all going to keep milking that mess she inherited from Campbell? She's had two terms to get things straight. That's almost a decade - come on now! She has NO respect for the people of this city - it's as if she thinks we're stupid - we won't notice how she protected the people that were responsible for the inexplicable budget shortfalls and missing money. Why would she be squabbling with the police department when there are already too few law enforcement officers for such a big crime ridden city (fewer than 1700 for the whole city!!!)? She has been boosting for Atlanta all over the country, but has let the support system fall by the wayside. Shame shame shame Shirley Franklin. They gave that mayor of the year prize too soon to see the decay she has helped set in with her policies and priorities.
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