ATLANTA | Development Thread VI

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by pica

Vegas is Vegas for a reason. There's a reason why people like to visit that city, but not live there. Nobody wants their own city to be Vegas, and there's no point in trying because it turns out this country only really needs one of them. Look at Atlantic City; not exactly proving that there's a robust market for casino tourism outside of Nevada. With more states legalizing some form of gambling, you're seeing decent-looking projects pop up all over the place, because they're suckering cities into giving them tax breaks and free infrastructure to plop down a new bunker in their town. What are these places going to look like in a decade? I'd go all in on a bet that they're going to be looking like Atlantic City by then. Because MGM will have moved on to convincing Alabama or Tennessee or wherever to let them build a casino there.

I've said it on every forum that's discussed this topic: show me someone who wants the casino built in their own neighborhood. Show me a group of those people and I'll become convinced that it's a good idea. But so far it seems like every single person who wants casinos in Georgia, wants them in someone else's backyard.

I grew up an hour from Biloxi. I saw how casinos changed south Mississippi. For a time, it seemed extremely glamorous. But if you bother to venture beyond the resorts, you see the effects it had on the local population and the rest of the city, and it is ugly.

Bingo. Let's build a casino in Buckhead since it seems people in Buckhead want a casino in Atlanta so bad.

[RudyJK]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Bingo. Let's build a casino in Buckhead since it seems people in Buckhead want a casino in Atlanta so bad.

Better yet find out which grifter politician got his palms the greasiest and put the gross mess in his backyard.

[sbrptree]

Originally Posted by ATLontheRISE

Wasting your energy. The casinos are coming. And it's coming to an area that's full of asphalt. With 0% interest from investors or developers to develop into some urban area. Say what you want, 3000 jobs is a good thing. Not everyone can make 70/hr. And if this area was so desirable , why hasn't it ever been develope? Never ever.

If we are talking about "rather see going there "... I think all of us would rather see a community of dense housing. But in reality, nobody has ever wanted to develop it into that. So, we wait another 10,20,30 years for this to "organically" happen? It's pie-in-the-sky thinking. And I'm glad the state is moving ahead with it. Every city and situation is different. We are better served fighting for side walk access and making sure it's not isolated. And that the design is amazing and respects the amazing park across the street.

Downtown has grown so much. But we are still a few pieces away. Casinos is just a piece. If you don't want to gamble, don't go. Most of you talked about how cheesy the sky wheel is. But you go down there, and its date night for a lot of people. It's fun time. It's a chance to get granny out the house for a day date. Its a good addition to an area that needed something. Complain away... with your charts and grafts about stats.... it's useless. The casinos are coming. Period. 2 billion dollars worth.

For the record, I am not complaining - just stating the obvious. I won't go after the one time view, and neither will most local Atlantans who live north of I-20. As a positive, it will add one more attraction to downtown for tourists and conventioneers. Honestly, downtown will likely never be heavily residential (similar to lower Manhattan) - no critical mass of residential at least.

So any updates on EVIVA anyone?

[pica]

Originally Posted by sbrptree

Honestly, downtown will likely never be heavily residential (similar to lower Manhattan) - no critical mass of residential at least.

For the record, downtown Atlanta is already one of the most populous neighborhoods in Atlanta, with over 1,000 new residential units planned or under construction. That number doesn't count Underground Atlanta, which I couldn't find a number of units on, or the hundreds of units of new student housing.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Bingo. Let's build a casino in Buckhead since it seems people in Buckhead want a casino in Atlanta so bad.

Who are the folks in Buckhead pushing for a casino in the city? The downtown CID is sort of Buckhead dominated but have they come out in favor of the casino idea?

I'm not challenging you, just asking.

[robertjhajek]

Is this Casinopage.com?

[BunkyWay]

I just wasted another 30 seconds of my life reading about casinos. WHO CARES. Ya'll act like Downtown is Mayberry when in reality it's been a sh*thole for 40 years now. You should be happy someone is even willing to invest their hard earned dollars in such a risky part of town.

[cabasse]

downtown hasn't been a shithole in a long time. some people are happy to get anything no matter how terrible it is, in more ways than one...

[AK141]

Originally Posted by BunkyWay

I just wasted another 30 seconds of my life reading about casinos. WHO CARES. Ya'll act like Downtown is Mayberry when in reality it's been a sh*thole for 40 years now. You should be happy someone is even willing to invest their hard earned dollars in such a risky part of town.

Downtown does still need some improvements but it's definitely not a sh*thole downtown is far different than it was even 5 years ago and I expect it to get better

[BlueSangha]

Originally Posted by BunkyWay

I just wasted another 30 seconds of my life reading about casinos. WHO CARES. Ya'll act like Downtown is Mayberry when in reality it's been a sh*thole for 40 years now. You should be happy someone is even willing to invest their hard earned dollars in such a risky part of town.

[arctk2014]

Originally Posted by BunkyWay

I just wasted another 30 seconds of my life reading about casinos. WHO CARES. Ya'll act like Downtown is Mayberry when in reality it's been a sh*thole for 40 years now. You should be happy someone is even willing to invest their hard earned dollars in such a risky part of town.

No one forced you to read through the casino comments.

Also the whole notion of "you should be happy" makes it sound like you don't have a stake in downtown Atlanta. Perhaps I'm wrong (and want to understand how it would benefit those here personally), but there are some good points being made that the Gulch location really isn't ideal for what every other master plan for this area has tried to accomplish (such as being a hub for greater regional transit, reconnecting the streets and stitching the neighborhoods together, and creating more usable public AND private land for development and park space.

Let those who have the stake make their case for wanting something better for downtown. Many of us who live and/or work downtown want downtown to succeed, but the last thing we want is a multi billion dollar investment that barely contributes to the grander scheme for downtown's resurgence.

[BlueSangha]

I'm just here for the skyscrapers, all else is eh!

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by BunkyWay

I just wasted another 30 seconds of my life reading about casinos. WHO CARES. Ya'll act like Downtown is Mayberry when in reality it's been a sh*thole for 40 years now. You should be happy someone is even willing to invest their hard earned dollars in such a risky part of town.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by jsvh

There are a hundred better uses besides a casino that could go there, including some that are already in negotiations.

Such as??? Genuinely curious about potential development in the area.

[Street Advocate]

Brookhaven approved the Dresden Village project.[IMG]https://media.bizj.us/view/img/10292224/brookhaven-apartments-2*750xx2043-1150-0-410.jpg[/IMG]

[Sura]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

Brookhaven approved the Dresden Village project.[IMG]https://media.bizj.us/view/img/10292224/brookhaven-apartments-2*750xx2043-1150-0-410.jpg[/IMG]

Some residents aren't too happy about that.

https://www.facebook.com/BrookhavenGA/ph...9884870/1815528168695788/?type=3&theater

"It's awful. Definitely not why I bought into this "cute" neighborhood 4 years ago. This very small stretch is over developed. Home prices will surely decline as all the renters move in. Trying to turn this area into Lenox park. People are already parked in front of our homes from wed-Friday headed to the bars."

"We need new representation. This is ridiculous and it should have been brought to a vote by the people who pay the taxes and own the property.
I'm sure the council will recieve great vacations and cash for ruining our little suburbs in the city. Unbelievable. I haven't talked to ONE person who was even ok with this. We were better as unincorporated DeKalb. At least then we had a voice.
Someone needs to pull the budget and see where are money is going. We can't even get good schools or clean streets but have the highest taxes in GA
Again, unbelievable and we need new representation who speaks for us not themselves"

I think I know where the Casino should go.

[Neighbor]

A lot of talk about casinos in other cities, but I haven't seen any mention of NOLA. I thought that the casino there contributed to the city experience and was well maintained. I walked to it from my hotel, zero pedestrian issues. While I think everyone would love to see some sort of MMTH here, that's not an option for the foreseeable future and the casino does not negate that option down the road. I really want to see Atlanta get better and I don't want to wait 2 or 3 decades for it to get there. I say let the m build the casino and the residents get involved to shape how it interacts with the city. I mean, it would be awesome if the Gultch was being turned into a space station, but that's not on the table. Lets get this through but lobby to get the design over some sort of threshold. Would also be nice to get the casino to commit to street car expansion or contribution to the Stitch or some other massive infrastructure project.

[arctk2014]

Originally Posted by Sura

Some residents aren't too happy about that.

https://www.facebook.com/BrookhavenGA/ph...9884870/1815528168695788/?type=3&theater

"It's awful. Definitely not why I bought into this "cute" neighborhood 4 years ago. This very small stretch is over developed. Home prices will surely decline as all the renters move in. Trying to turn this area into Lenox park. People are already parked in front of our homes from wed-Friday headed to the bars."

"We need new representation. This is ridiculous and it should have been brought to a vote by the people who pay the taxes and own the property.
I'm sure the council will recieve great vacations and cash for ruining our little suburbs in the city. Unbelievable. I haven't talked to ONE person who was even ok with this. We were better as unincorporated DeKalb. At least then we had a voice.
Someone needs to pull the budget and see where are money is going. We can't even get good schools or clean streets but have the highest taxes in GA
Again, unbelievable and we need new representation who speaks for us not themselves"

I think I know where the Casino should go.

The irony is people complaining about cars parking in front of their houses seemed to also be complaining about the extra retail/public parking being provided in the proposed development (which is where the added density/rezoning came into play) to try to provide some relief for the current parking "deficit" in the area. Though I suppose many people are starting to use Uber/Lyft now to avoid the parking problems along Dresden at night.

[joecool]

Originally Posted by Sura

Some residents aren't too happy about that.

https://www.facebook.com/BrookhavenGA/ph...9884870/1815528168695788/?type=3&theater

"It's awful. Definitely not why I bought into this "cute" neighborhood 4 years ago. This very small stretch is over developed. Home prices will surely decline as all the renters move in. Trying to turn this area into Lenox park. People are already parked in front of our homes from wed-Friday headed to the bars."

"We need new representation. This is ridiculous and it should have been brought to a vote by the people who pay the taxes and own the property.
I'm sure the council will recieve great vacations and cash for ruining our little suburbs in the city. Unbelievable. I haven't talked to ONE person who was even ok with this. We were better as unincorporated DeKalb. At least then we had a voice.
Someone needs to pull the budget and see where are money is going. We can't even get good schools or clean streets but have the highest taxes in GA
Again, unbelievable and we need new representation who speaks for us not themselves"

I think I know where the Casino should go.

"are" money? Nice grammar and spelling. I don't understand this mindset. You live in a city. If you want a boring suburb, move to the other side of Gwinnett...

[sbrptree]

Yes enough about the land use and land development opinions. I thought this was a skyscraper site??