Atlanta Galleria Now

What's New at the Atlanta Galleria?

In the video below, Connie Engel of Childress Klein Properties details new restaurants opening around the Atlanta Galleria Office Park and describes the benefits of working in the park. Check it out!

And as the video reminds you, follow the Atlanta Galleria on Twitter and "like" us on Facebook.

Q&A with David Connell, CEO of Cobb Chamber of Commerce

With more than 2,500 member firms, the Cobb Chamber of Commerce plays a leading role in the Cobb business community. Its activities range from offering programs to develop business leaders to advocating for legislation that helps area businesses.

Below is a Q&A with David Connell, president and CEO of the Chamber, about the Chamber’s considerable achievements in 2011 and its ambitious plans for 2012.

A quick look back: What were some of the chamber’s biggest achievements in 2011?

Connell: Last year, under the leadership of chairman Rob Garcia, our economic development team worked with our partners — cities, the county, the state, development authorities and utilities — to attract 26 business relocations and expansions. These projects, which include The Home Depot’s new customer support center in Kennesaw, will create 3,093 jobs and $248 million in new investments in the county. 

Working with numerous community partners, we also launched Cobb’s Competitive Edge, which will create and implement an economic development plan that will generate high-wage job growth; strengthen our quality of life as well as our educational assets and infrastructure; and aggressively market our county to the world. We contracted with Market Street Services, one of the leading economic development consultants, to oversee the process, and the plan should be ready for implementation by early February.

We also added more than 500 new members, which means that 2,500 firms now belong to the Cobb Chamber, making it one of the largest chambers in the Southeast. And, we launched a pilot program with Walgreen’s that offers employees of member firms significant savings on prescription drugs.

What are your priorities for 2012?

Connell: Our top priority will be to begin implementing the recommended strategies outlined in the upcoming Competitive EDGE Economic Development Strategic Plan. With that plan, we will strengthen both our business retention and our recruitment efforts.

We will also offer new leadership development opportunities to our members that will build on historically strong programs like Leadership Cobb, Cobb Youth Leadership and Honorary Commanders. For example, to start off the year, we are bringing radio host Dave Ramsey’s one-day course on entrepreneurship to our members, and we are in conversations with several other local and national leadership development experts to create programs for our members and their teams.

Furthermore, we will look to continue to grow our membership with another membership drive.

Another session of the Georgia General Assembly began this month. What’s on your legislative agenda this year?

Connell: Our end goal is to support legislation that creates high-quality jobs at all skill levels in Cobb, the metro Atlanta region and throughout the state of Georgia.

As for some of the specifics, we will advocate for legislation that would allow communities in Georgia to bring before voters a referendum for a fractional (meaning less than a penny) special-purpose local-option sales tax (SPLOST). As Cobb matures, we feel our need for a full penny for both the Education and Transportation SPLOSTs is diminishing. We will also advocate for legislation that would allow a portion of SPLOST funds to be spent on maintenance and operations of existing capital.

The Chamber also supports the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. Each year, $935 million in cargo value moves from Cobb through the port. Its expansion is vital to the future growth of our county, our region and our state. We also support the creation of the Georgia Venture Capital Program, which would be a $180 million venture capital fund to attract high-growth companies to the state. 

Some of our other many legislative initiatives include advocating for the July passage by voters of a 1-cent sales tax to fund a wide variety of transportation projects proposed as part of the Transportation Investment Act and supporting the continued tax-exempt status of non-profit community hospitals.

If a business is interested in joining the Chamber or exploring the various events and programs that you offer, what should it do?

Connell: Our website details all the aspects our organization. If they are interested in exploring membership, they can fill out a membership inquiry. To schedule an appointment with the Membership Sales Department, they should call Jeremy Cronemeyer at (770) 859-2337.

Economic Impact of Cobb Galleria and Energy Centre Increased Last Year

According to their joint 2011 annual report, the economic impact of the Cobb Galleria Centre and the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre grew in 2011, as both facilities exceeded budgeted revenues. Last year, the centers combined to create 1,240 jobs and had an overall economic impact of $124 million on Cobb County and the state of Georgia. In 2010, the sites created 1,080 jobs and had an economic impact of approximately $114 million.

The annual reports are compiled by an independent consulting firm.

In a press release, Michele Swann, the general manager and CEO of the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority, attributed the increased economic impact largely “to a 48 percent increase in hotel room nights generated as a direct result of the [Galleria] convention center activity.” The authority governs both the Galleria Centre and the Energy Centre.

Despite the increased economic impact and the spike in hotel stays, the Cobb Galleria actually hosted fewer events in 2011 than in 2010 (652 to 694) and drew in fewer attendees (336,000 to 346,000). Meanwhile, the Cobb Energy Centre hosted 254 events in 2011 – down from 263 the year before – but saw its attendance rise from 240,000 in 2010 to 254,600 last year.

According to a recent article in the Marietta Daily Journal, Cobb Galleria officials “say there is not much expectation for major increases in revenues or events next year as the economy continues to recover.”

As detailed recently on this blog, the Cobb Galleria is undergoing a slate of renovations that are scheduled for completion in June of this year. Chief among the improvements is a facelift for the 25,000-square-foot John A. Williams Ballroom, which will receive new carpeting, wall coverings, lighting fixtures and paint.

Cobb Energy Centre Hosts Luncheon with Former CNBC Chief Economist

As the economy continues to get untracked in 2012, the metro Atlanta region finds itself at something of a crossroads, former CNBC chief economist Marci Rossell told those attending the Commercial Real Estate Women of Atlanta’s January luncheon, held Thursday at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

The region has been shielded from the impact of past recessions because of robust population growth, Rossell noted. However, the metro area’s population has increased by just 1 percent over the past three years, meaning the region has struggled to shake off the effects of the downturn that began four years ago.

Atlanta officials now face a sobering question, according to Rossell: “Do we become Charlotte or do we become Detroit?” The former, she explained, responded to the decline of its textile-manufacturing sector in the early 1990s by making itself an appealing location for the finance sector, while the latter has continued to pin its hopes on the automobile industry.

The recent streamlining of its building permit process, which officials hope will make the city a desired destination for business expansions and relocations, indicates Atlanta is willing to make the changes needed to grow its economy, she said. 

Rossell’s analysis of Atlanta was just one component of an hour-long talk that also touched on the broader U.S. economy and the commercial real estate sector. 2012 will be marked by continued improvement in unemployment numbers, Rossell predicted. “This time next year – you can hold me to this – we’ll be at 7.5 percent unemployment,” she said.

She also downplayed the risks posed by the economic troubles of Europe, saying the U.S financial sector has prepared for the potential breakup of the euro zone. What would create a real setback is an unexpected event, such as last year’s earthquake in Japan or the debt-ceiling crisis, she argued. “What bumps you away from the [recovery] cycle? The unexpected things,” Rossell said. “Is there anybody here that hasn’t heard that Greece is in trouble?”

The commercial real estate sector has experienced improved transaction volume and financing conditions during the past two years, but pricing has yet to climb; however, pricing is always “the last phase of a [recovery] cycle,” she said.

Meanwhile, residential home prices may not rebound to their pre-recession, 2006 levels until 2016, Rossell indicated. “It takes 10 years for [residential] real estate to reach its previous peak,” she said.

Founded in 1982, CREW Atlanta’s mission is to elevate women to positions of power and influence in commercial real estate by providing resources and business opportunities. CREW Atlanta is a member of a national CREW Network. Lucky for us, our neighbor Cobb Energy Centre hosts a number of CREW’s events, including its upcoming 30^th Anniversary Gala on April 26.

To learn more about CREW Atlanta, check out its website.

More information about events at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre can be found at www.cobbenergycentre.com.

Blast! to Visit Cobb Energy Centre in Mid-January

“Blast!,” a musical that won the 2001 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event and the 2001 Emmy Award for Best Choreography, will be at the Cobb Energy Centre Jan. 19 through Jan. 22. 

“Blast!” features 35 brass, percussion and visual performers in a “unique explosion of music and theatre.”

“‘Blast!’ is an exuberant 15-number show that doesn’t falter while bridging the categories of classical, blues, jazz, rock n roll, and techno-pop music,” wrote Bruce McCabe of the Boston Globe. “‘Blast!’ stands, blows, pounds, marches and whirls with panache. It sent a full house into repeated bursts of cheering and applause.”

Tickets range from $25 to $60 and can be purchased in person at the center’s box office, located at 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway. The box office is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets also can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or at any Ticketmaster outlet. Keep in mind that Ticketmaster will charge service fees in addition to the prices listed above.

Cobb Galleria employees are eligible for a 15 percent discount when they purchase tickets, either at the box office or on Ticketmaster, by using the code “Galleria.”

 

A Slice of the Caribbean Coming to Cobb Parkway

Come spring, workers in the Atlanta Galleria will have another lunch option in the area. Pollo Tropical, a Miami-based quick-service restaurant chain that features Caribbean-style dishes such as grilled chicken, mojo pork and guava barbecue ribs, will open a freestanding restaurant at the Akers Mill Shopping Center on Cobb Parkway, just across Akers Mills Road from the Galleria.

The chain once had three restaurants in the Atlanta area in the 1990s, but all of the sites had closed by 1996, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle. A restaurant consultant told the paper that the menu was likely ahead of its time for the area.

“Atlanta was the first big market [Pollo Tropical] jumped to, and people had not developed the palate [for ethnic food] they have today,” said Harold Shumacher, the president of the restaurant consulting firm The Shumacher Group, according to the Business Chronicle.

The chain returned to the Atlanta area in August when it opened a location on Duluth Highway in Lawrenceville.

The menu includes sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups, family meals and kids’ meals. The chain also caters. 

 

Cobb Galleria Centre to get a facelift

A renovation project that includes improvements to the massive John A. Williams Ballroom and a wireless network upgrade is underway at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Galleria officials say the renovations, which are slated for completion by June 2012, “will help to maintain the venue’s status as a leader in the [convention] industry.”

The 25,000-square-foot ballroom – as well as common areas and restrooms – will receive new carpeting, wall coverings, lighting fixtures and paint. “The John A. Williams Ballroom plays host to some of Atlanta’s most prestigious social events and corporate meetings,” said Michele Swann, general manager and CEO of the facility, in a statement. “We’re proud to make these renovations that will keep the Cobb Galleria Centre looking even better than the day it opened.”

Other improvements include an improved chiller for the facility’s HVAC system, new paint and flooring for the Center Court area, and an expansion of the center’s wireless network to 225 megabytes, which will increase public Internet capacity at the site by 10 times. A new digital reader board system also will be installed throughout the centre.

The Cobb Galleria Centre features 144,000 square feet of exhibition space, 24,000 square feet of registration space, 20 meeting rooms and four executive boardrooms.

(Photo courtesy of CobbGalleria.com)

Eldaly Breban Wins Galleria Photo Contest

The Atlanta Galleria Office Park is proud to announce that Eldaly Breban won our just-completed online photo contest. Her winning entry, titled “Reflections of Fall,” perfectly captures the eye-popping colors that make our property such a beautiful setting every autumn.

Eldaly was kind enough to answer some of our questions, so that we can all get to know the woman behind the iPad-winning lens. Congratulations, Eldaly!

Can you talk about your connection to Atlanta Galleria? 

I live in Cobb County and drive by the Atlanta Galleria almost daily. I think it is a gorgeous campus with the right combination of buildings and beautiful landscape.

I have a good friend who works for [tenant] LCG Associates who I have visited at the Galleria in the past. Also, my company just changed dental benefits, and I had to choose a new dentist. Out of hundreds listed 15 miles from my house, I chose Dr. James C McSwiney just because his office is at the Galleria. The location had everything to do with it.

What about the particular scene that you photographed inspired you?

We had a gorgeous autumn season in Atlanta this year, and the Atlanta Galleria was sporting some beautiful landscapes during that season. What I loved about "Reflections of Fall" are the vibrant fall colors in the background that also reflect against the building. Very beautiful. 

Is photography a hobby for you? If so, how did you get interested in it and what do you most like to photograph?  

Yes, definitely! I am not a professional by any means, but I definitely enjoy taking pictures. I travel a lot for work and visit some beautiful places. I decided to invest in a good camera a couple of years ago, and started photographing things that inspire me when I visit these places. 

My photographs can be either very traditional or very eclectic. I love taking pictures of doors and window frames, especially those that you find in Europe. People think that's a bit odd but I find them interesting!

What is your job and can you tell us a bit about your life outside of work (family, hobbies, etc.)?

I work for Delta Air Lines in sales. I’m based in Atlanta. I have a wonderful family and all of them live in Atlanta. We are very close.

They were the ones who pushed for me to enter the contest and who campaigned for me. A special shout-out to Abner and Courtney Breban, my brother and sister-in-law, who made it a personal challenge to help me win the iPad.

I also have a one-year-old Shih Tzu called Dixie Joy who is like a child to me! Also, I LOVE to cook and bake and often think that I should go to culinary school and become a chef or the Next Food Network Star! 

What will you use your new iPad for?  

The main reason my family and friends wanted me to win this iPad is because I am also going to school to finish my MBA, and they know that having an iPad will give me some flexibility to work online from pretty much everywhere. My school has an iPad app, which will come in very handy. I also can't wait to load the cookie app by Martha Stewart!

Cobb economy in 2012 will look awfully familiar, local economist says

When it comes to the Cobb County and metro Atlanta economies, next year is poised to look a lot like this year. That’s the forecast of Don Sabbarese, an economist who teaches at Kennesaw State University and is the director of the school’s Econometric Center. 

“What we saw in 2011 is what we’ll see in 2012: slow growth,” he said.

According to the most recent statistics available on the Georgia Department of Labor’s website, Cobb County had an unemployment rate of 9.1 percent in October 2011. The county’s rate declined from 9.4 percent in September and 9.6 percent in October 2010.

Cobb is performing better than some other jurisdictions in the state. For example, the unemployment rate for the 10-county area served by the Atlanta Regional Commission - which includes Cobb – had a 9.8 percent unemployment rate. The rates for the state of Georgia and the United States were 10.2 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

Cobb County and the metro Atlanta area have experienced some job growth recently in the education and health service sectors, as well as the manufacturing, professional business services and hospitality segments, Sabbarese noted. In fact, the Georgia Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), a measure of the state’s manufacturing activity that is calculated by the Econometric Center, reached 52.4 percent in November, its first increase in three months. A number above 50 indicates that manufacturing activity is increasing, while a number below 50 indicates it is decreasing.

It’s All About Real Estate

Sabbarese notes that the construction sector continues to lack job growth and says that until the real estate market improves and construction starts pick back up, the economies in Cobb and the rest of Georgia won’t return to their pre-recession job levels.

And while the job loss in the government sector may slow, local governments will continue to be burdened by the housing crisis, as depressed housing prices will keep tax revenues down.

The “construction and financial [sectors] are going to struggle,” he said. “It’s going to take a long time to improve.”

 

Atlanta Galleria Tenant ULI to Host Emerging Trends Outlook Friday

For those interested in how Atlanta's commercial real estate market is expected to perform in 2012, Atlanta Galleria tenant The Urban Land Institute (ULI) has got you covered. Tomorrow, ULI Atlanta will host the “Real Estate Outlook 2012 – What’s Next for Atlanta” panel discussion at the Omni Hotel in downtown Atlanta, next to the CNN Center. The session will start at 7:30 a.m. and last three hours.

Panelists will include Dean Schwanke, executive director of the ULI Center for Capital Markets and Real Estate; Doug Sams, commercial real estate reporter for  Atlanta Business Chronicle; Will Yowell, vice chairman of CB Richard Ellis’ Investment Properties Institutional Group; Lance Patterson, president of Patterson Real Estate Advisory Group; David Hudson, senior vice president at Bank of America; and Kris Miller, president of Ackerman & Co.

The event also will feature a presentation on the forecast for Atlanta contained in the recently released “Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2012” report, which was produced by ULI and PricewaterhouseCoopers and is based on surveys of and interviews with nearly 1,000 real estate experts. The report gives Atlanta less-than-glowing reviews, saying that investment prospects for commercial real estate properties in the city are “fair” (the other options are “generally good” and “generally poor”) and that development prospects are “generally poor.”

“We’re a development town with no development,” the report quotes one interviewee as saying.

Still, there’s opportunity here for investors, the “Emerging Trends” report notes. “A classic buy-low, sell-high market, Atlanta once again may be ripe for investment,” it says. “There may be no better time than right now because real estate markets have been in the dumps.”

“Emerging Trends” paints a particularly bleak picture of the Atlanta office market. “Tenants readily take advantage of an exceedingly soft office scene, deflated by a spurt of pre-2008 projects centered in uptown Buckhead,” the report says. “The new developments attract occupancy with sweetened tenant-concession deals, robbing from existing buildings whose cash-flow outlooks tank.”

Ticket prices range from $25 to $69 and vary based on a number of factors, including whether you are a ULI member and whether you work in the public or private sector. For complete details, visit the ULI Atlanta website.