Category: ATL Business Chronicle

By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on September 12, 2014

When Tulane University opened its new Yulman football stadium on Sept. 6, it was in large measure due to the efforts of Atlanta business leader Doug Hertz.

The New Orleans Advocate newspaper described it this way. “While his name doesn’t specifically appear on any edifice in the stadium, Doug Hertz’s vision helped provide a large portion of the stadium’s structure.”

Hertz, an Atlanta native, received both his undergraduate and graduate degree from Tulane. He also met his wife, Lila, when they were both students at the university in New Orleans. And both their children went to Tulane.

By Maria Saporta and Douglas Sams
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on September 12, 2014

Out of conflict comes opportunity.

That was the way several key local leaders saw the controversy involving the owners and executives of the Atlanta Hawks.

The Sept. 7 disclosure of a racially charged email from majority owner Bruce Levenson and the derogatory statements made by Hawks General Manager Danny Ferry about free agent Luol Deng offer yet another turning point for a franchise that’s about to begin its 67th season having won fewer than half of the games it’s ever played.

By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on September 5, 2014

Junior Achievement of Georgia has secured major corporate backing for its second JA BizTown and JA Finance Park – this time in Gwinnett County.

The Gwinnett JA discovery learning center will open next fall at the new comprehensive high school campus that will be built on Old Norcross Road near the intersection of Georgia 316 and Sugarloaf Parkway.

By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on September 5, 2014

In November 2015, Atlanta will have at least 21 of the 30 living recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize in the city for the annual World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.

It is expected to be the largest gathering of Nobel Peace Prize laureates at any Summit ever – greatly surpassing the most successful Summit to date – the one held in Chicago in 2012, which attracted nine living recipients.

By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on August 29, 2014

One of Georgia’s most prominent and popular economists — Roger Tutterow— is going home again.

Tutterow is returning to the Michael J. Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University to resume his role as director of the Econometric Center as well as serve as a professor of economics. For the past nine years, he has been a professor of economics at Mercer University in Atlanta.

By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on August 29, 2014

Three weeks ago, it looked as though famed film producer Tyler Perry had struck a deal to turn Fort McPherson into a new movie studio. In the eyes of many Atlantans it may have seemed like a done deal.

But at the federal courthouse in Atlanta, a legal challenge to that deal continues to be fought. Ubiquitous Entertainment Studios, which offered to buy 80 acres at Fort Mac last December for its own proposed movie studio project, says in a lawsuit that it’s getting shut out by the Tyler Perry deal. Mayor Kasim Reed has called its claims “garbage” and “outrageous.”

By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on August 22, 2014

Until now, the Woodruff Arts Center Corporate Campaign was only one of several campaigns underway each year at the arts complex.

At any given time, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Alliance Theatre, the High Museum of Art and Arts for Learning (formerly Young Audiences) would be out in the community knocking on often the same doors as the top business leaders, who were raising money for the annual corporate campaign.

By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on August 22, 2014

Friendship Baptist Church envisions turning the community around the new Atlanta Falcons stadium into a revitalized “Downtown West.”

Friendship is partnering with a well-known national development firm to plan the revitalization of at least 22 acres around the new stadium.

The St. Louis firm of McCormack Baron Salazar is partnering with Friendship to plan the development of Downtown West — which will include affordable and market-rate housing, and retail as well as a number of community amenities – including a new Friendship Baptist Church.

By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on August 15, 2014

The Atlanta district of the Urban Land Institute has picked a new executive director – Sarah Kirsch– who has been serving in an interim capacity since June.

As an Atlanta native, Kirsch is looking forward to the opportunity to help empower the local development community into creating a more sustainable and resilient region.

By Amy Wenk and Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on August 15, 2014

Atlanta’s futility at winning championships recently earned it the title of the nation’s most miserable sports town.

But, with the College Football Hall of Fame set to open Aug. 23, Atlanta is vying for a much more prestigious title — College Football Capital.

“I think it solidifies it,” said Barrett Sallee, Bleacher Report’s lead SEC football writer. “If there’s a better option [than Atlanta], I’d love to know where it is.”

By Maria Saporta
Published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on August 8, 2014

Two high-profile Atlanta leaders will be inducted into the Business Hall of Fame of Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business on Sept. 18.

Helene Gayle, president and CEO of CARE, the international poverty-fighting organization, and Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Co., will bring the number inductees to 81.