ATLANTA – The Atlanta City Council passed an ordinance creating a public World Cup entertainment district downtown, but officials excluded a provision that would have allowed fans to have open containers.
Downtown Atlanta World Cup District
What we know:
The new district covers a massive portion of downtown Atlanta, including Mercedes-Benz Stadium, State Farm Arena, the World of Coke and the Georgia Aquarium. According to the city council, the district will officially begin June 11 and stay in effect through July 19. During this time, cruising is prohibited within the district boundaries. The measure also bans people from giving away or selling free commercial products on the street.
While the original plan included a provision to allow fans to drink in public, Councilmember Jason Dozier removed that portion before the final vote. Dozier said he wanted more time to talk with people living in the downtown and Castleberry Hill communities about what an open container district would mean for them. Despite the last-minute change, Dozier said he thinks the open container rule will eventually pass at a later date.
Open container and local impact
What we don’t know:
It is currently unclear when the city council will reintroduce the open container portion of the legislation or if any specific safety measures will be added to address neighbor concerns. Additionally, the city has not specified how it will enforce the ban on street sales, which Councilmember Antonio Lewis worried would unfairly target “Waterboys” and other local residents trying to make money during the games.
Community concerns over new rules
What they’re saying:
Councilmember Antonio Lewis voted against the measure, expressing concern for young people in the community. Lewis questioned how the rules would affect local folks “who might try to make a little money during the game.” Meanwhile, Dozier noted that with only two months until the World Cup starts, time is running out to resolve permitting issues, which is why he moved forward with the rest of the district plan now.
Massive crowds and money
By the numbers:
The city is preparing for a significant global event that will bring both people and revenue to the local economy:
- 8: The number of matches Atlanta is scheduled to host at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
- 300,000: The number of unique visitors expected to travel to the city for the tournament.
- $1 billion: The estimated economic impact the World Cup is expected to bring to the city.
- 15,000: The minimum seating capacity required for a facility to qualify for a Public Entertainment District.
- $25 million: The minimum economic impact required to trigger this type of city ordinance.
Atlanta on the world stage
The backstory:
The FIFA World Cup 26 is the 23rd edition of the international men’s soccer championship. It is being jointly hosted by 16 cities across North America.
Atlanta’s schedule includes major matches such as a Round of 32 game on July 1, a Round of 16 game on July 7, and a Semifinal match on July 15.
The Source: The information for the above story came from a recording of the Atlanta city council meeting and information posted online. Information about open containers being allowed was incorrect and that information has been removed. The council removed that portion of the ordinance at the last minute.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.fox5atlanta.com ’
