Sponsored content writing for the Spring 2017 issue of Worth magazine
For the luxury lifestyle, finance, and wealth management magazine, I wrote Create, Work, and Culture sections of advertorial on the city of Atlanta. The special insert, which was featured in the Spring 2017 issue of Worth, highlighted how economy and culture are thriving like nowhere else in America.
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There are times in the lives of cities when everything seems to be coming together, economics and culture and quality of life, all converging and gelling in a positive way. Right now, there may be no city that exemplifies such a time more than Atlanta. There’s a lot going on in Atlanta right now, some of which you can read about here.
CREATE
Bolstered by savvy economic policy and a culture of inclusivity, Atlanta is enjoying a creative surge. No question, Atlanta is hot. Created by native son Donald Glover, the FX show about two cousins making their way in the city’s rap scene won a Golden Globe award for best television series/musical or comedy. But Atlanta is only one example of the incredible creative moment that the city of Atlanta is now enjoying—one centered in its identity as a crucible of African American life.
WORK
From Fortune 500 firms to fin-tech startups, Atlanta has one of the country’s fastest-growing economies.
Georgia Institute of Technology
Ranked among the world’s best universities, Atlanta-based Georgia Institute of Technology is organized into six colleges and 31 departments with an emphasis on science and technology. In 2017 Georgia Tech was number 34 on U.S. News & World Report‘s ranking of the top national colleges and universities.
Porsche USA
As part of a 27-acre complex located near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Porsche USA opened a headquarters as well as a Porsche Experience Center (PEC), which allows guests to test drive one of 75 new model vehicles alongside a Porsche Drive Coach on a 1.6 mile handling circuit. The PEC also offers two dining options: the Carrera Café and Restaurant 356.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
As the busiest passenger airport in the world, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport gives the Atlanta economy an immense competitive advantage: The global hub offers nonstop service to more than 150 domestic andnearly 70 international locations. ATL was the first airport in the world to serve more than 100 million passengers in a single year. One reason: For travel to most cities around the country, it simply offers the shortest routes.
Southern Company
Southern Company is now the second-largest utility company in the country, serving nine million electric and gas utility customers through its subsidiaries. One of the city’s most long-standing corporate citizens, Southern Company does more than just provide energy: An industry-leader in energy innovation, it underwrites natural habitat and wildlife protection and is active in the philanthropic life in Atlanta, as well as the hundreds of other communities it serves.
The Coca-Cola company
When in 1886 John Pemberton, a local pharmacist, began playing with flavored syrup and carbonation, Coca-Cola was born. Since its completion in 1979, 1 Coca-Cola Plaza, the company headquarters downtown, has become one of the most recognizable sights in the skyline. Also downtown, the company welcomes visitors to the World of Coca-Cola, a local attraction and museum.
UPS
United Parcel Service was founded in Seattle but in 1991 relocated its headquarters here because Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport supported the company’s expanding global and stateside operations.
The Home Depot
The world’s largest home improvement retailer, the Home Depot was founded by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank in Atlanta in 1978 and is still headquartered here. With help from investor Ken Langone and merchandiser Pat Farrah, the two opened their first two warehouse stores in 1979. There are now over 2,000 worldwide.
Delta Air Lines
Delta has operated out of Atlanta since 1941, and it achieved landmarks for Georgia, including in 1955 the first Atlanta to New York route. By 1979, Delta became the first airline to board one million passengers in one city—Atlanta—in a month. Today, customers have top-of-the-line travel with Delta thanks to a new suite of experiences offered through Delta One, including complimentary Delta Sky Club access.
CULTURE
An increasingly global city is blessed with a wealth of cultural options.
Atlanta embraces diversity, and its cultural offerings—which run the gamut from the High Museum of Art to Tyler Perry Studios and the College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience—reflect that inclusive attitude. This is a city that is constantly innovating, but is also dedicated to honoring its traditions and history.
Georgia Aquarium is a leading nonprofit dedicated to aquatic research, exceptional animal care and education to engage and cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation for our ocean. As the number-one rated aquarium in the U.S. and the second in the world, with over two million visitors per year, Georgia Aquarium has become a must-visit staple in the evolving downtown district. Guests will be inspired by a multitude of species, rescued animals and programs that allow for engaging and memorable interactions.
Running through the city, the new Atlanta BeltLine connects neighborhoods in a way that the city has never experienced. A sustainable redevelopment project, the BeltLine will ultimately link 45 neighborhoods via multiuse trails, modern streetcars and parks. It now boasts seven parks and four trails, plus a linear arboretum and an urban farm—and you can see Atlantans walking, running and biking on the BeltLine across town.
Those are two of the cultural innovations creating bridges between Atlanta’s rich history and its youthful energy. There are plenty of others, like Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market, both of which transformed industrial warehouse and factory spaces into vibrant and distinctive food halls and retail centers. The common thread: A city that welcomes new people and new ideas with an abundance of cultural riches.