My Idea for Underground Atlanta (Boston, Berlin: hotel, construction, casinos) - Georgia (GA) - City-Data Forum

mike7586 · 12-30-2010, 06:56 PM

I really believe that the best way to revitalize Downtown and the Five Points area is to replace Underground Atlanta with something more modern and more urban. It was a terrible idea to begin with... who wants to shop and dine "underground" anyways? There is no point in renovating this outdated concept because it's not going to be exciting enough to make more people go there. Also, what really concerns me is that Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts is pushing for gambling at Underground to "revitalize" it... except he isn't talking about a nice casino (like Harrah's) being built, but just simply adding over 5,000 video lottery machines. I am not against gambling at all, but this is a terrible idea for Underground and Downtown Atlanta and I hope Deal says "NO!" just like Perdue did. Can't we be more creative?

Alright now that I am done with my rant, here is my idea for Underground... something similar to The Sony Center in Berlin:

A Fascinating Meeting Place | Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz

Obviously I'm not talking about an exact replica, but something similar (modern with a unique design and ABOVE THE GROUND). Something like The Sony Center could be an awesome attraction for Downtown... what do you all think?

cwkimbro · 12-30-2010, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike7586

I really believe that the best way to revitalize Downtown and the Five Points area is to replace Underground Atlanta with something more modern and more urban. It was a terrible idea to begin with... who wants to shop and dine "underground" anyways? There is no point in renovating this outdated concept because it's not going to be exciting enough to make more people go there. Also, what really concerns me is that Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts is pushing for gambling at Underground to "revitalize" it... except he isn't talking about a nice casino (like Harrah's) being built, but just simply adding over 5,000 video lottery machines. I am not against gambling at all, but this is a terrible idea for Underground and Downtown Atlanta and I hope Deal says "NO!" just like Perdue did. Can't we be more creative? The lack of vision here really bothers me sometimes and I hate to see good opportunities go to waste.

Alright now that I am done with my rant, here is my idea for Underground... something similar to The Sony Center in Berlin:

A Fascinating Meeting Place | Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz

Obviously I'm not talking about an exact replica, but something similar (modern with a unique design and ABOVE THE GROUND). Something like The Sony Center could be an awesome attraction for Downtown... what do you all think?

umm... well see here is the thing... underground was made as a rehabilitation of existing space.

The space already existed....it was the original street level and some of those are real previous store fronts. It ties in with the history of this city.

A long time ago the city raise the level of the streets over the rail road tracks to increase north-south connectivity within the city.

Now when they built the project they actually did build plenty above ground. These spaces include the old World of Coca-Cola Museum, Kenny's Alley, as well as some shops at current street level or above street level. Of course the above ground stuff just doesn't have the same character as what lies beneath ground (or the original street level).

Do whatever you want to rehab Underground, but the underground part needs to stay. It is apart of our history and in some respects is a small piece of what remains of it, since our city has rebuilt over itself several times over.

For better or worse the problems with underground today are that the areas that aren't underground and the areas leading to underground need to be updated and taken care of better. The current shoppers also don't have as much money and underground is struggling to draw as much interests from conventioneers and visitors in town as it use to.

Now as far as the casino is concerned... I don't think it was that bad of an idea. First off it was more than just some video machines you see in a gas station. They were hoping to exploit video lottery as an easier change in law in a rather conservative state.

The casino was presented by a private developer that would bring a $500m casino (and hotel) complex at underground. It was going to be over 5,000 gaming machines, upscale restaurants, vegas-style show space, and 29 stories worth of hotel rooms. It would do two things. It would give conventioneers and visitors a place to stay at underground as well as become an entertainment draw to bring Atlanta's visitors to Underground. While I don't think this is the only feasible idea it definitely would help draw tourists back towards Underground.

The other thing that is sad about this situation is the desire to build this is all private. Even if it fails as a private enterprise, which several private developers don't believe it will, it still can only help draw attention to Underground again rather than take away from it. The only thing that stopped it in the past was the Govonor, who is in charge of lottery ultimately, has ethical concerns with gaming.

DTL3000 · 12-30-2010, 07:35 PM

Underground was cool back in the early 70's I heard.

I think the city does a **** poor job of playing off the history of Underground. It could really be an interesting place. I think the city should just turn it into a 24 hour party district(what laws?) with a decent casino or two(like Harrah's). Get rid of all those crappy stores and turn them into bars and dance clubs. Keep the food court for the lunch/tourist crowd. Look at the San Antonio Riverwalk and Bourbon and Beale Streets as examples to emulate. Tidy up the surrounding blocks and provide a decent police presence as well.

The place has a history as a party spot. They tried to revamp it about 5 years ago but they half-assed it. Next time they need to go big or just bulldoze the place and start over.

JonSavage · 12-30-2010, 07:41 PM

I agree with CW; for a city that seems to struggle with its identity, destroying a historical landmark is not the answer.

mike7586 · 12-30-2010, 07:52 PM

Well I still think you could keep the historical part of Underground and modernize the rest of it with something similar to the Sony Center. They could maximize the space above ground by building offices and a hotel with shopping/restaurant space underneath them at street level, then keep the existing historical underground part. I am also not against a casino and hotel complex with restaurants, Vegas-style show space, etc. I actually think that would be pretty cool, as long as it is nice/upscale. From the news article today on CBS Atlanta, it implied that Robb Pitts idea was to just plop down a bunch of video gaming machines... and that doesn't sound like a good idea... but it could have just been bad reporting. The whole above ground part needs to be completely re-done and modernized, which is something I'm sure most people would agree with.

arjay57 · 12-30-2010, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DTL3000

Underground was cool back in the early 70's I heard.

It was very cool. I could be wrong, but the original Underground felt very organic and I don't think it was planned to be a mall-like affair.

MARTA put the kibosh on it, of course. There were years of construction, things got rough, bums started hanging out, and there was a bad fire.

Things never seemed to get back on track, despite many vows by the city fathers to revitalize downtown. The Rouse Corporation, which had done things like Faneuil Hall in Boston and South Street Seaport in NYC, came in and made massive renovations and give it a shot. However, during the 80s a lot of businesses began relocating to Midtown, Buckhead and further out. Five Points just wasn't the hub anymore.

I still like Underground and occasionally go there just to walk around or get a beer.

What's the club scene like down there these days?

cwkimbro · 12-30-2010, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike7586

Well I still think you could keep the historical part of Underground and modernize the rest of it with something similar to the Sony Center. They could maximize the space above ground by building offices and a hotel with shopping/restaurant space underneath them at street level, then keep the existing historical underground part. I am also not against a casino and hotel complex with restaurants, Vegas-style show space, etc. I actually think that would be pretty cool, as long as it is nice/upscale. From the news article today on CBS Atlanta, it implied that Robb Pitts idea was to just plop down a bunch of video gaming machines... and that doesn't sound like a good idea... but it could have just been bad reporting. The whole above ground part needs to be completely re-done and modernized, which is something I'm sure most people would agree with.

Bare with me... Your first message spent alot of time criticizing under ground spaces, when the only historical spaces in this case are underground.

As far Robb Pitts goes... I don't know what the CBS story was like, but it isn't nessecarily his idea. Private developers came up with this idea a year or two back and presented the concept. For it to move forward one of two things must happen... 1) a law would need to be changed/created to allow for private gambling and the regulation of gambling/casinos or 2) the public lottery, already in law, could be used (exploited) to create a private casino as a public lottery retailer. The latter wouldn't require a law change, but would require an executive branch that would support the GA lottery allowing that to happen.

In defense of Robb Pitts.... He is pushing for this, so the private developer could move ahead with these plans in the future. Not so much, because this is a public government effort to build a casino.

here are a few old news articles on it

Underground Atlanta rolling dice on casino | Atlanta Business Chronicle
Casino proposal bets on Underground Atlanta - USATODAY.com

mike7586 · 12-30-2010, 09:11 PM

Well I wasn't really aware of the "historical" significance of the underground portion. I've been to Underground before, and I didn't really care for it nor did it seem "historical".

tomno00 · 12-30-2010, 09:47 PM

^historical or not, Underground is like a ghetto now. It used to be nice. The World of Coke used to be right there too, so it was a popular place for tourists and we used to take relatives there. But now... now not so much. I'd be all for any type of renovation project to Underground.

atlantagreg30127 · 12-30-2010, 10:23 PM

When Underground re-opened a good number of years ago, tons of people flocked to it for a while. Suburbanites as well. But at some point the City leaders decided they were going to allow bums and rowdy teens take over the space and since then quite a few people avoid it like the plague. Even many tourism people steer folks toward the Aquarium/Park area and completely away from Underground. That area has potential, but so long as City leaders are afraid of the bums and the idea of cleaning the area up, it's going to remain what it is until it eventually just goes under and shuts down.