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Atlanta is serious about luring and keeping young talent in the city. So serious that city officials have launched its own video streaming platform. The Metro Atlanta Chamber is using ChooseATL, its 2015 tech initiative, to unveil the new platform THEA this week at SXSW.
“One of the things that is both special about Atlanta and desired by the millennial generation is diversity and diversity of people, but also diversity of thought, industry, culture and subculture,” said Kate Atwood, executive director of ChooseATL, tells Adweek. “In Atlanta it kind of makes it hard as a marketer to narrow in on a niche identity, but we also know right now it’s something to celebrated,” she said.
Among some of the early brands using THEA include startup hub Switchyards, Blossom, a diversity-geared content creator, and marketing agency Moxie . Atlanta officials feel that more tech start-ups will gravitate to the platform as word spreads.
“I knew I had to be involved because I am a creator in Atlanta, I want to grow in Atlanta, I want to bloom in Atlanta so it just made sense,” Williamson tells Adweek. “THEA really accelerates the opportunity to spread the word about what we are doing, but it also allows us to prove what we are trying to do. We have this platform that is behind us that supports us and their mission is solely dedicated to making sure the world knows about the creative in Atlanta. That’s special.”
City reps are launching THEA on Monday, March 12 in Austin, Texas. The RSVP says this:
Over the course of the past year, the Atlanta region embarked on a bold new project, the launch of the world’s first city‐based streaming video platform, THEA. This panel is a discussion with some of the key players behind the scenes in getting the platform off the ground. Hear perspectives from the heads of product, technology, and marketing for THEA, and gain some valuable insights into the future of cities, over‐the‐top video services, and entertainment marketing.
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A delegation from Amazon has been visiting contending cities of its second world headquarters, according to GeekWire. Following visits in Washington, D.C. and Dallas, officials will the world’s leading online retailer are expected to visit sites in Atlanta.
The headquarters, projected to be built for $5 billion, is expected to bring as many as 50,000 jobs to the Atlanta market over the next decade. And the jobs aren’t the average end-of-the-line jobs, but employment that averages $100,000 a year.
“Officials from Amazon.com toured sites in Washington, Montgomery County, Md., and Northern Virginia last week — the latest sign that the tech giant is seriously considering adding a second headquarters with as many as 50,000 jobs to the D.C. area, according to officials in all three jurisdictions,” writes The Post’s Jonathan O’Connell.
Atlanta officials are keen on Amazon also because of the ancillary effects the headquarters could bring to the city, including Amazon suppliers and other tech companies looking to work with the world’s largest online retailer.
Last month, Atlanta made the short list of cities in the running for HQ2 as the project is called.
“Let’s be honest with ourselves: This is the largest economic development deal in the history of America,” Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle told the AJC. “It would require action by the Legislature if we are successful. And I’m very optimistic that we can land Amazon in the state, and we’re in great position to do that.”
The Inc. quoted Jeremy Bodenhamer, who runs a $13 million shipping and logistics firm,: “We believe they will select Atlanta,”he was quoted as saying. He cited the area’s deep well of tech talent as well as the region’s reputation as harboring people with top logistical knowledge (UPS as well as Lockheed is based here) a top reason.
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Autonomous vehicle company Waymo is about to launch a pilot progam in Atlanta fusing self-driving trucks to transport cargo to Google’s datacenters. The venture will be an adventurous and risky one for Waymo, which has previously only delved into self-driving sedans.
“Our software is learning to drive big rigs in much the same way a human driver would after years of driving passenger cars,” the company said in a blog post. The principles are the same, but things like braking, turning, and blind spots are different with a fully loaded truck and trailer.”
Uber has also entered the freight industry, posing a significant threat to Waymo’s piece of the big rig market.
“This pilot will let us further develop our technology and integrate it into the operations of shippers and carriers, with their network of factories, distribution centers, ports, and terminals,” Waymo added.
Atlanta is seen as a ripe testing ground for Waymo as the city has positioned itself as a smart city. Earlier this year, Atlanta issued a request for proposal (RFP) for a SmartCity Strategic Infrastructure Initiative. The aim is for the city to foster working relationships with businesses in planning and developing smart city projects.
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Marvel Entertainment, the comic book’s movie house, is having a moment. Actually that moment is more accurately about 17 years. That’s how long it’s been since the first “X-Men” movie debuted in theaters, sparking the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Now, it’s latest and greatest franchise, The Avengers is going to hit us with “Infinity War” this spring. Mind you, this is on the heels of the certified blockbuster “Black Panther,” which has probably guaranteed itself at least two sequels in the coming years.
This week, new images from “Infinity War” has got the internet all hyped up. We see a mesh of superheroes from all the big films, Iron Man, Captain America, T’Challa and some of Wakanda’s finest. And to think, it was mostly filmed and pre-produced right here in metro Atlanta.
In large part because of Marvel, but even before it hit its stride, Atlanta was becoming a movie and entertainment mecca. But with the Avengers, it has just recently been gilded as such.
With Avengers, Marvel has found a way to tap into our inner child. Even though the movies are coming out every year, they all seem fresh and new somehow. This time, the film’s writers have promised that their will be some on-screen deaths, the biggest hint yet that we will lose a superhero.
“It’s safe to say we will say farewell to people,” co-writer Steven McFeely confirmed to Entertainment Weekly.
Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios told EW that “Infinity War” and its follow-up film, which was shot at the same time, will end with a bang unlike anything in moviedom.
“The notion of an ending, the notion of a finale, became very intriguing to us, in large part because you don’t see it that often in this particular genre,” he was quoted as saying.
But still, don’t expect the films to stop coming. Disney has already scheduled at least 10 more films in the pike. And that means more production work in Atlanta.
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Colony Square is headed for the big screen or more precisely, the big screen is headed for Colony Square. The Midtown Atlanta business center is getting a 426-seat luxury movie theater. That’s right, an IPic movie theater is coming to Atlanta.
The theater, complete with a 6,700-square-foot destination bar/restaurant, is being built by iPic Entertainment, according to a Wednesday press release. The project is slated to be ready in 2020.
IPic Movie theater coming to Atlanta’s Colony Square
“We have had our eye on the Atlanta market for five years now, and the Colony Square redevelopment project allowed us to launch the iPic brand experience into one of the top ten DMAs in the country,” Hamid Hashemi, President and CEO of iPic® Entertainment, said in a written statement.
“This market has consistently been heralded as one of the most walkable in the nation, making our ground-floor presence at Colony Square all the more impactful in delivering a quality entertainment, dining and experiential destination for arts and culture under one roof,” Hashemi added.
Colony Square, built over half a century ago, is undergoing an overhaul at the moment, with new food options being added to the mix along with a new mixed development in the works.
“After five years of searching for its first Georgia location, we are thrilled iPic Theaters, along with its incredible restaurant concept, has chosen to call Colony Square home,” said David Weinert, partner and senior vice president of leasing at North American Properties. “Known for its luxury seating, farm-to-glass cocktails, chef-driven cuisine and ‘ninja-like’ servers, this is a movie going experience unlike anything in Georgia. iPic perfectly aligns with our vision of bringing best-in-class, first-to-market concepts to the reimagined Colony Square, and we look forward to delivering this and more ‘retailtainment’ offerings that resonate with our community and enhance Midtown’s Living Room.”
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One week after Georgia lawmakers removed a crucial tax break for Delta Airlines, Facebook announced that it is coming to the Peach State. Wednesday’s announcement was confirmed by Gov. Nathan Deal.
Facebook will build a $750 million data center in Newton County, about 45 miles (east of downtown Atlanta. The Menlo Park, California-based company has been added to its data capabilities with a string of data centers around the nation.
The data center, which will be located in Stanton Springs, is expected to bring about 100 jobs to Newton by the time in opens in 2020. The company says the campus will be 100 percent renewable energy.
“Georgia’s business-friendly climate and world-class technological infrastructure continue to attract innovative companies like Facebook,” said Deal. “It is fitting that the No. 1 company in the world in terms of active users has chosen the No. 1 state for business for this project. We appreciate Facebook’s leadership for recognizing Georgia as a state that serves not only as a major hub for general business, but also as a place where tech firms can be successful in the future. This project represents a significant investment and will create meaningful opportunities for the surrounding community. We welcome Facebook to Georgia and look forward to the growth of this partnership.”
About $2.5 billion will be invested in infrastructure improvements and equipment through 2029, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, which first reported the story.
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CWL Atlanta was supposed to bring together the biggest and brightest stars to compete head to head in one of the most popular games out there.
But controversy has struck before the games have even begun.
Doug Censor Martin tweeted Wednesday night that he was no longer aligned with Blazt. it is unclear what the spat is about.
“I will NOT be attending CWL Atlanta,” Martin tweeted. “Blazt left our team last minute to join eRa which put us in a terrible position. I would personally like to thank Most Wanted for everything they’ve done for us. Moving forward I am a F/A for all events.”
I will NOT be attending CWL Atlanta.
Blazt left our team last minute to join eRa which put us in a terrible position.
I would personally like to thank Most Wanted for everything they've done for us.Moving forward I am a F/A for all events.
— Doug Censor Martin (@FaZe_Censor) March 8, 2018
CWL Atlanta is March 9 -11, 2018. More than 160 teams are headed to Atlanta to play “Call of Duty” over the the $200,000 prize pool.
GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER, HALL B5
285 ANDREW YOUNG INTERNATIONAL BLVD NW, ATLANTA, GA 30313
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“Stranger Things” was renewed for a third season by Netflix in December and since then producers have been scouting locations for pre-production. Expect some casting calls to pop up in the coming weeks as the hit show’s third season begins shooting.
The fantasy thriller will begin filming around the city in April and conclude in September, according to news reports. Some new faces are also joining the fold.
Maya Thurman-Hawke, the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, will make her debut in season 3. Also, Atlanta actress Priah Ferguson will play a bigger role as Erica, Lucas’ little sister.
Maya’s character will be “equal parts sharp and playful. Bored with her mundane day job, she just wants a little excitement in her life,” according to Deadline.
The show is about the search for a missing boy, but also takes some terrifying, supernatural and other-worldly turns.
“Stranger Things” is a nostalgic look at a small town called Hawkins, Indiana. The time is 1983. As townspeople search for a missing boy, they are drawn “into an extraordinary mystery involving top-secret government experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one very strange little girl,” the series promotional summary says.
Stay with AtlantaFi for more news on all things “Stranger Things.”
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Atlanta has made another top 10 list, but this time it’s a dubious one. The city has the eighth-worst traffic in the world, according to a recent study.
The findings, published in February by Inrix Global Traffic Scorecard, show that that ATL commute is just as bad as you thought it was.
The rankings have some economic ramifications as well: Because of the congestion, the city lost $7.1 billion or an average of $2,212 per motorist.
If there’s any consolation, it’s that ATL is only the fourth worse in the United States. Gridlock in Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco was rated worse.
So why is ATL traffic so bad? There are many reasons, but one of them is that some say the city is in a virtual no-man’s land with no natural way out.
Tom Weyandt, ex-Mayor Kasim Reed’s former transportation adviser, told WABE this:
“There’s no mountain chain; there’s no desert; there’s no water – we’re here because of the railroads. The railroads came together right in downtown. The zero mile post is in Underground Atlanta. And the city grew out along the railroads. That’s why we have these eccentric five-point intersections in many different places in the downtown area.”
Another reason is urban sprawl, which Atlanta has become a poster child case. And it has been called “a strip mall in a forest,” which means that it has long catered to parking rather than getting around.
Why do YOU think traffic is so bad in Atlanta? Let us know in the comments.
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If it’s one thing we’ve learned here in Atlanta, it’s that Adult Swim knows how to throw a party. That being said, it’s with particular delight that their newest bash is for metal heads.
“Adult Swim Presents: M r. Pickles Thrash-tacular Metal Tour” is heading our way. It features two of the best indie metal groups around, Exodus Attack and Municipal Waste.
Here are some of the deets, according to a Facebook post from Municipal Waste:
Adult Swim is moshing its way around the country with an immersive, fan-centric 13-city metal “thrash-tastic” tour featuring Exodus and Municipal Waste in support of the new season of its animated series Mr. Pickles. Along with enjoying face melting guitar riffs, fans attending the Thrash-tacular Metal Tour can take photos in the Mr. Pickles hellacious dog house, purchase exclusive Mr. Pickles merchandise and receive free Adult Swim swag. The new music tour continues Adult Swim’s commitment to bringing vibrant and impactful experiences directly to its fans. The onslaught of sound begins Thursday, February 22nd in Seattle, Washington.
Blabbermouth.net (Official) pre-sale tickets are now available for purchase from now until 10pm (local time) tonight, January 11th, using the code: Pickles666
General admission tickets will be available for purchase starting Friday, January 12th at 10am (local time). For more information on the tour, how to get tickets and schedule, please visit www.adultswimpresents.com.
Confirmed dates for Mr. Pickles Thrash-tacular featuring Exodus and Municipal Waste are:
2/22/2018 Neumos – Seattle, WA
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesNeumos2/23/2018 Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesHawthorne2/25/2018 The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesRegency2/26/2018 House of Blues Anaheim – Anaheim, CA
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesHOBAnaheim2/27/2018 House of Blues San Diego – San Diego, CA
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesHOBSanDiego3/01/2018 Metro Music Hall – Salt Lake City, UT
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesMetroMH3/02/2018 The Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesSummitMH3/04/2018 Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesBottomLounge3/06/2018 Rock & Roll Hotel DC – Washington, D.C.
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesRockandRollHotel3/07/2018 Irving Plaza – New York, NY
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesIrvingPlaza3/08/2018 Theatre of Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesTLA3/09/2018 The National – Richmond, VA
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesTheNational3/10/2018 The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
Tickets: bit.ly/MrPicklesMasqueradeExodus’ Gary Holt states, “Super excited to hit the road again with our good bros in Municipal Waste for the Adult Swim’s Mr. Pickles Thrash-tacular tour! This will be a thrash extravaganza at its finest!!!! Can’t wait!”
The original architects of the thrash metal scene, Exodus has battled every kind of adversity over the past 30 years and used it all as fuel to stoke their ever-raging fire. With “Blood In Blood Out”, Exodus’ tenth full-length studio album of new material prove they still have the fortitude, chops, and talent to deliver top-notch, ballad-free tunes that stand out without straying from the band’s core aesthetic. Watch the music video for “Blood In Blood Out” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c69S3pD8qI
