Downtown Atlanta

It was Phillips Omni was there, then Phillips Arena, and it's just changed.

Downtown Atlanta.

Just connected right to the World Congress Center.

Did they tear it down and rebuild it again or just rename it? Just

... or Rick Jackson.

I go back to '18 when I remember Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, he even had this plan that was mocked by many, but he had this idea to build a tunnel, like, um, uh, basically a big dig-type project through Downtown Atlanta that would go all the way under, um, and eliminate all that sunshine slowdown.

Um, w- what's your take on the fact that, you know, we're not seeing this issue, not even front and center, but I, not even like secondary and center?

Well, I think like where we are seeing it, right, are these pocketbook issues, right? Of just like the cost of fuel and that, so we are seeing like some-

...

in Downtown Atlanta, one of the greatest hotels ever.

Atlanta.

And it was at the epicenter of the activity of the Peach Bowl.

Kyle Wade is preparing to leave the Atlanta Community Food Bank after more than a decade leading the organization.

Wade announced last month he'll become president of Downtown Atlanta Inc. in December, working on issues affecting the city's urban core.

The food bank announced today longtime executive John West will serve as interim CEO while its board searches for Wade's permanent successor.

When Wade spoke with WABE's Jim Burress about his vision for the future of downtown and what he's learned from leading one of the region's largest nonprofits, he began by talking about the decision to leave.

And then the last thing I would say is we just have so much great momentum right now downtown.

And so given sort of my personal, where I was personally, given how important downtown is to Atlanta, uh, and to our region, uh, and given the momentum that we have downtown, it just felt like a great, a great next step for me in my career.

Do you see the, the new role, um, as CEO of Downtown Atlanta Inc. as perhaps less pressure than the food bank?

Oh, I don't think so.

it was...

Yeah, 2.0 for downtown Atlanta.

Wow.

And there was a lot of things on that.

It was in the time, and every- everybody thought underground would solve it.

Hmm.

We tried to get all the people who, all, all the real estate people in downtown Atlanta who basically had empty or just minimal rent coming in on the street level-

Mm-hmm

I wasn't thinking about the furries.

We often see them in Midtown Atlanta, in Downtown Atlanta on my way picking up my daughter, bringing her home from school because there's all kinds of conventions, if I'm thinking about the right thing.

I see people with long furry tails, and then they have stuff drawn, w- you know, a little bunny rabbit and stuff.

And I think it's silly, but that's about...