2019 ANNUAL REPORT
Make a CONNECTION
COBB TRAVEL & TOURISM IS THE ULTIMATE INSIDER’S GUIDE. NO ONE KNOWS COBB LIKE WE DO AND WE LOVE TO TELL THE WORLD WHAT COBB HAS TO OFFER EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, EVERY NIGHT OF THE YEAR.
TravelCobb.org
THE S I S THI FU N P ART !
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO.............................................................. 6 MISSION AND VISION..................................................................................... 7 BOARD OF DIRECTORS....................................................................................... 9 COMMITTED TO AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS..........................................10 TOURISM FUELS ECONOMIC STRENGTH ................................................... 12 OUR SALES TEAM MAKES THE STRONGEST CONNECTIONS................14 EVENTS................................................................................................................. 16 CONNECT TO THE EXCITEMENT: COBB SPORTS ALLIANCE...................18 COBB IS WHERE ARTS AND CULTURE CONNECT.....................................22 PARTNERSHIPS CONNECT US TO THE BIGGER PICTURE.........................25 DIGITAL MARKETING CREATES IMPRESSIONS AND CONNECTIONS.......................................................................................26 OPERATIONS BUDGET: FY19..........................................................................29 SPOT-ON AWARDS............................................................................................30 A SWEET FAREWELL (UNTIL NEXT YEAR)......................................................33 THANK YOU........................................................................................................34
TravelCobb.org
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO In 2019, Cobb Travel & Tourism’s vision was to serve as a catalyst for connection: building relationships, bringing people together, and sparking the truly meaningful networks that help our communities continue to thrive. 2019 was a bold, bright, and productive year for Cobb Travel & Tourism. From the inaugural year of Cobb Arts VIBE to Super Bowl LIII, we exceeded our goals and embarked on new paths in cultivating and marketing this well-rounded, diverse community. The Cobb Sports Alliance’s connection and collaboration with the Atlanta Sports Council helped sweeten and solidify Atlanta’s Super Bowl experience and brought visitors from 1,408 other cities in 59 countries and 49 states. And beyond the big game, the Cobb Sports Alliance worked to bring more sports to Cobb than ever before. Our trailblazing arts initiative, Cobb Arts VIBE, is pivotal in bringing performance, visual, and cultural heritage arts leaders together. Only one year in, VIBE has become an invaluable resource for connecting, educating, and empowering arts organizations throughout the county and cities.
2019 Annual Report
Progress with the collective Cobb Greenway network of trails is forging community connections in a very literal way. The county, cities, and community improvement districts are becoming more cohesively linked together, allowing residents and visitors to experience and enjoy trail access throughout Cobb. But even more important than any single initiative is the common vision to bring everyone into the conversation for a more engaged and united Cobb. Those connections make Cobb a vibrant, diverse, and truly unique community, and are central to Cobb Travel & Tourism’s mission of making Cobb County even sweeter. Our county and cities are thriving and we are proud to partner with so many to highlight the special people and places that make our community welcoming and engaging from the first hello to the last goodbye. Our story is a million individual connections formed throughout our community every day that come together to create an amazing adventure. We look forward to continuing to share Cobb’s story and appreciate your partnership as we progress into a dynamic and purposeful future.
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The
MISSION of
Cobb Travel & Tourism is to INCREASE
VISITATION
to
and AWARENESS of
COBB COUNTY,
thereby ENHANCING HOLLY QUINLAN
ECONOMIC IMPACT.
PRESIDENT & CEO
VISION Cobb County remains a regionally and nationally known travel destination providing a rewarding and memorable experience to all visitors. Cobb County will continue to be recognized as a preferred destination among planners and conventions, trade shows, sports and special events, as well as leisure travelers.
2019 Annual Report
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS JIM ALLEN
Chairwoman
JENNIFER BENNETT
Atlanta Braves
City of Smyrna
COMMISSIONER LISA CUPID
Secretary
Cobb County Board of Commissioners
COUNCILWOMAN MICHELLE COOPER KELLY
DEVIN HEATH
City of Marietta
Embassy Suites Atlanta Galleria
Treasurer
DALE KAETZEL
MICHAEL KNOWLES
Six Flags Over Georgia
Fifth Third Bank
ZACH KERNS
Kennesaw State University Sports & Entertainment Park
WALTER KILEY
Cobb Galleria Centre
AL MARTIN
Georgia Power Company
JIM RHODEN
Futren Hospitality Corporation
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COMMITTED TO AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS Our team is dedicated to promoting Cobb County as a premier tourism destination, every single day. Through partnerships, sales, and marketing, we tell the story of why Cobb County is Atlanta’s sweet spot. The team’s passion, enthusiasm, and expertise help to establish Cobb as a preferred location for conventions, trade shows, meetings, sports, and leisure travel.
HOLLY QUINLAN President & CEO
VANITA KESWANI
Senior Director of Programs & Community Engagement
2019 Annual Report
LINDSEY BURRUSS
KATHY BUSKE
DIANNE LOVETT
CRISTY PAK
Vice President of Marketing & Media
National Sales Manager – Professional & Group Business 10
Resource Manager
Sports Sales & Services Manager
COBB TRAVEL & TOURISM is a 501(c)6 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, working to bring visitors to our community and showcase Cobb’s unique, authentic travel experience.
CHRIS COLBERT
Vice President of Sales
KAITLYN PARHAM Digital Marketing & Design Manager
LEAH GRAVISS
Group Sales Coordinator
AMANDA PHAIR
Director of Partner Relations & Programs 11
LAURA HORN Director of Finance & Administration
RACHEL ROGERS
Director of Sports Sales & Engagement
TravelCobb.org
3.15B
$
TOURISM ECONOMIC IMPACT SUPPORTING MORE THAN 43,500 JOBS
TOURISM FUELS ECONOMIC STRENGTH Tourism creates jobs and fuels growth. Our industry employs more than 43,500 people and has an economic impact of $3.15 billion. Tourism is the largest industry in Cobb County and drives economic strength.
LODGING OVERVIEW
Visitor spending has a daily impact on the Cobb County community. On an average day, visitor spending generates $238,329 in state tax revenues, $140,630 in local tax revenues, and $1,531,808 in worker paychecks. Tourism in Cobb County generated $86.99 MILLION in state tax revenues and $51.33 MILLION for Cobb and its cities in tax revenues. In fact, each Cobb household would need to be taxed an additional $499 per year to replace taxes generated by tourism activity.
TOTAL HOTELS
130
TOTAL ROOMS
14,288
OCCUPANCY
65.4%
AVG DAILY RATE
2019 = $100.99 2018 = $98.40
Tourism creates the connection. It generates jobs, initiates excitement and powers growth. Cobb Travel & Tourism connects visitors to events and opportunities and keeps residents in the know about all of the local fun.
2017 = $94.24 2016 = $88.20
ECONOMIC IMPACT
JOBS
‘15
‘16
‘17
‘18
‘15
‘16
‘17
‘18
$2.71B*
$2.85B*
$2.89B*
$3.15B
34,996
36,649
37,249
43,587
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Georgia Department of Economic Development – Tourism; Robert Lann Consulting, LLC *IMPLAN improved methods in a new model for 2018; therefore, prior year analyses were re-run with the new model for comparative purposes.
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OUR SALES TEAM MAKES THE STRONGEST CONNECTIONS Cobb County has a story to tell. And no one tells it like the Cobb Travel & Tourism sales team. They are on the front lines to make sure Cobb has a presence that reaches far across state lines. Our sales team is so effective because they tell our community’s story in an authentic way. They create genuine connections that result in booked conventions; trade shows; and corporate, group, and sports business. They go above and beyond to position Cobb’s hospitality community as a top-of-mind destination with premier hotels, venues and facilities to meet every need.
166
SECURED MEETINGS
92,951
CONTRACTED ROOM NIGHTS
2019 Annual Report
373 LEADS
20
TRADE SHOWS ATTENDED 14
137M
$
SALES 2019 ECONOMIC IMPACT
109% OF OUR FY19 GOAL
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TravelCobb.org
ANIME WEEKEND— ATLANTA
From major trade shows to sports tournaments to small meetings, Cobb County is the place for a successful event.
2019 Annual Report
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EVENTS
OCCURRED
BOOKED
• Anime Weekend Atlanta
• Alabama Day Reunion 2020
• Council on Undergraduate Research • Esri GeoConX Conference
• American Probation & Parole Association 2022
• International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking
• Major League Baseball All-Star Game 2021
• National Square Dance Convention
• National Money Show 2020
• Super Bowl LIII
• TAPPI 2020
• Visa Big Air
• The Blade Show 2020 & 2021
• Women’s College Wrestling Association (WCWA)National Championships
• SMC3 Jump Start 2020
IN 2019
IN 2019
SHAQ’S FUNHOUSE— SUPER BOWL
Events listed above represent a sample of overall sales activity.
COBB COUNTY IS A HOT SPOT FOR MEETINGS
350,000+ SF
Meeting Space in Cumberland
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TravelCobb.org
CONNECT TO THE EXCITEMENT: COBB SPORTS ALLIANCE When we launched the Cobb Sports Alliance six years ago, we did it with one primary goal: to build on Cobb’s strong reputation as an inclusive, exciting sports destination with something for everyone.
every part of the county felt a positive impact. The big game may have been downtown, but Cobb’s close connection to Atlanta made it possible to host an event of this scale in the Metro Atlanta area. Atlanta is a viable Super Bowl city precisely because of the assets that the Cobb Sports Alliance, and the county itself, bring to the bidding table.
The Cobb Sports Alliance exceeded that goal by successfully recruiting a wide range of sporting events, including eight sports we worked with for the very first time. In 2019, the Cobb Sports Alliance was the only Georgia organization awarded the SportsEvents Destination and Venues Readers’ Choice Award. 2019 was history-making for Cobb and the metro Atlanta area: Super Bowl LIII came to town, and
Over the weekend of the big game, Cobb Travel & Tourism welcomed more than 700 corporate guests into a hospitality suite in partnership with Select Cobb and the Development Authority of Cobb County (DACC). It was the perfect opportunity to showcase Cobb’s economic development potential for their businesses, and show them some Southern hospitality, too.
30 SPORTS SUPPORTED IN 2019 BASEBALL BASKETBALL BMX BOWLING CHEERLEADING CLIMBING CURLING*
DRAGON BOAT EQUESTRIAN* FENCING* FOOTBALL GOALBALL GOLF* GYMNASTICS*
KICKBALL LACROSSE MARTIAL ARTS PADDLE BOARDING ROAD RACE RUGBY SHOOTING*
SKATEBOARDING SKIING* SNOWBOARDING* SOCCER SOFTBALL SWIMMING TENNIS
VOLLEYBALL WRESTLING *Cobb Sports Alliance partnered with eight new first-time sports.
TASTE OF NFL AT THE COBB GALLERIA CENTRE
105.8M
$
SPORTS 2019 ECONOMIC IMPACT
Source: Destinations International Economic Impact Calculator
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BMX DIXIELAND NATIONALS
The COBB SPORTS ALLIANCE is the ONLY ORGANIZATION that collectively represents ALL THINGS SPORTS in our community.
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#PLAYINCOBB
More than 8,000 hotel rooms were contracted and numerous Super Bowl-related events were hosted across Cobb. During peak hours, the Cobb County International Airport saw arrivals and departures every 2.5 minutes, and CobbLinc debuted its first Sunday service. That’s the kind of partnership and connectivity Cobb prides itself on—and it’s how we’ll continue to thrive as a sports destination powerhouse in the years ahead. • The Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association National Championships convened at the Cobb County Civic Center for the first-ever competition of its kind to take place in Georgia. It had an economic impact of $851,528. 36 teams, 10 weight classes and 2,000 fans attended over the weekend.
Football was just one of many exciting sporting events that Cobb hosted last year, thanks to the hard work of the Cobb Sports Alliance. A few of the highlights: • 164 athletes from 27 nations and 820 tons of snow came to Cobb for Visa Big Air, a two-day skiing and snowboarding event and Olympic qualifier organized by U.S. Ski and Snowboard. It had an economic impact of $1,281,749.
• Twenty-five teams of blind athletes from across the country visited Smyrna to compete in the United States Association of Blind Athletes Goalball National Championships, bringing with them more than $290,000 in economic activity.
• 2,608 mixed martial arts competitors and fans attended the 51st Annual Battle of Atlanta, an international MMA competition at the Cobb Galleria Centre and the Renaissance Waverly Hotel & Convention Center. It had an economic impact of $1,647,162.
• We also welcomed Rugby ATL to Cobb’s professional sports teams portfolio.
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COBB IS WHERE ARTS AND CULTURE CONNECT Cobb Arts VIBE launched with the mission to build relationships between leaders in the arts, empower the cultivation of arts communities, and connect more visitors and residents to these rich cultural experiences.
• Through roundtables and quarterly meetings, VIBE invited experts to share their knowledge with the community, from advice on fundraising to best practices for building audiences. • VIBE shared best practice presentations with arts organizations interested in expanding the reach of the arts in their communities and integrating the arts with tourism efforts.
In its inaugural year, Cobb Arts VIBE facilitated invaluable connections between organizations from all areas of the arts in Cobb, and acted as a key resource for education, engagement, and awareness.
The VIBE is undeniable. Art creates vibrant and exciting communities that visitors and residents want to explore. Cobb Travel & Tourism is telling Cobb’s unique arts stories where everyone is welcome and has a part.
• The newly launched Cobb Arts VIBE website, cobbartsVIBE.org, is a resource and platform for volunteer opportunities, grants, jobs, and calls for artists. • VIBE acted as a liaison between art organizations and other entities, such as connecting the City of Kennesaw with the Georgia Ballet.
2019 Annual Report
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TravelCobb.org
At Cobb Travel & Tourism, we are about BUILDING & SUSTAINING RELATIONSHIPS.
2019 Annual Report
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PARTNERSHIPS CONNECT US TO THE BIGGER PICTURE In 2019, Cobb Travel & Tourism worked strategically in collaboration with our hospitality community, resulting in a more connected Cobb for everyone.
for the first time. This spotlight on Cobb’s foodie scene offered an even wider range of cuisines than ever before. The response was extraordinary. Our OpenTable partnership saw a 31% increase in reservations compared to 2018.
The Hotel Security Task Force continues to build critical safety awareness by offering educational courses throughout Cobb’s hospitality community. For example, a class on human trafficking prevention with hotel staff resulted in more than a better-educated hospitality team—the training had life-saving results, with a trafficking victim being identified and returned to her family.
2019 brought the e-scooter discussion to the forefront in the metro Atlanta area. Cobb Travel & Tourism proactively worked with stakeholders from all areas of the county, cities, CIDs and public safety to learn about best practices and to form a common information platform for future e-scooter discussions and decision-making.
Our second annual Cobb Hospitality Forecast brought more than 100 Cobb hospitality and business representatives together to gain insight and identify trends for the coming year by providing our partners with important economic development information. We connected Cobb’s hospitality community directly with relevant content for future planning and growth. The Cobb Hospitality Forecast also focused on local attractions and key industry partners.
Cobb Travel & Tourism serves as the official camera-ready liaison for the State Film Office, and works with production scouts to find the perfect locations for filming. Cobb, with its many unique filming spots, had more production activity than ever throughout the county in 2019. Be sure to look for familiar Cobb locations when you go to the movies or are watching a show. Hint: You can find Cobb in lots of films and television series, including Stuber, The Passage, Stranger Things season 3, and Finding Steve McQueen.
2019 was the 11th year of Cobb Restaurant Week, with 21 restaurants showcasing their exemplary chefs and cuisine. Seven of these restaurants were joining us 25
TravelCobb.org
DIGITAL MARKETING CREATES IMPRESSIONS AND CONNECTIONS By strengthening our presence on the web, we make Cobb County accessible to the world. In 2019, Cobb Travel & Tourism focused
VISITS GREW
on leveraging Cobb’s wealth of tourism assets, positioning our community as a premier destination in Georgia and the southeast. With the objective of increasing market-wide visibility, we developed and delivered messages that stimulated growth in the number of visitors to Cobb, resulting in even greater economic impact throughout all areas of
60.1% IN 2019 214,627 WEBSITE VISITS
the county. Cobb has world-class appeal and now anyone searching for destinations in Georgia will know it.
GEO REACH INCREASES IN 2019 OVER PREVIOUS YEAR
49.34%
5.82%
69.4%
424.8%
32%
47.31%
36.5%
GA
FL
AL
IL
NC
TN
SC
162,276
5,183
4,155
3,808
3,601
3,528
1,492
2019 ADS COBB’S GOT
Cobb is Atlanta’s sweet spot for thrill-seekers, beach bums, sports fanatics, connoisseurs of culture, and the epicurious.
CONNECTING COBB’S CREATIVE COMMUNITY
Our communities are diverse, each with their own unique vibe, providing something for everyone. Be at the center of it all - start planning your adventure.
TravelCobb.org | #AtlantasSweetSpot •
AUSTELL
•
KENNESAW
•
MARIETTA
•
POWDER SPRINGS
•
SMYRNA
celebrity performances to small-town gallery shows, Cobb has something for every art enthusiast.
GET CONNECTED & CREATE GOOD VIBES AT: CobbAr tsVibe.com
2019 Annual Report
Cobb is Atlanta’s sweet spot for thrill-seekers, beach bums, sports fanatics, connoisseurs of culture, and the epicurious. Our communities are diverse, each with their own unique vibe, providing something for everyone. Be at the center of it all - start planning your adventure. TravelCobb.org
Cobb Arts Vibe puts the spotlight on Cobb County’s thriving arts scene including local visual, performing, and cultural heritage arts groups. Immerse yourself in public art murals as you stroll the streets of Marietta or discover your new favorite Indie artist at the Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre. From A-List
ACWORTH
SMYRNA HOT SPOT: Food Truck Tuesdays at Taylor-Brawner Park.
SWEET VIBES
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ACWORTH
•
AUSTELL
•
KENNESAW
•
MARIETTA
•
POWDER SPRINGS
•
SMYRNA
MARKETING CAMPAIGNS ADWORDS 6% ClickThrough Rate
18,568 Clicks
(Average search click-through rate for hospitality/tourism industry is 4.7%)
2019 BLOGS
Age
35–54
18–34
TOTAL OF
55+
36% 45%
62,294
19%
Gender
PAGE VIEWS
64% #INSTAWORTHY SWEET SPOTS IN COBB
36%
> 15
INSTAGRAM AD CAMPAIGN
> SWEET
SPOTS LOCALS LOVE
> HOW
TO SHOOT THE HOOCH
> CELEBRATE
IN COBB
JULY 4TH
Age
> 8
SPOOKY SPOTS TO GET IN THE HALLOWEEN “SPIRIT”
> COBB’S > SWEET
2% ClickThrough Rate
2,162 Clicks Gender
18–34
35–54
55+
52%
34%
14%
77%
23%
SWEET FALL FLAVORS
SANTA SIGHTINGS
> ATLANTA’S
SWEET SPOT FOR HOLIDAY LIGHTS
> HOLIDAYS
INCREASES IN 2019 OVER PREVIOUS YEAR
IN COBB
> ATLANTA’S
SWEET SPOT FOR SHOPPING
27
4,077
16%
4,378
4%
2,687
49%
2.4M
$
OPERATING REVENUES
2019 Annual Report
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OPERATIONS BUDGET Cobb Travel & Tourism’s budget revenue is derived from multiple sources, including a percentage of the hotel/motel tax collected by the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority and a portion of the $3 Cumberland Special Services District I fee.
FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPT. 30, 2019 OPERATING REVENUES:
$2,408,419.27 UNDER BUDGET BY 1.5%
OPERATING EXPENSES:
$2,229,455.41 FAVORABLE TO BUDGET BY 6% NET INCOME:
$108,963.86 EXPENDITURES PAID FROM RESERVES:
$0
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TravelCobb.org
SPOT-ON AWARDS Congratulations to the recipients. We appreciate all of your contributions!
In November, we celebrated our 27th Annual Meeting & Mixer at The Brickyard in Downtown Marietta. For 27 years, we have celebrated the hospitality and tourism community that is made up of outstanding people and companies who work to serve our industry.
HOTEL PARTNER OF THE YEAR Atlanta Mariott Northwest
Each year during our Annual Meeting & Mixer, Cobb Travel & Tourism presents the Spot-On Awards for exceptional support of Cobb Travel & Tourism and our industry.
RESTAURANT PARTNER OF THE YEAR Volkstuin ATTRACTION PARTNER OF THE YEAR Marietta Square Market EVENT OF THE YEAR Cobb International Festival
The future possibilities and potential are sweet. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with the hospitality community to develop a destination that exceeds expectations.
COBB SPORTS ALLIANCE EVENT OF THE YEAR United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) Goalball Nationals
— Jennifer Bennett, Chairwoman of Cobb Travel & Tourism’s Board of Directors
2019 Annual Report
HOSPITALITY HERO OF THE YEAR Cobb County Public Safety Officials for Super Bowl LIII
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ANNUAL MEETING 2019
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TravelCobb.org
COBB IS ATLANTA’S SWEET SPOT because it connects you to everything that makes life better—food, art, sports, the great outdoors and the great City of Atlanta.
2019 Annual Report
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A SWEET FAREWELL (UNTIL NEXT YEAR) Our work at Cobb Travel & Tourism is about increasing visibility and awareness of our county and its unique communities. But we have a role beyond marketing Cobb as a destination—we create community engagement for visitors and residents, connecting them to an experience, an adventure, a memory.
This mission is about forging connections: with people, with community stakeholders, and with the world. That might mean connecting a city with an arts organization for a public art project, connecting thousands of Super Bowl fans to lodging, dining, and entertainment, or connecting residents with the exciting things happening in their own backyard. For CT&T this year, it was all of that and more.
As a catalyst for connection, we strive to join community assets and relationships with opportunities and strategic vision, facilitating the kinds of experiences that bring people back. From vibrant arts and culture scenes to a thrilling and diverse lineup of sporting events, it all builds on what makes Cobb so sweet: a diverse, well-rounded community that truly offers something for everyone.
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TravelCobb.org
THANK YOU
We would like to extend the
SWEETEST THANKS to our PARTNERS and the numerous BUSINESS LEADERS for their continued support. We also would like to thank all of our visitors and residents for the photos found in this year’s annual report, collected from the LENS. Thank you for telling the story of Cobb County through your eyes.
TravelCobb.org • @travelcobb • #AtlantasSweetSpot
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TravelCobb.org • @travelcobb • #AtlantasSweetSpot
2019 Annual Report
Cobb Travel & Tourism | One Galleria Pkwy. 36 | Atlanta, GA 30339 | 678.303.2622