Georgia Voice - June 2026

EDITOR’S NOTE

‘Don’t say trans’ bill could have wide repercussions

Just before we went to press with this June issue, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a federal “Don’t Say Trans” bill, attempting to force teachers to out transgender students across the country.

House Resolution 2616 – saddled with the fearmongering official name “Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act” – would require schools to get parental consent before allowing students to use their preferred pronouns and gender markers, as well as using their preferred bathroom or locker room.

It was no surprise that Republicans glommed onto yet another Trump Administration distraction, but it was disheartening to see eight Democrats join them in advancing the bill to the Senate (where it will hopefully die a deserved death).

Forcing teachers to out students to

their parents is a breach of trust and confidentiality, and could very well lead to violence in the home. Civil rights continue to erode daily in the U.S., and this is just another attempt to target trans kids as part of a larger move by the Trump administration to upend hard-won LGBTQ+ rights.

There’s a reason that more than 100 civil and human rights organizations around the globe issued a travel advisory to LGBTQ+ people who might be coming to the United States for the FIFA World Cup matches, which begin this month.

In May, the White House released the “United States Counterterrorism Strategy,” introducing enforcement priorities that include people with “extreme transgender ideologies.” That means that transgender people and their allies are lumped in with cartels, Middle East terrorist organizations, and what the administration calls “violent left-wing extremists.” It’s an ongoing attempt by the White House to silence any dissent or protests – a potential chilling blow to the First Amendment.

The introduction to the report closes with a warning from Trump himself for anyone involved in organizations or movements that he doesn’t like: “We will

Atlanta Intown

Editorial

Collin Kelley

Executive Editor

Beth McKibben

Editor-in-Chief

Sr. Editor Food & Dining

Cathy Cobbs

Managing Editor

Sammie Purcell

Associate Editor

Staff Writers

Katie Burkholder, Logan C. Ritchie, Sarra Sedghi, Hayden Sumlin

Contributor

Mykel Hogan

Intern

Rachel Spooner

Published By

Rough Draft Atlanta

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Operations

Savannah Pierce savannah@RoughDraft.news

Forcing

teachers to

out students to their parents is a breach of trust and confidentiality...

find you and we will kill you.”

I continue to see LGBTQ+ people, particularly white gay men, on social media who think they are immune to any danger from the current government. It’s a “trans” problem and has nothing to do with them. There’s a long, welldocumented history of blissful ignorance not ending well for those who think they are somehow marked as untouchable and special.

One only has to look back to the 1980s and early 90s during the AIDS pandemic to know just how that turned out, and how many we lost along the way to the government’s cruel “othering” of the LGBTQ+ community.

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World Cup Arrives

All Stripes and Pride House plan fun and safe experience

By Katie Burkholder

In April, more than 100 organizations issued a travel advisory for the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup. In this advisory, organizations like the Council for Global Equality and the American Civil Liberties Union warned fans, players, journalists, and other visitors traveling to the U.S. about the “deteriorating human rights situation” in the country.

“Those from immigrant communities, racial and ethnic minority groups, and LGBTQ+ individuals have been and continue to be disproportionately targeted and affected by the [Trump] administration’s policies,” the advisory reads, “and, as such, are most vulnerable to serious harm when traveling to and/or within the United States.”

Pride House is an international organization working to make sure this year’s World Cup is safe for LGBTQ+ fans. The group partners with local organizations during large-scale international sporting events to create venues for LGBTQ+ visitors to watch games and learn more about LGBTQ+ issues in sport.

experience they’d find at any of our local matches.”

Koerting said the partnership with Pride House was a “natural crossover” for the group because of the year-round (or rather, season-round) work it does to make soccer accessible and safe for LGBTQ+ fans.

“If you’ve ever been to an Atlanta United match and seen those big rainbow flags flying, that’s us in the supporters’ section letting folks know they’re not alone,” she said. “The Atlanta United front office is fantastic about coordinating closely with our team to address any safety concerns.”

Because Atlanta United won’t have an official presence at the World Cup matches, Koerting said there are limitations to the safety All Stripes can offer inside and around Mercedes-Benz Stadium. However, she said the group has connected with event organizers and is “highly confident” that the environment in the stadium will be safe and inclusive.

Ahead of the World Cup’s arrival in Atlanta this summer, All Stripes is partnering with Pride House to welcome LGBTQ+ visitors and locals alike to enjoy the matches. All Stripes is the LGBTQ+ supporter group for Atlanta United, the city’s Major League Soccer team.

“Having this international tournament right here at home is an incredible milestone for Atlanta,” Melanie Koerting, the President of All Stripes, told Georgia Voice, “and we are ready to show visiting fans that same supportive, rowdy

“To be safe, our tables will be stocked with embassy and emergency contact information for international visitors should any issues arise,” she said. “We are so excited to show true southern hospitality through our work with Pride House.” For soccer fans without tickets to the matches, All Stripes and Pride House will host events and watch parties, working with Decatur WatchFest, The Works, and Lore. A full calendar of events is set to debut soon at pridehouseunited2026. com/atlanta, and updates will be shared on Instagram @pridehouseatl. More information about All Stripes can be found on Facebook and Instagram.

Atlanta will host eight World Cup matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium from June 15 to July 15. The schedule includes matches between Morocco and Haiti, Spain and Cabo Verde, and Spain and Saudi Arabia.

Find more World Cup events by scanning the QR Code.

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DESIGNS

Candidates

By Collin Kelley

Georgia voters set the stage for a series of high-stakes runoff elections on May 19 as crowded Republican contests for governor and U.S. Senate failed to produce outright winners in the state’s primary.

Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and healthcare executive Rick Jackson advanced to a June 16 runoff in the GOP race to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp. Jones, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, finished ahead of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr in one of the country’s most closely watched gubernatorial primaries.

On the Democratic side, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms blew past six other candidates to secure the nomination for governor without a runoff, going straight to the November ballot.

Georgia’s Republican U.S. Senate primary also headed to a runoff, with U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and former college football coach Derek Dooley advancing to the June contest. The winner will challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November.

Several other statewide races also remained unsettled. Democratic candidates Josh McLaurin and Nabilah Islam Parkes advanced to a runoff for lieutenant governor, while Republicans John F. Kennedy and Greg Dolezal moved on in the GOP contest.

In judicial races, incumbent Georgia Supreme Court justices Charlie Bethel and Sarah Warren held off challengers in expensive statewide campaigns.

Here are the major metro Atlanta-area candidates who advanced to Georgia’s June 16 primary runoff elections after no candidate secured more than 50 percent of the vote.

Governor (Republican runoff)

Burt Jones

Rick Jackson

U.S. Senate (Republican runoff)

Mike Collins

Derek Dooley

Lieutenant Governor

Democratic runoff

Josh McLaurin

Nabilah Islam Parkes

Republican runoff

John F. Kennedy

Greg Dolezal

Secretary of State

Democratic runoff

Dana Barrett

Penny Brown Reynolds

Republican runoff

Tim Fleming

Vernon Jones

Insurance Commissioner (Democratic runoff)

Keisha Sean Waites

DeAndre Mathis

Labor Commissioner (Democratic runoff)

Nikki Porcher

Michelle Sanchez

State School Superintendent

(Republican runoff)

Richard Woods

Fred Longgrear

Public Service Commission

District 5 (Republican runoff)

Josh Tolbert

Bobby Mehan

Fulton County Commission Chair

(Democratic Runoff)

Robb Pitts

Mo Ivory

Georgia Equality-backed LGBTQ+ candidates and allies see mixed results in primary

By Katie Burkholder

The results from Georgia’s primary election on Tuesday were a mixed bag for LGBTQ+ and allied candidates across the state.

Of the 55 candidates endorsed by Georgia Equality, the state’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, 29 won or went to a runoff.

Among the statewide races, one Georgia Equalityendorsed candidate won and two went to a runoff. Tanya Miller won the Democratic primary for attorney general in a landslide, with 84.55% of the vote. Josh McLaurin will go to a runoff against Nabilah Parks for the Democratic lieutenant governor nomination, and Dana Barrett will face Penny Brown Reynolds for secretary of state in the June 16 runoff.

Several LGBTQ+ Democratic

candidates also won their primaries, including Bentley Hudgins for State House District 90, Kim Jackson for State Senate District 41, and Marvin Lim for State House District 98.

However, there were also some major losses for LGBTQ+ and allied candidates.

Jason Esteves, who was endorsed by Georgia Equality, was defeated by Keisha Lance Bottoms in the Democratic primary for governor. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated her six rivals to win the nomination outright on Tuesday.

Both Jen Jordan and Miracle Rankin, the challengers for the Georgia Supreme Court, lost their races, and LGBTQ+ prosecutor Will Wooten lost his race for the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Georgia Equality-endorsed candidate Brett Hulme also did not move forward in the runoff for the Democratic Commissioner of Labor nominee.

Transgender candidates Robin McCoy

Queer men find community and adventure with Wilderness Network of Georgia

By Katie Burkholder

The Wilderness Network of Georgia was formed in 1992 as a safe space for gay and bisexual men in Atlanta to find community outside the nightlife scene. Today, the group is the oldest outdoor organization for queer men in Atlanta, encouraging its 195 members to try new activities and connect in the great outdoors.

“I have so many friends that I’ve made over the years [in WNG],” Martin Downing, the president of WNG, told Georgia Voice. “It’s just a really important social aspect of my life.”

WNG is a volunteer-run organization whose members organize and lead outdoor activities throughout the year. These activities are catered to a variety of skill and interest levels, including more high-intensity activities like backpacking, overnight camping, and caving, and more accessible events like urban hikes, monthly Beltline clean-ups, and quarterly potlucks.

The group recently visited Ossabaw Island and Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, took a guided tour of the Mechanical Riverfront Kingdom in Decatur, and whitewater rafted on the Broad River. Its next event is Tray Mountain day hike.

WNG’s annual trips include an overnight visit to the Len Foote Hike Inn on the Appalachian Trail, a three-day canoe trip into the Okefenokee Swamp, backpacking on Cumberland Island, seeing the synchronized lighting bugs in the Great Smoky Mountains, and a trip to Sapelo Island.

While WNG is still a safe space for gay and bi men, Downing says that the needs for members have changed over the last three decades with the increased acceptance of gay men in the mainstream.

“I think it’s more of a safe space to explore people’s interest in the outdoors and challenging themselves,” he said.

Prospective members can try out the group with a 30-pday free trial, then membership costs $25 a year. Most activities are free, but participants will have to cover applicable campground, park, or lodging fees. Those who are interested can request to join through the group’s Meetup page at meetup.com/wildnetga/ events/calendar.

More information can be found at wildernessnetworkofgeorgia.org.

and Aaron Baker both lost their primaries for State Senate District 5 and State House District 51, respectively.

“Things didn’t work out in our favor this time, but my heart is full and I am filled with sincere gratitude for my family, supporters, and community,” Baker posted to Instagram following the election. “… If anything this result underscores the need for this – despite knocking thousands of doors, making thousands of phone calls, and running a comprehensive paid communication plan, hundreds of thousands of dollars in dark money propped up my opponent and protected her from being held accountable.”

Bella Bautista, who ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination for State House District 14, joins Bentley Hudgins as the only openly transgender or nonbinary candidates to be on the general election ballot in November.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Pride Across Georgia

Festivals, fundraisers, and music highlight June

By Katie Burkholder and Collin Kelley

Pride month is almost here, and while Atlanta’s official Pride festival won’t return to the city until October, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate. Whether you’re looking for a party in the city, a nearby Pride festival, or a big gay road trip, there’s plenty to do in and around Georgia this June.

In Atlanta

Pride Run 5K

June 7, 8:30 a.m.

Piedmont Park

The charity 5K walk and run is dedicated to uniting the community to raise awareness and funds for those impacted by HIV. Register at priderunatl.org.

Pride

Chosen Family

June 6, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Church at Ponce & Highland

The Atlanta Women’s Chorus celebrates the concept of the chosen family – which for many in the LGBTQ+ community is a circle of friends, mentors, and allies –with an evening of song. Get tickets at voicesofnote.org.

Preserving

Pride:

LGBTQ+ Social Spaces in Atlanta

June 13, 1- 3 p.m.

Atlanta City Hall

From bars and clubs to bookstores, community centers, and homes, these spaces have long served as vital hubs for connection, resilience, and activism. This

panel discussion will feature Tony Holland, Designer, Anthony Holland Originals; Jocelyn Lyles, Co-Founder, Hospitality Atlanta; Rev. Duncan E. Teague, Lead Minister, Abundant LUUV; and Sara Luce, Co-Owner, Charis Books & More. Find more details and RSVP at the events page of AtlantaPride.org.

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

June 13, 7-9:30 p.m.

Mable House Barnes Amphitheater

Join the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus and the smooth-sailing sounds of Yacht Rock Schooner for an evening celebrating the music of Sir Elton John. Expect to hear iconic hits like “Rocket Man,” “Your Song,” “I’m Still Standing,” and more. Get tickets at voicesofnote.org.

Atlanta Pride Party

June 14, noon to 6 p.m.

Red’s Beer Garden

Atlanta Pride will be celebrating Pride

continued on page 12

Continued from page 11

Month with a day party at Red’s Beer Garden. Attendees can expect a DJ, drag performances, hot dogs, and beer from breweries that financially support the

an artist market, a queer movie night, and a pop-up thrift shop – plus plenty of dance parties, workshops, and skill shares. More information can be found at southernfriedqueerpride.com.

sale soon. More information can be found at smyrnapride.org.

Gwinnett Pride

June 13, noon to 6 p.m. Thrasher Park

Throughout Georgia

Athens PrideFest

June 6, 3 to 10 p.m.

Downtown Athens

Head to the Classic City for a fabulous Pride parade and festival. The parade steps off at 5 p.m., and the day’s festivities include a vendor market, family-friendly activities, and live music. Learn more on IG @athensprideandqueercollective.

Mark It, Mama Drag Bingo

June 8, 6 p.m.

LGBTQ+ community. More information can be found at atlantapride.org.

Drag Me to Church - Interfaith Commemoration of Stonewall

June 14, 6 p.m.

St. Luke’s Lutheran Church

This family-friendly, interfaith worship service honors the legacy of the Stonewall Uprising and celebrates the full belovedness of LGBTQ+ people in the life of faith. Together with local clergy, musicians, drag performers, and community leaders, we’ll lift up a message of hope, justice, and radical welcome. More information at stlukeatlanta.org.

It’s Giving Edgewood: O4W Pride Bar Crawl

June 21, 3-8 p.m.

Old Fourth Ward

Head to Edgewood Avenue for this evening of Pride celebration, including Lore, Sister Louisa’s, Joystick, and Dad’s Garage Theatre. Visit AtlantaPride.org for more details.

Southern Fried Queer Pride

June 22-28

Little 5 Points

The 12th annual SFQP festival will transform venues across Little 5 Points with a full week of events. This year’s lineup includes an opening gallery show, a trans cabaret and open mic, an intergenerational bingo night, the Peach Pit pageant, a queer variety show,

Pour House Pub, Statesboro Statesboro’s Pride festival isn’t until October, but this Pride month Bingo night will raise money to keep the festival free. Each $15 ticket gets two bingo cards, and additional cards are $3. Tickets can be purchased on Boro Pride’s website at.statesboropride.org.

Colgay Pride

June 12-13

Woodruff Riverfront Park

Columbus’ two-day Pride festival returns for its 13th year with a vendor market, parade, drag shows, stand-up comedians, and live music. More information can be found at colgaypride.org.

Smyrna Pride Festival

June 13, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Smyrna Market Village

performances by local artists and DJs from La

and a vendor market. More information can be found at gwinnettpride.org.

Augusta Pride

June 26-28

Augusta Common

Augusta Pride lasts all weekend with Augusta’s largest outdoor dance arty Beats on Broad, the Pride parade and festival, and poolside after-parties at the Metropolis Complex. Learn more at prideaugusta.org.

Rome Pride

June 27, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Ridge Ferry Park

Pride returns to downtown Smyrna this June. Attendees will enjoy a vendor market; family-friendly activities like face painting, balloon art, and bubbles; and entertainment from DJs, live musicians, and drag performers. The fun kicks off on Friday, June 12 with a drag show at the Indigo Room at 8 p.m. Tickets will go on

Rome’s Pride festival returns to Ridge Ferry Park with a vendor market and March for Rights, live entertainment, and a legendary closing drag show. More events and the entertainment lineup will be announced soon; keep up to date facebook.com/romegapride or IG @romegapride.

The Supermarket leads growing DIY Atlanta art scene

By Mykel Hogan

In April, Lavender Lens hosted Queer Movie Night at its semi-new home, The Supermarket, with a screening of “Shinjuku Boys,” a Japanese documentary about three transgender men in Tokyo. The initiative, created by artist Carrie Miller, aims to help build the queer arts community from its Poncey-Highland event space.

Carrie Miller founded Lavender Lens in 2023 to amplify creative queer media in Athens. In 2024, Miller shifted their focus to Atlanta. The organization’s monthly film screenings spotlight independent cinema, arts, and other local businesses such as Charis Books & More, an independent bookstore known for its focus on feminist and LGBTQ+ literature.

Previous screenings have included movies such as “Bound,” “I Saw The TV Glow,” and “Paris is Burning.”

Opened by The Bakery in 2024, The Supermarket is a flexible space for artists working across disciplines, including music, film, visual art, and performance. It has become an important part of Atlanta’s evolving arts scene.

“I feel like they[The Supermarket and The Bakery] are opening up a space for people and artists of all backgrounds to come together and experience art in a way

they may not have been able to before,” said Kara Elise, a local photographer whose work has been featured in an exhibition at the venue.

Atlanta creatives who have experience with The Supermarket said the space stands out for its emphasis on community collaboration and versatility. This approach has drawn a diverse group of creatives who see the venue as an alternative to more traditional galleries or performance spaces.

The venue offers several customizable spaces. Lavender Lens’ Queer Movie

Night uses The Black Box room.

“A lot of curators and artists are discovering this space and are able to do almost anything with it to make their vision come to life and that’s so beautiful,” Elise said.

Miller advocates for the versatility of the space.

“I believe The Supermarket has a strong and positive impact on the local art scene. It creates a hub where multiple events and creative projects can exist simultaneously, which helps foster an atmosphere of collaboration, experimentation, and artistic energy.” Miller said.

The Supermarket hosts multiple

types of events. The venue allows for filmmakers, visual artists, and musicians alike to customize the spaces to fit their vision. Makenna Lyric played music for an Artists Market at The Supermarket in April.

“They highlight talented artists, partner with Blackowned businesses, and are a great space to lift up artists of Atlanta,” said musician Makenna Lyric, who has performed at the venue multiple times.

The rise of spaces like The Supermarket reflects broader changes in Atlanta’s arts scene. As rent and development prices increase, many artists are turning toward community-driven and do-it-yourself models to sustain their work. Venues that prioritize accessibility and artist-led programming are becoming popular.

For more about Lavender Lens, check the IG @lavenderlensat. For more about The Supermarket, visit thesupermarketatl. com.

This story is part of Rough Draft Atlanta’s spring collaboration with writing students at SCAD.

D I N N E R

W I T H F R I E N D S w i t h ot h e r R o u g h D raf t re a d e rs

The answers to these puzzles are on page 18

Bowie-inspired wine bar opening in Sandy Springs

By Beth McKibben

Under Pressure Wine Bar opens this fall at the Fountain Oaks complex in Sandy Springs, just north of Chastain Park.

Owned by sommelier Juan Fernando Cortés (The Chastain, Stanky Wine) and Atlanta restaurateur Adam Berlin (Buena Vida Tapas, Chicheria Mexican Kitchen, Amasa Mexican Kitchen), Under Pressure will feature a wine cellar comprising more than 1,500 bottles, with nearly 20% of its cellar and by-the-glass list dedicated to sparkling wines.

Designed by SOGO Studios, Under Pressure takes over the former Pig-N-Chik BBQ space on Roswell Road. Partially rooted in music, the soundtrack and artwork and concert posters adorning the walls at Under Pressure will create what Cortés and Berlin describe as a “Bowieinspired vibe.”

“There’s a lot of work to be done yet because we’re keeping very little of the existing space to give it that tucked away feel, since we are in a shopping center,” Berlin told Rough Draft. “We’re adding a big patio facing Roswell Road. We should have our building permit in the next

couple of weeks, and if we work quickly, we’d love to open before the holidays.”

What’s in a name

If you find yourself singing the refrain to the song “Under Pressure,” that’s by design, too. Cortés and Berlin named the wine bar for the 1981 hit single by David Bowie and Queen. The name also references the super-pressurized environment sparkling wine inhabits once bottled, thanks to the high levels of carbon dioxide that produce the signature fizz.

Much like the natural wine pop-ups

Cortés and friend and Stanky Wine partner Brad Tolleson hosted at restaurants like Brush and Pure Quill Superette over the years, Under Pressure will lean into its soundtrack. Curated playlists will set the mood for various points in service, from happy hour at 4 p.m. to the height of dinner to winding down with vermouth and dessert at the end of the night.

Wine runs deep

A former commercial crab fisherman in Alaska, Cortés returned to Atlanta and the hospitality industry in the early aughts after being furloughed from a boat he

had worked on for three years. Cortés bartended at Pure Taqueria and Bistro VG to make ends meet, before landing at Restaurant Eugene as a server assistant. It was at Eugene where his love for wine took root.

“I asked so many questions because it was one of the few restaurants back then that had a sommelier,” he said. “Then I found Clarke Anderson, who ran a tasting group at no. 246 in Decatur on Monday mornings for industry people and enthusiasts.”

Cortés credits Anderson and grassroots groups such as those Monday tasting meet-ups in Decatur for laying the groundwork for Atlanta pop-ups like Stanky Wine and helping give rise to wine bars like Under Pressure.

What to expect

Look for wines ranging from natural and biodynamic to more traditional styles at Under Pressure, anchored by a variety of sparkling wines and champagnes. Focusing on large-format bottles, which result in higher quality pours

due to aging, will provide Under Pressure with a broader selection of by-the-glass options.

While Cortés and Berlin have yet to find a chef for Under Pressure, they already know the types of dishes they plan to serve. Expect oysters, caviar service, and savory snacks like French fries and charcuterie and cheese boards, along with crudo, a Caesar salad, and seasonal dishes.

Under Pressure Wine Bar, 4920 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. Opening late 2026. Visit underpressurewine.com for updates.

Answers for puzzles on page 16

Former CNN Center opens as The CTR, with Atlanta’s newest food hall

By Sarra Sedghi

At the literal push of a button on May 20, the revamped atrium at the former CNN Center in downtown Atlanta opened as The CTR. A public grand opening will take place in June, ahead of the World Cup in Atlanta.

City officials, including Mayor Andre Dickens, and The CTR developer CP Partners hosted a launch party for media and invited guests that included presentations, DJs, drinks from the new atrium bar, and self-guided tours of the FIFA merch shop and CTR Food Works. Stalls at the food hall, backed by Robert Montwaid of Chattahoochee Food Works, will begin opening in June.

The CTR Food Works will include a mix of local and nationally recognized chefs.

■ Southern Belle Chicken Co.: Chicken dishes from Atlanta chef Joey Ward of Southern Belle and Georgia Boy.

■ Flora d’Italia: Italian dishes, pastas, and pizza from Michelin-recognized chef Steven Ferdinand.

■ Dessert Box: Bakery and desserts, also backed by Ferdinand.

■ The Sparrow: Szechuan Chinese, backed by team from The Sparrow in Midtown.

■ Morelli’s Ice Cream: Locally owned ice cream brand.

■ La Tropical: Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Latin cuisine.

■ Fuzzy’s: Lobster rolls, ceviches, oysters.

■ Patty and Frank’s: Burgers and hot dogs, backed by Montwaid with Chef Andrew Zimmern. Original location at Chattahoochee Food Works.

■ Mimi Taqueria: Tacos, Mexican street food.

■ Yet-named cheesesteak stall

■ CTR Bar: Georgia’s “largest bar,” led by Tiffany Howell, expect wine, beer, cocktails.

The atrium will also feature steak and seafood restaurant Mastro’s Ocean Club.

Over at the neighboring FIFA shop, people will find branded t-shirts and jerseys, hats, pins, scarves, and other merch like stadium-friendly clear bags and key chains.

ATL Culture House, an arts initiative led by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, will move into the atrium ahead of the World Cup next month.

Down the road, plans for The CTR call for converting former hotel rooms to affordable apartments, which could provide housing for Downtown’s growing service industry workforce.

The building at 190 Marietta St., with its 14-story atrium, has been many things over the years. It once housed a hockey arena and was home to Burt Reynolds’ 1970s nightclub. In 1985, Ted Turner claimed it for CNN, where the 24-hour news channel remained headquartered until 2024.

October 10 - 11, 2026

*Prices increase after June 30!