Opinion: A metro worthy of the big game

This big-tent Atlanta has worked tirelessly to prepare a place and experience worthy of hosting today’s Big Game. Our previous governor and City of Atlanta mayor dreamed of this day. Many others shared that dream.

Around here, we believe there’s a lot to be proud of and share with visitors.

In that spirit, here are a few points about our home that’re worth knowing as a week’s worth of festivities moves toward the apex of Sunday night’s game kickoff.

For starters, you’ve likely noticed that metro Atlanta is a big place. There’s lots of room here still, so we aren’t packed in as tightly as other big cites, but we are nearly six million strong.

We’re a growing place, too. People and companies have flocked here in recent decades, more than quintupling our population since 1970. So, a sleepy Southern-town image doesn’t really mesh with today’s go-go reality here.

Growth that shows no sign of abating has led to local jokes that the unofficial bird of Atlanta is a construction crane. If you look up almost anywhere here, you’ll see justification for that belief. After a deep dip during the Great Recession, construction’s once more booming, with the proof seen in a multitude of new office and residential buildings.

People, companies and capital flock here for good reason. Our state leaders never miss the chance to say that Site Selection magazine (based here, by the way) has named Georgia the best place to do business. There’s truth in that claim.

A good measure of our success is attributed to what’s known as “The Atlanta Way.” Simplified, it’s a profitable mix of Southern politeness, backed by pragmatism, innovation and more than a touch of boldness and courage when times called for it. Our state motto is Wisdom, Justice, Moderation. It’s overlooked at times, especially during election season, but never fully forgotten.

Many of you are no doubt looking to the Super Bowl for a respite from the divisiveness, verbal brawling and high drama that seem to define American life at this juncture in history.

Atlanta, and Georgia, are not immune from all that, but we like to think we’ve learned some ways to persevere through the noise for mutual benefit.

History supports that thesis, we believe. It’s impossible to ignore that the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was Atlanta born and educated. Our museums show that we were the epicenter of the civil rights movement.

When other cities erupted in tumult in the ‘60s, Atlanta’s civic and business leaders chose dialogue over fire hoses and police clubs. The place you’re now visiting is proof that strategy worked.

That spirit lives on in our midst today, even though political headlines at times may suggest otherwise. Pragmatism usually trumps partisanship here when it counts the most.

It’s reflected in an inclusive environment and healthy business climate that keeps drawing people here.

Not that we’re perfect. Atlanta has its challenges, for sure. And we’re aware of them, and pushing to resolve our shortcomings in most instances.

Take mobility, for instance. It’s hard to be here more than a few hours without noticing that traffic congestion is as bad, or worse, of a problem as in most any other metro our size. Our roads haven’t kept pace with growth, but the state is working diligently to expand highway capacity. It won’t be a quick fix, but we’re heartened that billions of dollars of work is already underway.

And, compared to other great cities, our mass transit network is pretty skimpy – for now. The city of Atlanta’s voters have approved funding to expand road and rail transit there, and a pair of key suburban counties are either scheduled to vote on, or considering, transit expansion measures.

Depending on where you’re staying, you may experience MARTA, the transit agency at the core of what we now have. MARTA’s worked hard in recent years to improve its finances and operations to help counter negative perceptions against it. They’ve gained considerable ground, although a recent train derailment at the airport and scattered sickouts by some MARTA bus operators in recent days have rattled some confidence in the system and its ability to deliver, especially on this Super Bowl weekend. We write this with fingers crossed that MARTA will perform well on its promises to move lots of y’all safely and efficiently this weekend. Some of us remain worried, though, that our sparse transit system might not treat you as well as you’d expect in a city of our stature.

Also in the hoping-for-the-best category is the weather. With religious faith being plentiful here, you may feel prayers for temperate weather rising all around you. Temperate meaning no ice or snow; cold we can deal with.

Climatological thoughts and prayers are offered for the strategic reason that our normally mild-weather region has historically had some rough times dealing with storms that Northerners would shake off like snowflakes from an ice scraper.

A winter-weather scare last Tuesday here saw trucks spraying ice-melting brine, offices and schools closing, etc. Atlanta still remembers five years ago when a few inches of snow and icy mix slid this great town to a halt. Politicians said “never again” after that January 2014 Snowpocalypse and we the people are holding them to that.

All said, metro Atlantans and Georgians are glad you’re in our town. We hope you enjoy yourselves, and spread the word about the capital city of the South. Don’t let our finely honed, self-effacing Southern mannerisms mislead you, though.

This is a place of global ambitions and big shoulders that’s unafraid to lean in hard to get things done when it counts. More and more people seem to be flocking toward that.

It’s what fuels the world’s busiest airport a few miles south of the M-B stadium that many of you passed through on your way to town. It exists for a reason. Our goal around here is to keep metro Atlanta on the world’s map.

Keep all that in mind if you’re looking for a new place to bring business or personal talents. We’re here for you.

Welcome South, and enjoy!