The ATL Airport District: A Four-City South Atlanta Destination

Traveling might look a little different this year, but people are traveling nonetheless! President of the ATL Airport District Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Cookie Smoak joins this week’s Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the South Atlanta destination and the cities it serves with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.

The ATL Airport District is just 10 miles south of downtown Atlanta and is home to the world’s busiest airport, Georgia’s second-largest convention center, more than 8,000 hotel rooms and destination dining and retail. Founded seven years ago as one of the newer CVBs in Georgia, the ATL Airport District CVB serves the airport’s surrounding areas including College Park, East Point, Hapeville and Union City.

Focused on selling all the hotels and attractions in that area and market the restaurants, its mission is to promote the area for tourism, conventions and generate economic impact.

“We want to put heads in beds; we want to put people in the restaurants; we want to put people in the attractions and fill the convention center,” Smoak said. “The area is growing, so we’re just really excited to have this opportunity.”

According to Smoak, College Park is the fourth largest historic home district in Georgia and the entire four-city district is home to many major businesses including the Porsche Experience Center, which is the manufacturer’s largest investment outside of Germany, Chick-fil-A headquarters and the Delta Flight Museum, to name a few.

“During the past 6, 7 months, everything has kind of stopped and halted, but not so in the Airport District,” Smoak said.

Recently, J Presso Coffee and Bakery, a small, family-owned coffee shop, recently reopened in Hapeville, as well as Grub Fresh Bowls and Wraps, Your Pie Pizza, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Pit Boss BBQ. Realizing that restaurants bring people together, the ATL Airport District keeps visitors up to date with restaurant openings and available take-out, delivery and curbside services.

With its ever-growing list of unique shops, microbreweries, dining options and outdoor spaces, the ATL Airport District offers a thriving culture influenced by big city life. To learn more, listen to the complete interview above or visit www.ATLDistrict.com.

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Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and ATL Airport District are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2020)


New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.

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1 thought on “The ATL Airport District: A Four-City South Atlanta Destination”

  1. Noticeably missing is Riverdale and Forest Park and that is the problem with ATL Delta and the CVB. I’ll include Aerotropolis because they are apart of this equation. Like you stated, the tri Cities surrounding ATL include Riverdale and Forrest Park. In reality union city is the furthest away from the airport. Somebody needs to do their homework so the full picture of development investment and progress, or the lack thereof, can be duly be noted and addressed..

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