Downtown Atlanta in NYT's 52 places in the world to visit in 2014 (moved, people)

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by bhammaster

I don't believe this for a second.

Stories like these are always over the top.

I can believe it, especially if they are from a small town.

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by bhammaster

I don't believe this for a second.

Stories like these are always over the top.

Well you don't have to believe it. It's true. When my friend told me here parents were coming to town and getting a room at the Fairfield Inn, I told her that wouldn't be a good idea and to get a room elsewhere. Like everyone here she told me I was exaggerating about how bad it was over there and they booked a room there anyway.

A few days later after they got here that she informed me that they were checking out of their room because they didn't feel safe and were afraid to continue to stay in that area.

And I guess the people I've known who have been physically assaulted by some of the vagrants milling about downtown were making it up too.

You must have never spent anytime at 5 Points. I'm not at all saying that all of downtown is horrible but that area needs to be cleaned up and for those of you are saying it's not the bad are just in denial about it because for some reason folks don't like Atlanta's flaws being pointed out.

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

Well you don't have to believe it. It's true. When my friend told me here parents were coming to town and getting a room at the Fairfield Inn, I told her that wouldn't be a good idea and to get a room elsewhere. Like everyone here she told me I was exaggerating about how bad it was over there and they booked a room there anyway.

A few days later after they got here that she informed me that they were checking out of their room because they didn't feel safe and were afraid to continue to stay in that area.

And I guess the people I've known who have been physically assaulted by some of the vagrants milling about downtown were making it up too.

You must have never spent anytime at 5 Points. I'm not at all saying that all of downtown is horrible but that area needs to be cleaned up and for those of you are saying it's not the bad are just in denial about it because for some reason folks don't like Atlanta's flaws being pointed out.

Not one single person has said that the area does not need cleaning up.Obviously it does.
I have lived in Atlanta for a long time on and off and my current residence west of downtown for at least over the last 10 years .I routinely have been in that same area a lot.

Your reality is not mine.I know of not one person who has gotten "attacked" physically by anyone.
Nor have I personally ever had anything more than being pan handled to death at times.

That's not denial.That's reality.
Truth is people get mugged in Buckhead ,Midtown all the time but people don't see that as much as a problem as they do when it comes to Downtown.
When it happens downtown people act like its an epidemic.

Its looks rough so people tend to be more intimidated even though its not much more unsafe by any considerable margin than other parts of the city.

[ATLondoner]

So everyone says it but why does it not happen?

(I'm not being pedantic...just asking the question, its a real focal point of the city, especially for tourists and I'm intrigued as to why there isn't more of an effort to clean it up?)

I'm originally from London, consider myself to be pretty streetwise, but always feel pretty uneasy when walking around 5 points. Not scared...just 'aware' of my surroundings. I don't enjoy being there I guess.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ATLondoner

So everyone says it but why does it not happen?

(I'm not being pedantic...just asking the question, its a real focal point of the city, especially for tourists and I'm intrigued as to why there isn't more of an effort to clean it up?)

I'm originally from London, consider myself to be pretty streetwise, but always feel pretty uneasy when walking around 5 points. Not scared...just 'aware' of my surroundings. I don't enjoy being there I guess.

The city council held hearings back in 2012 and several councilmembers and downtown business owners expressed their own personal dissatisfaction with the state of downtown.

However, it would be hard to change things without stepping on toes.

Here's the video of the council hearings.

[Caleb Longstreet]

Originally Posted by BeyondInfinity

With the new developments in the city of Atlanta, the city with be completely different in the next 10 years.

God I hope so because as it is, it's a Shiite hole. It's a hodgepodge of attempts at making wrong, right. I applaud the efforts but, it is, what it is.....top 52 destinations....please....compared to WHAT? Let's pick on the domestic US, shall we?

NYC: Manhattan and all the buffoonery therein
Chicago (Shi ca goooo): Talk about restaurants and a walkable downtown? We aren't even close...
San Fran: Real trolley cars doing real trolley work...oh yeah, and an ocean
LA: Meh but, more interesting than this one
Dallas: A west end that won't get you killed and relatively clean with lots to do...
Houston: Combo of Chicago and LA, only more humid
Boston: just as dangerous in some areas but, real culture...and I don't mean yogurt...oh yeah, and an ocean
Miami: just as dangerous, way more fashionable with ill Shiite to do everywhere
Orlando: yes, I said that....I'm trying to offer a more rounded approach.....more safe, too
Phoenix: Really cool restaurants and bars with cooler themes and things to do....and a desert for a unique fun set
Portland: Unique and eclectic that works
Seattle: See Portland, only bigger and a bit less friendly
Denver: You can hang out in that area and have a great time with minimal thuggery...oh and it has a mountain or two

I haven't even got to Paris, London, Zurich, Berlin, Tokyo, Sydney, Barcellona, Toronto....

Sure, some of these are marginal but, compared to lana'? C'mon.....quit blowing the proverbial developer dream oxygen....it's not the worst but, the top 52? Ain't nevuh gonna happen.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by Caleb Longstreet

God I hope so because as it is, it's a Shiite hole. It's a hodgepodge of attempts at making wrong, right. I applaud the efforts but, it is, what it is.....top 52 destinations....please....compared to WHAT? Let's pick on the domestic US, shall we?

NYC: Manhattan and all the buffoonery therein
Chicago (Shi ca goooo): Talk about restaurants and a walkable downtown? We aren't even close...
San Fran: Real trolley cars doing real trolley work...oh yeah, and an ocean
LA: Meh but, more interesting than this one
Dallas: A west end that won't get you killed and relatively clean with lots to do...
Houston: Combo of Chicago and LA, only more humid
Boston: just as dangerous in some areas but, real culture...and I don't mean yogurt...oh yeah, and an ocean
Miami: just as dangerous, way more fashionable with ill Shiite to do everywhere
Orlando: yes, I said that....I'm trying to offer a more rounded approach.....more safe, too
Phoenix: Really cool restaurants and bars with cooler themes and things to do....and a desert for a unique fun set
Portland: Unique and eclectic that works
Seattle: See Portland, only bigger and a bit less friendly
Denver: You can hang out in that area and have a great time with minimal thuggery...oh and it has a mountain or two

I haven't even got to Paris, London, Zurich, Berlin, Tokyo, Sydney, Barcellona, Toronto....

Sure, some of these are marginal but, compared to lana'? C'mon.....quit blowing the proverbial developer dream oxygen....it's not the worst but, the top 52? Ain't nevuh gonna happen.

I'm assuming you didn't peruse the entire list. It obviously wasn't a list of the best of the best destinations in the world; in the U.S., the only other cities to make the list that I can recall were Nashville and Indianapolis.

[onesip]

I love Atlanta from downtown to outside of Atlanta ! Can't wait to move there

[bryantm3]

since when does going to west end get you killed? and what exactly do you mean by "thuggery"?

[Staysean23]

Originally Posted by bhammaster

I don't believe this for a second.

Stories like these are always over the top.

I didnt either.. Alot of people will make up stuff on these boards just to prove a point.. The way he described that fairytale u would have thought the Texas chainsaw masscare had moved in downtown