Luca Pietro0:00 I think an interesting topic if you're from Atlanta or you're from the area is the new construction that's going on next to Mercedes Benz and State Farm Arena in what was called the Gulch.0:10 So that was used to be a large parking spot that was used for tailgates for Falcons games, Hawks games, uh concerts in the area, as well as lots of event parking.0:22 Now what they're doing before the World Cup comes to Atlanta is they're building out almost uh a battery-like venue.0:29 So it's gonna have restaurants, bars, uh hotels, all that kind of stuff, uh, to try to enhance the the social aspect and the community aspect, uh, giving it a little bit more of appeal in that area in downtown Atlanta by Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena.0:45 And the original plan was there was gonna be government subsidized housing in the gulch.0:50 However, being so close to two major sports venues, uh State Farm and Mercedes-Benz, typically crime rates are higher in government subsidized areas.1:00 So they decided they didn't want to put a govern government subsidized housing there because the crime rates would be higher and there's a lot of events that go on around there that could potentially deter visitors and tourists.1:10 So I think that's pretty interesting.1:12 I don't know if that's the right decision or not, um, because housing is also a huge problem, but yeah, that's what they're doing with the Gulch in downtown Atlanta.
Thomas Freer0:00 Yeah, Luca, this is definitely an interesting topic and one that people have been talking about for a couple of years now.0:06 Very exciting.0:07 It's about a 500 million is total going into this Gulch development in between Mercedes Benz and St.0:14 Farm.0:15 And you know, I think everyone agrees it's a great idea.0:18 The government's putting a lot of money into it, which is awesome.0:22 But the only issue is they had plans to do this, like you said, before the World Cup with all the traffic, the tourists that are be coming in.0:30 The games are obviously going to be played in Mercedes-Benz.0:34 And it just seems like a lot of people are talking about it that they are not going to be anywhere close to being completed with the project by the time the World Cup starts.0:45 And I think this is just a complete ball drop by the city of Atlanta.0:49 Um I don't know how this like I mean, they're just missing out on so much opportunity, so much revenue to come into the city by just not finishing this.1:00 Um it'd be a great way to kick start the new development.1:04 It would bring so much attention.1:06 There'd be national news coverage of the area, maybe the restaurants, the bars, whatever, all the entertainment.1:14 And there I just don't see any world where they're gonna have it complete by the time the World Cup starts, and that's just so unfortunate for our city.1:22 Um I'm glad that they're doing it though.1:25 I definitely do not want them to back out or stop, but if they can somehow pull it off before the World Cup, that would be great.1:32 I just don't think there's any chance.