and is expecting over $500 million
in impact from the 2026 FIFA
World Cup alone,” according to the
Showcase Atlanta website.
“The primary goal of Showcase
Adanta is to provide our residents,
small businesses and visitors with
exceptional experiences during major
events hosted in our city. As more
large sports and entertainment events
continue to choose Adanta, we want
our community to participate fully
and equitably, and this initiative
is a unique opportunity to drive
generational progress for our
communities across the city,” Dickens said in
a news release.
Dickens selected Arthur Blank,
philanthropist and owner of the Atlanta
Falcons and Atlanta United, and UPS CEO
Carol Tome to serve with him as co-chairs
of the Showcase Atlanta committee. The
committee will advise the mayor on city-led
plans for these events and ensure that the
local community is engaged and directly
benefits, according to the news release.
Additional committee members,
including local business and civic leaders, will
be added over time, according to the news
release.
“We are an international city with a
rich history, vibrant culture and thriving
entertainment industry and Showcase
Atlanta will highlight everything our city has
to offer,” Tome said in the release.
The initiative’s plan includes establishing
a process for businesses to directly engage
with large-scale events and to implement
policies that encourage event organizers
to source services and products from local
businesses.
The plan also calls for community and
neighborhood engagement as plans for
major events are planned and implemented.
This includes prioritizing opportunities for
nonprofit collaboration and maintaining
open communication with residents and
local business owners to ensure they all can
benefit from the influx of people attending
the large-scale events.
Norelie Garcia, board chair of the
Georgia Latino Film Alliance (GALFA), has
been named executive director of Showcase
Atlanta. With over 20 years of experience
leading private-public partnerships,
business management and large-scale global
initiatives, Garcia will spearhead efforts to
ensure the success of Showcase Atlanta.
“Through the leadership and vision of the
mayor and other public and private leaders,
we are going to showcase Atlanta to the rest
of the world, while ensuring major events
are done with and for the benefit of all our
residents,” Garcia said in the news release.
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NOVEMBER 2024 | 9
