Out and About in Metro Atlanta: Conversations Shaping the Region

We spent time at three gatherings across metro Atlanta, including Gwinnett County’s Annual Economic Outlook and the third annual Joint Conference on Real Estate with ULI Atlanta and Georgia Tech. The anchor of the week was the Cumberland Community Meeting, where leaders shared new results from the economic and fiscal impact analysis that KB Advisory Group prepared for the Cumberland Community Improvement District (CID).

The meeting brought together property owners, businesses, and community partners to reflect on the district’s progress and look ahead to what comes next. The discussion offered a reminder of how much the Cumberland area has grown into one of metro Atlanta’s major economic centers.

This year’s theme, Big Moves, Big Impact, captured the moment well.

During the program, local leaders shared findings from the latest economic and fiscal impact analysis prepared by KB Advisory Group for the Cumberland CID, work we have conducted with the district since 2017. Over time, the analysis has become a regular benchmark used by local leaders to understand how CIDs contribute to the regional economy.

The most recent numbers illustrate the scale of the impact in Cumberland. Today the CID is home to roughly 96,000 jobs, 32,000 residents, and more than 3,700 businesses. Activity within the district generates approximately $30.7 billion in annual economic impact across Georgia.

The meeting also highlighted several milestones shaping the district’s next chapter, including the final segment of the Bob Callan Trail along the Chattahoochee River and Phase One of the New Day Palisades Park.

That same day, we joined more than 300 business and civic leaders at Partnership Gwinnett’s Annual Economic Outlook. The conversation reinforced how diverse Gwinnett’s economy has become, with continued growth in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, education partnerships, and tourism.

Georgia Tech economist Dr. Alfie Meek also highlighted broader national trends that could influence economic conditions in the coming years, including artificial intelligence, onshoring, and shifts in the labor market.

The week wrapped up at the Georgia Tech / ULI Atlanta program where developers and investors shared lessons from projects such as Centennial Yards, Medley in Johns Creek, and the redevelopment of the former North DeKalb Mall site.

Speakers acknowledged that redevelopment projects are harder to finance in the current environment. Rising construction costs, expensive capital, and complex site conditions mean many projects only move forward when infrastructure investments or tools such as Tax Allocation Districts (TADs) help close the gap.

Finally, there was a clear message about trust and credibility.

Developers noted that complex projects tend to attract investors based on the deal itself, but also on the experience and reputation of the development team and their relationships with local partners.

For those of us who work at the intersection of real estate markets, city planning, and public policy, the conversation reinforced an important point: successful redevelopment requires navigating a complex set of challenges, with infrastructure, capital, policy, and long-term collaboration all coming together at the same time.

Three events. Three conversations. One fast-moving region.

For KB Advisory Group, staying close to these discussions is part of the job. The ideas shaping tomorrow’s projects are often first heard in rooms like these.

We look forward to many more conversations ahead.