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ATI announces 'First Friday' plans

• Albany Tomorrow Inc. plans a monthly series to attract visitors to the city's downtown district.

Carlton Fletcher

ALBANY — To Southwest Georgians looking for a little weekend excitement: Keep the first Fridays of each month open.

Albany Tomorrow Inc., with the help of the Albany Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Albany Merchants Association, will kick off its Fridays on the Flint first-Friday series Sept. 7 with a gathering at the vacant lot on the corner of South Jackson Street and Broad Avenue.

ATI Project Coordinator Cullena Morman, who is spearheading the program, made the announcement during Albany Tomorrow’s regular monthly meeting Wednesday.

“This is something we’ve been toying with for a while,” Morman said after the meeting. “We talked with some people from the city of Augusta, and they gave us some great ideas that we’re going to incorporate into our series.

“They told us they sometimes have crowds of 10,000 people, and that’s what we want to build to. We think this is just what the people in the area have been looking for.”

Morman said the series, planned for the first Friday of each month, will feature live entertainment, children’s activities, arts displays and street vendors. The 5 p.m.-10 p.m. gathering is being planned to bring people to the downtown district.

“We’re going to have street vendors, but not any who would conflict with downtown merchants,” she said. “We’re going to ask the merchants to extend their hours so visitors can get an idea of what downtown has to offer. We’re encouraging patronage of downtown merchants.”

Also at the 11 a.m. meeting, Assistant City Manager James Taylor answered questions and presented an outline of the proposed downtown Riverfront District.

“Once this district is approved, it will be exempt from all existing ordinances,” Taylor said. “It will have its own special rules and regulations. Any ordinances passed will have to specifically mention the Riverfront District for it to be included.”

A public hearing on the special district will be held Aug. 7 at 6 p.m. in Room 100 of the Government Center.

Albany-Dougherty Inner City Authority board member Andy Reid, who is part of a search committee screening candidates for the ATI president/ CEO post currently held on an interim basis by Greg McCormack, said 12 resumes had been submitted for the position.

“Of the first cut, there are at least four potential candidates,” Reid said. “We hope to look at other sources before the deadline and eventually supply this board with 10 candidates for review.”

Deadline for applications is July 31.

McCormack gave a slide presentation on progress of the six Special-Purpose Local- Option Sales Tax V projects being developed by ATI. He told board members ground is expected to be broken later this summer or early in the fall on the lone SPLOST V project not currently under construction, the flyover bridge at Cleve Cox Landing that will connect the North Trail with the Parks at Chehaw.

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