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Hey, Downtown! This week: the Atlanta Dream made the WNBA finals and announced a multi-year deal to play every home game at State Farm Arena starting in 2027, while the City Council hit pause on the $68 million sale of the city detention center to Fulton County. We've also got the Stitch's new construction outlook, a new music venue at Underground Atlanta, and a packed week of shows to plan around.

- News — MARTA's Five Points rebuild reaches 60% on a complex phase, the Stitch sets a scaled-back 2027 start for street work, and early voting opens Oct. 13 at 32 Fulton County sites.
- Business — The Dream are heading to State Farm Arena, Lunchbox adds two stages to Underground Atlanta, and Smorgasburg is calling its 2026 season early.
- Events — Phoebe Bridgers and KATSEYE play State Farm Arena, jazz and Screen on the Green fill Friday, and the Falcons close out the weekend against the Bears.
- Government — Fulton commissioners voted 4-1 to begin abolishing the Board of Ethics and set the millage rates, and a full week of Atlanta City Council committees (including the detention center sale) is ahead.
- Construction — Underground Atlanta's sprinklers are being reworked, a Peachtree hotel is getting a refresh, and GDOT's Connector tunnel lighting is moving to LED.

Let's dive in.

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MARTA Five Points station revamp hits 60% mark on complex phase
Contractors working on the overhaul of MARTA's Five Points rail station have completed about 60 percent of one of the project's most complex phases. The work is part of a multi-year transformation of the downtown transit hub.

Isaias knocks out power to tens of thousands across metro Atlanta
Isaias made landfall Friday as a Category 2 hurricane and moved north through Alabama, weakening to a post-tropical cyclone. As of 2 p.m. Saturday, about 50,000 Georgia households were without power, including 4,300 in DeKalb County and 2,000 in Fulton County, and a high wind warning and flood watch remain in effect for North and Central Georgia until Sunday morning.

For highway-capping 'Stitch,' new visuals, construction outlook emerge
Atlanta Downtown Stitch Inc. unveiled new renderings at a summit at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, where leaders said Phase One construction is set to start in 2027. That phase will include only street improvements on Ralph McGill Boulevard and Peachtree and Courtland streets, with cap construction to begin once funding allows.

Atlanta City Council delays decision on jail sale to Fulton County
The council put the $68 million sale of the Atlanta City Detention Center to Fulton County on hold for two weeks. Council members cited open questions about the roughly $75 million in upgrades Fulton County says the facility needs, how many employees would be retained, and how the sale proceeds would be used.

Early voting begins next week: Fulton provides 32 advance polling venues
Advance voting for the Nov. 3 general election, which includes the governor's race, runs from Tuesday, Oct. 13 through Friday, Oct. 30. Seven of the 32 locations will accept absentee by-mail ballots through an on-site drop box during early voting dates and hours.

Former Atlanta Fed President to Join Georgia State Fireside Chat
Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies will host a public fireside chat with Raphael Bostic, former president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. The event is part of the school's inaugural Research Day marking its 30th anniversary.

Downtown Atlanta's Stitch project to try again for federal funding
Atlanta officials are preparing a renewed application for federal infrastructure grants to support The Stitch, a planned greenspace capping the Downtown Connector. The funding would go toward engineering and construction of the 14-acre cap connecting Downtown and Midtown.

BUSINESS

Lunchbox bar and music venue opens at Underground Atlanta — Lunchbox, a new bar, nightclub, and music venue with two stages, recently opened near dance club MJQ Concourse at Underground Atlanta, with a coffee shop, a six-stall food hall, and a tapas restaurant planned to open in the coming weeks and months.

Atlanta Dream to make State Farm Arena permanent home court starting in 2027 — The Atlanta Dream, who just made the WNBA finals, announced a multi-year agreement to play all home games at State Farm Arena in Downtown Atlanta, moving from the 3,500-capacity Gateway Center Arena in College Park, beginning with the 2027 season in May.

Smorgasburg ends 2026 season early as new burger residency opens on Edgewood Avenue — Smorgasburg Atlanta canceled its Oct. 3 market and all remaining 2026 festival markets in South Downtown and is expected to return in 2027, while Thicc Burger began a residency serving smash burgers and patty melts on Friday and Saturday nights at Edgewood Avenue dance club Pisces.

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Monday, October 12
- Preseason – Atlanta Hawks v Oklahoma City Thunder | State Farm Arena
- Fall for the Hall: 50% Off Admission | College Football Hall of Fame
- Igorrr: North American Tour 2026 | The Masquerade - Heaven

Tuesday, October 13
- Phoebe Bridgers: The Lost Tour | State Farm Arena
- LAUNDRY DAY Presents: The Larger Than LIFE Tour | The Masquerade – Purgatory

Wednesday, October 14
- Plini – An Unnameable Desire North American Tour | The Masquerade – Purgatory
- Live Music on the Broad St. Boardwalk | Broad Street Boardwalk
- King Youngblood: Make Your Voice Heard Loud & Vote Tour | Georgia State University

Thursday, October 15
- KATSEYE: THE WILDWORLD TOUR | State Farm Arena
- Black Ahh Trivia: Homecoming Hookups | Atlantucky Brewing
- Markets on the Broad Street Boardwalk | Broad Street Boardwalk
- Symphonic Wind Ensemble presents "Transcontinental Treasures" | Florence Kopleff Recital Hall
- Macbeth | The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
- Georgia State University Men's Basketball vs West Georgia (Scrimmage) | Ga., GSU Convocation Center

Friday, October 16
- Ali Siddiq: The Custom Fit Tour | State Farm Arena
- Ceremony | The Masquerade – Purgatory
- San Holo presents TRUE LOVE IN A MADE UP WORLD | Hop ON – Hop OFF Tours
- Jazz Fridays at the Municipal Market | Sweet Auburn Curb Market
- Getting into the Weeds: A Georgia Medical Cannabis Law Update | Georgia State University College of Law, Knowles Conference Center
- Screen on The Green | Founders Green
- Joshua Redman at Rialto Center | Rialto Center for the Arts

Saturday, October 17
- Atlanta United FC vs. Inter Miami CF | Atlanta’s Stadium
- Don Omar: The Last King World Tour | State Farm Arena
- Atsuko Okatsuka: The Big Bowl Tour | The Tabernacle
- Hawks and Skyhawks Hoop It Up 3×3 Tournament | Georgia World Congress Center
- L7: The Last Hurrah Tour | The Masquerade
- Saturday Adventures at the Center: Side Quest | National Center for Civil and Human Rights
- Smoke & Mirrors Car, Truck & Bike Show | Sweet Auburn BBQ
- Monster Mash | Center for Puppetry Arts
- Cotton Patch Gospel: Season 50 Return Engagement | Theatrical Outfit
- GFC Karaoke Bingo: 90s & 2000s R&B Edition (30+) | Aromas Tea Bar - The Koncept House

Sunday, October 18
- Atlanta Falcons v Chicago Bears | Atlanta’s Stadium
- In Her Own Words, Every Avenue & Public Works | The Masquerade
- Cavetown – Running With Scissors Tour | Hop ON – Hop OFF Tours

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Note: our information comes from posted meetings documents (agendas and minutes when available) — latest source document hyperlinked to each meeting.

Past Week Roundup

Fulton County Board of Commissioners
Commissioners set the 2026 millage rates, with the general fund rate landing at 8.87 mills, after a push by Commissioner Bridget Thorne for a lower 8.22 rollback rate died for lack of a second. The board also voted 4-1 to start abolishing the Fulton County Board of Ethics and replace it with independent hearing officers, and the County Attorney will now draft the ordinance to make that happen. On the spending side, you'll see more than $14 million go to four contractors for standby wastewater construction, plus $3.76 million more for maintenance and upgrades at the Camp Creek facility. Commissioners put a $9.58 million contract extension for senior and behavioral health transportation on hold, so that service's funding picture stays unsettled for now. They also directed the county manager to write policies for how the county uses artificial intelligence, and a proposal to limit public comment to agenda items failed when no one seconded it.

Atlanta City Council
The full council met Monday with a packed agenda, and the minutes aren't published yet, so outcomes aren't confirmed. As covered in today's news section, the council took up the $68 million sale of the Atlanta City Detention Center to Fulton County. The agenda also included a citywide rule requiring special use permits for every new self-storage facility, a $2.34 million purchase of about 12.6 acres for a new park in southwest Atlanta, and an ordinance ending admission fees at city pools during open swim hours. Several industrial sites were up for rezoning to dense mixed-use housing and retail, and data center proposals, including a ban on using drinking water for cooling, sat in committee. The Committee on Council met earlier that day with a resolution asking election boards to station certified police officers at recreation centers used as polling places, along with an ordinance requiring speakers at council meetings to be called in the order they signed up. It also had on its agenda an outside investigation into the city's dealings with Foris Webb III and a charter change requiring a council member to sponsor every piece of legislation.

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education
The Board of Education took up final adoption of the tax levy resolution for the FY2027 General Fund budget, which sets the school portion of your property tax bill. The board approved construction management contracts for renovations at Booker T. Washington High School and the Medical Magnet Academy, building upgrades at Mary Lin Elementary, and a bundled HVAC and building systems package for Parkside, Heritage, and Hollis schools. It also approved leasing the former Towns Elementary property to the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyer Foundation and Compudopt, which puts a vacant school building back to work for legal and digital services. The board advanced updates to its student screen time policy and approved a sales tax reconciliation with DeKalb County schools for E-SPLOST VI. The record doesn't include individual vote counts, so the margins on these items aren't known.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- Atlanta City Detention Center (254 Peachtree St SW) — City Council considered an intergovernmental agreement to sell the detention center to Fulton County for up to $68 million while leasing back operational space.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee | Oct-12, 11:00 AM | key topics: comprehensive zoning code rewrite, legal definition of family, BeltLine mixed-use rezonings
- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee | Oct-12, 1:00 PM | key topics: restrictions on weapon-equipped robotics, alcohol licensing procedures, federal justice assistance grant
- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee | Oct-13, 10:00 AM | key topics: commercial data center water limits, commercial septic tank ban, drinking water infrastructure funding
- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee | Oct-13, 1:30 PM | key topics: Memorial Drive Greenway land acquisition, park capital repair funding, federal housing grants
- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee | Oct-14, 10:00 AM | key topics: Centennial Yards Complete Streets grant, public street abandonments, neighborhood traffic safety studies
- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee | Oct-14, 1:30 PM | key topics: proposed sale of Atlanta City Detention Center, FY 2027 property tax rates, developer tax incentive oversight

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 50 Upper Alabama St SW, Fire sprinkler permit issued. Crews will add and relocate sprinklers to cover a new wall layout, which signals interior reconfiguration at Underground Atlanta.
- 75 John Portman Blvd NW, Commercial interior renovation filed. The work will subdivide vacant suites for Clarity Diamond. The permit is waiting on additional materials from the applicant.
- 192 Peachtree Center Ave NE, Parking garage repair permit under review. The work includes concrete repairs, new sealants and traffic deck coating. Expect some noise and possible lane disruptions nearby.
- 210 Peachtree St NW, Three alteration permits are under review for a hotel refresh. Guestrooms get new flooring, finishes and furniture, and bathrooms get new finishes with tub-to-shower conversions. Corridors are getting updated too.
- 230 Peachtree St NW, Fire sprinkler permit issued. The contractor will add and relocate parts of the existing system to meet NFPA 13 standards.
- 229 Auburn Ave NE, Interior office build-out under review. Gorman & Company LLC will take over space in an existing building, which means a new tenant is moving in.

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-75/i-85 from Csx #050315P to Brookwood Interchange — Resurfacing of this stretch of I-75/I-85 (SR 401), last repaved in 2016, to improve its low pavement condition score.
- I-75 @ Ralph Mcgill Blvd & @ Baker Street - Tunnel Lighting — The tunnels' old high-pressure sodium lights are being replaced with energy-efficient LEDs, with conduit and wiring replaced where needed.
- I-75 @ SR 154 - Tunnel Lighting — The tunnel's old high-pressure sodium lights are being replaced with energy-efficient LEDs, with conduit and wiring replaced where needed.
- I-75 from I-85 to Memorial Drive — Crews are swapping the old high-pressure sodium lights along this stretch for energy-efficient LEDs, and may also replace poles, conduit and wiring.

Service Requests
- Traffic Signal Repairs (Non-Emergency): Nine reports came in, including N Ave and Piedmont Ave, Decatur St and Jesse Hill Jr Dr, Capitol Ave and Memorial Dr, Courtland St and Baker St, and Auburn Ave and Courtland St. Four more locations round out the list. Courtland St shows up twice, so you'll want to watch that corridor.
- Traffic Signal Repairs (Emergency): Three Level 1 reports covered Memorial Dr SE and Capitol Ave SE, Central Ave, and Ted Turner Dr SW and Mitchell St SW.
- Right of Way Overgrowth: Visibility problems turned up on Nelson St SW and at Courtland St and Baker St.
- Potholes: Two reports landed on Trinity Ave SW.

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Until next week,
Downtown Busybody

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Disclaimer: We use advanced data retrieval and analysis techniques across hundreds of sources, and may be prone to occasional error. Independently verify information with a secondary source, and please let us know if we got anything wrong via the feedback form.