Sep 1, 2017

Atlanta is Thriving

Hey there! Ping here. I am taking some time today to reflect on how lucky I am to have migrated to the city of Atlanta. I have been here more than 15 years now, serving The Icebox as the King of Cool. But aside from the friends I have made at the Georgia Aquarium, you don’t see very many penguins around these parts.

So why am I so excited to be an Atlanta local these days? Because Atlanta is absolutely thriving. Just this past weekend, I checked out an Atlanta United FC game and an Atlanta Falcons game at the brand-new, state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The place is incredible. The halo board and the retracting roof are shining examples of the modern strides this city continues to make. And what’s more exciting is that Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host the College Football National Championship, the Super Bowl, the MLS All-Star Game, and the NCAA Men’s Final Four—all within the next three years.

We also just celebrated the grand opening of SunTrust Park—the new home of the Atlanta Braves. This gorgeous new stadium has transformed the entire area it inhibits in Cobb County. The Battery Atlanta, which shares real-estate with the new ballpark, is redefining the idea of a “live, work, play” destination.

If sports aren’t your thing—that’s cool. Atlanta is also a thriving spot for film and television right now. Call us the Hollywood of the East Coast. In fact, the state of Georgia is the number one filming location in the world. Many of your favorite shows and movies are filmed right here—including Marvel’s Avengers, The Walking Dead, and Stranger Things. Film and television generated $9.5 billion in revenue for the state of Georgia in fiscal 2017. Yeah—billion—with a “B”.

Sports and entertainment are certainly exciting and glamorous aspects of Atlanta’s ongoing renaissance, but you can’t talk about our thriving city without mentioning business and technology. Atlanta’s economy and job market are among the strongest in the country. The Atlanta Business Chronicle recently reported that Atlanta is ranked No. 6 among the “Best Cities for Job Seekers in 2017.” A lot of this economic strength comes from Atlanta’s booming financial and tech scenes. Many even refer to Atlanta as the “Silicon Valley of the South.” The Buckhead tech incubator Atlanta Tech Village has birthed some of the most exciting startups of the past few years, including Salesloft, Rigor, Calendly, and Namely.

But startups aren’t the only drivers of Atlanta’s booming business landscape. The city is home to some of the world’s most admired companies. Coca-Cola, Chick Fil’a, The Home Depot, and Delta Air Lines are just a few of the multi-billion dollar corporations that call Atlanta home. Even more exciting is the fact that some other huge names have recently decided to relocate to our great city. State Farm is building its new world headquarters near Perimeter Center, and Mercedes-Benz is relocating its North American headquarters to Sandy Springs. And let’s not forget about the coolest provider of promotional swag and apparel—The Icebox—with its headquarters located on the beautiful Atlanta Belt Line and its state-of-the-art distribution facility located near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (the busiest airport in the world, by the way).

With all these exciting reasons to feel grateful to be living in Atlanta right now, we can’t forget the heart and soul of the city—it’s rich and diverse culture and history. From its contributions to the civil rights movement to its hosting of the 1996 Olympic Games, our city has been a cornerstone of American history since its inception. It truly is a city with a vivid, beautiful, and complex story to tell, and we at The Icebox think that’s the city’s secret. The soul of Atlanta is what makes it so special, the reason it’s thriving now, and the reason it will continue to thrive for years to come.

For any ATL locals reading this who are not yet acquainted with The Icebox, we invite you to learn more about what we offer your fellow Atlantans. And if you’re as proud to be an Atlanta company as we are, then we’re a match made in swag heaven.

Until next time!
Ping