Posted on: Apr 26, 2018
FOR RELEASE APRIL 26, 2018
(ATLANTA – April 26, 2018) – More than 100 business, government, and nonprofit leaders from metro Atlanta will visit San Diego on May 9-11 to explore regional issues and solutions during the Atlanta Regional Commission’s 2018 LINK program.
“San Diego and Atlanta face so many of the same challenges, from transportation to affordable housing,” said Mike Alexander, director of ARC’s Center for Livable Communities. “This trip offers metro Atlanta leaders a terrific opportunity to learn about San Diego’s successes – and struggles – in dealing with its most pressing problems.”
One area of focus will be affordable housing. In many ways, San Diego provides a cautionary tale, as many working-class families in the region have been priced out of areas that are close to job centers. This is a growing concern among many metro Atlanta leaders.
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LINK participants will also learn about San Diego’s thriving economy, which is fueled by a large military presence, a thriving research and technology sector, and a close relationship with neighboring Tijuana, Mexico. Each day, more than 70,000 vehicles and 20,000 pedestrians use the San Ysidro border crossing, the busiest in the western hemisphere.
The LINK delegation previously visited San Diego in 2001, when the region was abuzz with a coming attraction – Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). This year, LINK participants will get a chance to see how BRT has expanded throughout metro San Diego and learn how the region has become a global leader in transportation technology and smart city infrastructure.
LINK, which began in 1997, has been responsible for the development of several important regional efforts: The Metro Atlanta Mayors Association was created following a visit to Chicago in 2002; the Metro Atlanta Speaks public opinion poll began after the Houston trip in 2013; and the Atlanta Regional Public Art Program was inspired by a visit to Philadelphia in 2014.
“LINK has been an invaluable resource for the Atlanta region,” said Doug Hooker, ARC Executive Director. “The lessons we learn and the relationships forged among participants have helped drive important innovation and collaboration back at home.”
The LINK program is organized with support from ARC’s 2018 Strategic Partners:
Visionary Partners: Georgia Power; Uber
Innovator Partner: Delta Air Lines.
The program is also sponsored by:
Presenting Sponsors: North Fulton Community Improvement District; Partnership Gwinnett
Leadership Sponsors: Comcast; Georgia Pacific; HNTB; Kimley-Horn; Metro Atlanta Chamber; Perimeter Community Improvement Districts
Premiere Sponsors: ACEC Georgia; Atlanta Aerotropolis Community Improvement Districts; ARCADIS; Axis Infrastructure; Council for Quality Growth; Cox Enterprises; Indian Hills Country Club; McGuire Woods Consulting; Midtown Alliance; Town Center Community Improvement District; Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Georgia; The Woodruff Arts Center
Partner Sponsors Buckhead Community Improvement District; Cobb Chamber; Commdex; Development Authority of Fulton County; Gas South; Invest Atlanta; Stantec
Contact:
Jim Jaquish
(470) 378-1511
Cell: (404) 323-5634
jjaquish@atlantaregional.org
ARC’s Strategic Partners are committed to fostering collaborative regional approaches that improve quality of life in metro Atlanta. Their support elevates ARC leadership programs, research and events throughout the year. Learn more.
