Metro Atlanta city fighting opposition to choosing new marketing, tourism agency

The City of College Park announced it would continue with plans to create its own destination marketing agency, no longer working with the ATL Airport District.

According to College Park officials, the process of changing agencies began after what the city described as performance issues arose, and requests for information on contracts, sales and events during the FIFA World Cup, among others, went unanswered.

ATL Airport District is the Destination Marketing Organization for multiple metro Atlanta cities, College Park, Hapeville, the City of South Fulton, Fairburn and Union City.

Previously, the district performed the same work for the City of East Point, with that partnership ending in 2024 when East Point began handling its own convention and visitors bureau, instead.

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In response to College Park’s move to find a new agency, which officials said still allowed ATL Airport District to submit a bid for as part of the process, the district filed a challenge with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Georgia Hotel-Motel Tax Performance Review Board in June.

At the time, the district was successful in reversing College Park’s separation, so the city appealed.

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“The City of College Park conducted an open and public procurement process to select its Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, following existing local ordinances and state guidelines. The incumbent firm did reapply for consideration. An RFP was issued, responded to and then vetted and reviewed by the College Park Finance Office as well as a sub-committee appointed to make recommendations to the Mayor and Council,” College Park officials said in part. “In the preceding year, numerous performance issues arose, and written requests made to the ATL Airport District for sales data, contract leads data, conventions/special events secured during the FIFA World Cup, new events for the Gateway Arena and Convention Center, etc., went unanswered.”

The city also said it had not received notice or a copy of the ATL Airport District’s supplemental complaint, saying that meant the organization lacked standing to contest the change in marketing vendor.

After a hearing on Monday, College Park officials said that reversal was itself left in limbo, though the performance board released two findings with no official final decision.

College Park said the DCA Commissioner, Christopher Nunn, is scheduled to reveal a final decision on Dec. 1.

A statement from the city said it will share additional data and correspondence with the district asking for answers about its operating reserves, its annual payroll and contributions to hotel-motel taxes.

Channel 2 Action News has reached out to ATL Airport District representatives for comment.

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