Stone Mountain Park’s Management Company Departs Citing Concerns Over Frequent Protests and Racial Tension
Company Feels the Park is Increasingly Less Family-friendly, Welcoming, and Enjoyable
DATE: October 15, 2020
CONTACT: Gabrielle Rogers, media@stonemountainaction.org
STONE MOUNTAIN, GA - The Stone Mountain Action Coalition (SMAC) is an advocacy network of concerned citizens, political leaders, community organizations, faith-based groups, and businesses who are dedicated to supporting constructive solutions for a new, inclusive, and appropriate vision for Stone Mountain Park.
As reported on October 7, 2020, by WSB-TV reporter Mark Winne, the company that has run all of Stone Mountain Park’s revenue-generating attractions and hotels since 1998, decided to terminate its contract and end all operations by July, 2022. Company officials said in a statement, “Our guests and team members have recently shared that Stone Mountain Park feels increasingly less family-friendly, welcoming, and enjoyable, as the park is frequently the site of protests and division.”
It has become clear that the SMMA board’s unwillingness to discuss or take action over the years to address the Park’s Confederate imagery and attraction to hate groups, despite increasing violence and division, has put the Park in serious financial jeopardy. SMAC’s pursuit for the long overdue changes needed at the Park is not only the right decision for the community and citizens of Georgia, but it’s also the fiscally responsible decision for the Park and the local economy that it supports. The Park, struggling financially due to COVID-19 and plagued by local division and national controversy, now faces the challenge of finding a new corporate partner to manage its operations safely and profitably.
“We had hoped that the SMMA board would be sincere towards our agenda to bring practical solutions and reasonable requests for change. It is beginning to appear that the leadership is playing politics with our efforts, perhaps postponing potentially uncomfortable public meetings or even waiting until after the presidential election,” said SMAC Co-Chair Meymoona Freeman. “The park’s loss of their management company makes their lack of effort to address the controversial divisiveness of the Confederacy that much more shocking.”
We are now truly at the crossroads and there is only one path forward for the Park -- divorce the Confederacy and serve as a safe and welcoming park for the people of Georgia. While this is a tragic loss for the Park as it currently operates, SMAC believes this moment represents a historic opportunity for the future Park and its ultimate legacy.
It cannot continue to operate as the country’s Confederate memorial and must seize this opportunity to transform into a landmark destination where new cultural and economic opportunities can blossom. A new community-driven vision for the Park must be bold and transformative.
This vision is ambitious, but Georgia has a strong history of pursuing bold ideas that transform and define our communities. We have moved mountains before. And we can do it again.
The Stone Mountain Action Coalition and a growing list of community leaders, organizations and businesses are lining up to help support the transformation of the Park to make it the place Georgia, and this country, needs.
About the Stone Mountain Action Coalition
The Stone Mountain Action Coalition is an advocacy network of concerned citizens, political leaders, community organizations, faith-based groups and businesses who are dedicated to supporting constructive solutions and ideas that reflect a new, shared vision for the Stone Mountain Park. The Coalition is advocating for short and long-term changes to help build a path forward by developing a community-driven approach to transform the park into a more inclusive, and economically sustainable destination.
For more information visit: www.stonemountainaction.org
Media contact: Gabrielle Rogers, media@stonemountainaction.org