Statement on CEO Bill Stephen’s Proposed Changes to Stone Mountain Park
DATE: May 20, 2021
CONTACT: Gabrielle Rogers, media@stonemountainaction.org
View CEO Bill Stephen’s full presentation from the Stone Mountain Memorial Association board meeting on April 26, 2021. Before sharing the proposal, Stephens acknowledged the following:
The Park lost $27 million between 2019 and 2020 and the 56% drop in revenue is NOT sustainable
Marriott, which operates the Park’s only hotel and conference center, has decided to leave in 2022
“All interested potential vendor/partner replacements indicate they will NOT bid on the RFP, without the State of Georgia dealing with issues revolving around the Confederacy”
Proposed changes:
A new exhibit in Confederate Memorial Hall dedicated to the “honest telling of the whole story” noting the Park’s role in the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan and the Lost Cause campaign to promote white supremacy ideas
“Securing and protecting” the Park’s Confederate flags at a new “Valor Park” with a better view of the world’s largest Confederate monument
Rename Confederate Hall to “Heritage Hall”
Centralize and consolidate Confederate symbols into a 40 acre space
Redesign SMMA’s current logo to remove the Confederate figures
Construct a Faith & Freedom Chapel at the top of the mountain
Rename generic streets to honor significant Georgians (keeping all streets named after Confederate figures)
Rename Park trails and lakes named after Confederate and Ku Klux Klan figures
Stone Mountain Action Coalition’s Statement on Proposed Changes
While it took a loss of $27 million and the Park’s management company and hotelier pulling out for CEO Bill Stephens to finally publicly acknowledge that they must deal with their Confederate flags and memorials, we welcome the Stone Mountain Memorial Association’s (SMMA) openness to making long overdue changes.
Even if all the changes Stephens proposed were implemented, Stone Mountain Park would still remain the largest Confederate memorial and shine to white supremacy in the world. Every day the SMMA fails to make changes, Georgians will continue to fund this public park that continues to promote and attract racism and division. There should not be any “additions” to the Park until all Confederate symbols and memorials have been removed. Furthermore, telling the honest and full truth does not mean accommodating “both sides” or compromising with those that continue to promote and harbor racism.
The SMMA has the authority, facts, plan and resources to make significant and immediate changes including removing the Confederate flags, renaming the Confederate and Ku Klux Klan streets and features, and ending all maintenance of the nine-story Confederate carving. These are not new issues for the Park or the members of the SMMA board.
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