Downtown Atlanta’s top cheerleader says it’s time to hang up his hat

Robinson will step down as president and CEO of downtown’s main civic organization Central Atlanta Progress later this year, kicking off a search for a successor. The move will coincide with a board shake-up at the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, an affiliated public-private partnership that oversees beautification efforts in the city center.

The transition will take place after Atlanta hosts eight World Cup matches this summer. Robinson’s successor will be tasked with continuing downtown’s revitalization efforts after the crowds leave, building upon the momentum that’s been generated in recent years.

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

During Robinson’s tenure, downtown has endured a wide range of disruptions, including a tornado strike in 2008 and the fallout of the Great Recession.

But the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath further shook the city center, leaving it with a glut of aging office buildings, a retreat in daily foot traffic and a slate of struggling retailers. It also struggles with perceptions of crime, blight and homelessness, despite efforts to alleviate those issues.

“If you would have gone to downtown five years ago in the depths of COVID, it was a much sadder experience,” said David Cummings, one of the owners of South Downtown and board chair of Central Atlanta Progress.

“But now there’s tons of cranes in the air,” he continued. “There’s a lot of signs that it’s coming back to life … we’re definitely on the upswing, and it provides a nice foundation for the next leaders to take it and run with it.”

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens added that Robinson helped create a world-class downtown that’s poised for future growth. He said Robinson “helped attract and retain businesses, world class conventions and improve the overall quality of life in our urban core.”

Seeing parallels

Before joining the civic organization, Robinson spent more than two decades with Atlanta developer Portman Holdings — a firm that built many of downtown’s iconic structures.

Despite being the epicenter of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games and the face of Atlanta, downtown’s vibrancy lagged other parts of the city at the turn of the 21st Century.

Robinson credited the late Home Depot cofounder Bernie Marcus — and his more than $200 million gift to help build the Georgia Aquarium downtown — with changing the tides. That move influenced Robinson to pursue civic leadership and try to capitalize on that momentum.

Credit: AJC

Credit: AJC

“When I came, the wind (at our backs) was the announcement that the aquarium was going to be downtown,” Robinson said. He added that it influenced a generation of new downtown investments, ranging from stadiums to museums, that helped build out Atlanta’s premier entertainment district.

He said there are similar parallels in 2026, influencing his decision to pass the baton to new leadership.

Beyond the World Cup festivities, downtown is being reshaped by redevelopment projects such as Centennial Yards, the redevelopment of the Gulch, and South Downtown’s revitalization of century-old buildings. Other projects like “The CTR” — the refresh of the former CNN Center — and new tenants at Underground Atlanta also promise to breathe new life into downtown.

“He laid the groundwork for downtown’s next phase of growth,” Katie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, said. “His retirement marks the close of an extraordinary chapter and a pivotal moment to build on the foundation he helped create.”

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

‘We try to influence things’

Cummings is on the search committee to find Robinson’s successor, saying they aim to pass the reins in the fall.

He said the right candidate will likely be someone who’s led complex revitalization efforts in a different city or someone already in Atlanta who knows how to drive change in the city. Cummings said it’s a challenging job because downtown encapsulates so many different facets, including tourism, education, government, entertainment, innovation, corporate investments and hospitality.

“Downtown is really complicated,” he said. “I think one of the opportunities for the next leader is to really lean in on helping convert downtown from its previous life as a central business district into a new life as a walkable urban residential community.”

Robinson added that Central Atlanta Progress is a big tent-style organization where networking, diplomacy and collaboration are key.

“We don’t really own anything. We don’t really make anything,” he said. “We try to influence things.”

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Coupled with the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, the two organizations operate as “Downtown Atlanta, Inc.” Craig Jones, who has been ADID’s board chair for 23 years, will also transition from his role to lead the newly formed Stitch board, overseeing an ambitious project to cap the Downtown Connector with an elevated park.

Robinson is expected to be nominated as Jones’ successor at ADID, so he can act as counsel for the next Central Atlanta Progress leader. He said the time for fresh blood has come, but he expects to remain invested in downtown’s future regardless of what hat he’s wearing.

As for the over-the-top Atlanta hats, Robinson hopes that will continue as well.

“I hope that tradition, as farcical as it is, continues in some way,” he said.

— Staff writer Riley Bunch contributed to this article.