ATLANTA, GA — A feasibility study for Atlanta’s first LGBTQ+ community cultural, educational, and recreational center gets approval and funding from the Atlanta City Council. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a feasibility study is an examination of a situation to decide if a suggested method, plan, or piece of work is possible or reasonable.

The one-year $150,000 study is one of Mayor Andre Dickens’ inclusivity initiatives.

Atlanta has one of the largest and most thriving LGBTQ communities in the nation, and the city deserves a thoughtful and tangible place to honor the legacy and contributions LGBTQ Atlantans have made to our culture. I look forward to working with our Administration’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, my Senior Leadership and members of our LGBTQ community to chart a smart, forward-looking plan that memorializes Atlanta’s prominent role as a welcoming and inclusive city.

—  Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens

Legislation sponsored by Councilmembers Amir Farokhi, Jason Winston, Matt Westmoreland, and Alex Wan on behalf of the administration allows the mayor to move ahead on an agreement with the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority (AFCRA) to conduct the study. If built, the center would be operated by the Recreation Authority on the city’s behalf and would have a planned opening in 2030.

Atlanta has been known as a hotspot for the LGBTQ+ community for years. Just last October, the mayor authorized the Rainbow Crosswalk at 10th and Piedmont to be updated with new paint and design including black and brown stripes to honor LGBTQ communities of color, as well as the colors of the trans flag, in support of a growing gender-expansive community.