The Masquerade Inks Long Term Deal To Call Underground Home

 
 
A little less than a year ago, The Masquerade made a move from our historic North Avenue location in Midtown to the Kenny’s Alley section of Underground Atlanta. The move took place after abandoning plans to develop a warehouse on Fairmont Avenue in West Midtown because of a conflict with a residential home developer. The relocation to Underground, intended to be a temporary one, was facilitated by Mayor Kasim Reed, Councilman Kwanza Hall and the City of Atlanta. It was a lifesaver for our company and a blessing for the Atlanta Music Community.
 
We are now pleased to announce that the temporary relocation has become permanent. The Masquerade has entered into a binding deal with new Underground developers, WRS, Inc. and will make the spaces we currently inhabit in Kenny’s Alley our long-term home.
 
Over the course of the past year, the amount of help and support we have received from WRS cannot be overstated. Scott Smith, Arthur J. Kepes, Tim Norton and the rest of the team have gone above and beyond to make us feel welcome and to create a scenario and environment in which we feel confident our business will grow and prosper.
 
Aside from the support of the City of Atlanta and the WRS company, a number of factors played into the decision to call Underground Atlanta home. The primary consideration was the near universal support and approval we have received from the concert going public. Based on comments we have received and the actual increase in attendance and bookings we have experienced since moving, we are certain this is the right move. The ease of access from the interstate, numerous adjacent parking spaces, access to public transportation and the constant and vigilant presence of security on the property have made for a wonderful concert going experience for Masquerade patrons of all ages.
 
We are happy to now be a part of the revitalization of South Downtown, which includes the new Mercedes Benz Stadium and future development of Peachtree and South Broad. With Georgia State University virtually surrounding us with its ever-growing student population, and the nearby development of its new Sports Complex at the former Turner Field site, we are now in the middle of a growing community.
 
Along with the decision to become a lasting part of the new Underground Atlanta development come plans to renovate and upgrade the facilities themselves. All three performance spaces will receive both structural and cosmetic improvements which will become readily apparent to ticket buyers and performing artists in the coming months.
 
In closing, we would also like to thank several other people without whose efforts we likely would not have landed in the enviable position in which we find ourselves. We would like to thank Chris Carter and Gene Rice at Vantage Partners for helping us search for a new home for many years. We also owe a huge debt of gratitude to Jay Clark and his team at Southeast Capital Partners for being helpful and accommodating landlords for many years. And lastly, John Tirrill at SWH Partners for allowing us the time needed to relocate without any downtime. His mixed-use project, North and Line, at the old Masquerade site will be a tremendous addition to the Old 4th Ward neighborhood.
 
We are excited to finally have some closure as to our long-term future and to be a part of the new Underground revitalization. Watch for more announcements in the coming months as our plans grow and develop.