2018 Cobb Travel & Tourism Annual Report

s ' ta n a Atl Spot Sweet

1 2018 ANNUAL REPORTTravelCobb.org

T H IS IS T H E FU N P ART !

• LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO............. 4 • MISSION/VISION............................................................................. 5 • BOARD OF DIRECTORS.. .............................................................. 7 • A TEAM THAT MAKES IT HAPPEN.. ................. 8-9 • AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE............................... 10-11 FOR COBB

• COBB COUNTY LODGING OVERVIEW................... 11 • SALES.................................................................................................. 12-13 • EVENTS.. ........................................................................................... 14-15 • SPORTS ALLIANCE.. .......................................................... 16-17 • PARTNERSHIPS.................................................................... 18-19 • MARKETING.............................................................................. 20-21 • CAMERA READY. . ................................................................22-23 • COBB ARTS VIBE............................................................... 24-25 • OPERATIONS BUDGET - FY18............................ 26-27 • SPOT-ON AWARDS.. ......................................................... 28-29 • FINAL THOUGHTS.. ...................................................................... 31 • THANK YOU.. ........................................................................................ 33

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COBB COUNTY IS ATLANTA’S SWEET SPOT. CHARMING, DELIGHTFUL & ALIVE WITH PERSONALITY. WE MARKET COBB COUNTY AND ALL OF ITS ASSETS AS A 365-DAY DESTINATION. WE ARE AN INSIDER’S GUIDE AND AN INSPIRATION FOR VISITORS TO STAY ONE MORE NIGHT.

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO 2018 will be remembered as a progressive and productive year for Cobb Travel & Tourism. Not only did we exceed our goals, but we charted a new direction that will guide us into a bold and bright future.

with the Cobb County Board of Commissioners that will positively impact the future of Cobb Travel & Tourism for years to come. Through a unique collaboration, CT&T is receiving additional funding resources to enhance the sales and marketing of our county as a 365-day destination. To Chairman Boyce and all of the Commissioners, thank you for your support, and to the Cobb Hotel Council, thank you for being a voice for tourism.

In 2018, the tourism industry remained Cobb County’s leading economic driver at $3.14 BILLION, employing more than 39,000 PEOPLE. Numbers that we believe will only continue to climb.

To whom much is given, much is required.

The entire Cobb Travel & Tourism team looks forward to meeting our new opportunities in a visionary and dynamic way.

There are sweet opportunities and possibilities ahead. Our county and cities are thriving. We look forward to continuing to partner with each of you to strengthen the programs and assets we all have and develop and implement new and exciting initiatives, like the Cobb Arts VIBE, that will continue to keep Cobb the destination of choice.

This year CT&T launched Cobb Arts VIBE – Visionaries Imaging Bold Experiences – with 44 key leaders in performing, visual and cultural heritage arts. This initiative reinforced what we already instinctively knew. Arts connect us to something more, and there is more to come in 2019.

Cobb’s hotel community, through the Cobb Hotel Council, led an initiative this year in conjunction

Here’s to a SWEET 2019 !

To whom much is given, much is required. The entire Cobb Travel & Tourism team looks forward to meeting our new opportunities in a VISIONARY and DYNAMIC way.

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WHO WE ARE

The

MISSION of

Cobb Travel & Tourism is to INCREASE

VISITATION

to and AWARENESS of

COBB COUNTY,

thereby

ENHANCING ECONOMIC IMPACT.

VISION Cobb County remains a regionally and nationally known travel destination providing a rewarding and memorable experience to all visitors. Cobb County will continue to be recognized as a preferred destination among planners and conventions, trade shows, and special events, as well as leisure travelers.

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO

2018 was a year of welcoming the NEW & INNOVATIVE while honoring the RICH HISTORY of things that make us PROUD to be a part of COBB COUNTY, 2019 will hold even more SWEET OPPORTUNITIES & POSSIBILITIES.

HOLLY QUINLAN

President & CEO of Cobb Travel & Tourism

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JENNIFER BENNETT - Chairwoman City of Smyrna

DALE KAETZEL Six Flags Over Georgia

COUNCILWOMAN MICHELLE COOPER KELLY - Secretary City of Marietta

WALTER KILEY Cobb Galleria Centre AL MARTIN Georgia Power Company

MICHAEL KNOWLES - Treasurer Wells Fargo

JIM RHODEN Futuren Hospitality

JIM ALLEN Atlanta Braves

COBB SPORTS ALLIANCE

COMMISSIONER LISA CUPID Cobb County Board of Commissioners

JONATHAN GRAVISS - Chairman Clear Channel Outdoor

LUKE HEIM Hotel Indigo, Vinings

In 2018, the CT&T Board of Directors adopted a NEW STRATEGIC PLAN with strategies and tactics that implement innovative and best practice objectives. Using that plan as a guide, we continue to enhance CT&T’s sales and marketing by furthering our efforts to energize and tell the story of Cobb County.

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HOLLY QUINLAN President & CEO

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MAYA CLARK Marketing Coordinator

DIANNE LOVETT National Sales Manager Professional & Group Business

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LINDSEY BURRUSS Marketing Director

CHRIS COLBERT Director of Trade Show Sales

AMANDA PHAIR Director of Partner Relations & Convention Services

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KATHY BUSKE Partner Services Manager

LAURA HORN Director of Finance & Administration

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RACHEL RODGERS Sports Sales & Service Manager

A TEAM THAT MAKES IT HAPPEN 1 HOLLY QUINLAN

Cobb Travel & Tourism is a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization, working to bring visitors to our community and positively impact the hospitality community. Our team is dedicated to promoting Cobb County as a premier tourism destination, every single day. Through partnerships, sales, and marketing, we tell the story of why Cobb County is Atlanta’s sweet spot. The team’s passion, enthusiasm, and expertise help to establish Cobb as a preferred location for conventions, trade shows, meetings, and leisure travel.

President & CEO

2 LINDSEY BURRUSS Marketing Director

3 KATHY BUSKE

Partner Services Manager

4 MAYA CLARK

Marketing Coordinator

5 CHRIS COLBERT

Director of Trade Show Sales

6 LAURA HORN

Director of Finance & Administration

7 DIANNE LOVETT

National Sales Manager Professional & Group Business

Our team is dedicated to promoting Cobb County as a PREMIER TOURISM DESTINATION, every single day.

8 AMANDA PHAIR

Director of Partner Relations & Convention Services

9 RACHEL ROGERS

Sports Sales & Services Manager

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Tourism remains the leading industry in Cobb County and has significant economic impact. It is the welcome mat and front door to our community.

When visitors come to Cobb, they spend money on dining, transportation, entertainment, and more. For every $1 spent at one of our county’s hotel properties, $3 is spent in the community.

TOURISM IS COBB’S LEADING INDUSTRY & SUPPORTED

+39K JOBS.

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AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE FOR COBB TOURISM IN COBB represents $3.14 BILLION in economic impact, a $94 million increase over the previous year and supports more than 39,000 JOBS.

Cobb County

LODGING

Visitor spending has a daily impact on the Cobb County community. On an average day, visitor spending generates $226,684 in state tax revenues, $132,602 in local tax revenues, and $1,431,397 in worker paychecks. Tourism in Cobb County generated $82.74 MILLION in state tax revenues and $48.40 MILLION for Cobb and its cities in tax revenues. In fact, each Cobb household would need to be taxed an additional $478 per year to replace taxes generated by tourism activity.

Overview

TOTAL HOTELS

121

TOTAL ROOMS

13,600

OCCUPANCY

67%

Tourism and hospitality are economic development. Together with our partners, Cobb Travel & Tourism continues to economically impact Cobb in ways that are undeniable. The industry is continuing to grow and the expansion will be felt in every part of our community.

AVG DAILY RATE

2018 = $98.40 2017 = $94.24 2016 = $88.20

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Georgia Department of Economic Development – Tourism; Robert Lann Consulting, LLC

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By understanding the UNIQUE

NEEDS of each group, our sales team CONNECTS VISITORS with

THE RIGHT HOTELS, VENUES, and FACILITIES.

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SALES Cobb Travel & Tourism’s sales team is the driver and an integral partner in the booking of convention, trade show, corporate, group and sports business in Cobb County.

Our sales efforts are proactive in increasing visibility and awareness of Cobb’s many assets, positioning Cobb’s hospitality community as the destination of choice, and maintaining and establishing strategic relationships within the industry as a whole.

172

SECURED MEETINGS

352 LEADS

106,475

CONFIRMED ROOM NIGHTS

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TRADESHOWS

In total, sales had an

ECONOMIC IMPACT of more than

$136 MILLION,

112%

which was of our FY18 goal.

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From major trade shows to sports tournaments to small meetings, Cobb County is the place for a successful event.

COBB COUNTY IS A HOT SPOT FOR MEETINGS

121

Hotels

13,600

Hotel Rooms

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EVENTS

OCCURRED

BOOKED EVENTS

• Anime Weekend Atlanta

• AAU Georgia State Gymnastics Meet

• International Biomass Conference & Expo

• Anime Weekend Atlanta

IN FY18

IN FY18

• International Association of Operative Millers

• American Flag Football League

• NACA South Regional Meeting

• Champions Softball Tournament

• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Annual Conference

• PaperCon 2020

• Perfect Game

• Southern Automotive Conference

• T-Mobile Southeast Tour

• Super Bowl 53

• Triple Crown Sports US Club Nationals

• WCWA National Championships

Events listed above represent a sample of overall sales activity.

350,000+ SF =

Meeting Space in Cumberland

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24 SPORTS SUPPORTED IN 2018 BASEBALL BASKETBALL BMX BOXING BOWLING CHEERLEADING

2018 ANNUAL REPORT

FOOTBALL GOLF GYMNASTICS LACROSSE MARTIAL ARTS PENTATHLON

PADDLE BOARDING ROAD RACE RUGBY SKATEBOARDING SOCCER SOFTBALL

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SPORT CLIMBING SWIMMING TENNIS VOLLEYBALL WAKEBOARDING WRESTLING

COBB SPORTS ALLIANCE

This year we celebrate FIVE YEARS of EXPLOSIVE IMPACT through the Cobb Sports Alliance.

In 2013 we partnered with Cobb County PARKS to create this initiative, and together we launched the Cobb Sports Alliance. This group, led by more than 60 of Cobb’s sports leaders, continues to be a powerhouse and strengthen Cobb’s position to attract and win more sporting events and tournaments, driving a multitude of wins for every community and 24 sports.

The type of sports we bring range from the traditional to the unique. The Cobb Sports Alliance hosted the Triple Crown Sports US Club Nationals, American Flag Football League (AFFL) Semi-Final Weekend, Legends Lacrosse - Atlanta Showcase and Champions Fast Pitch Tournament.

Not only do THREE MAJOR LEAGUE TEAMS CALL COBB HOME - Major League Lacrosse’s Atlanta Blaze, Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United FC, and Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves - but the Cobb Sports Alliance’s connections also brought national and international sports events to the community, including the Wakeboard National Championship and USA BMX Dixieland Nationals.

AND BY THINKING ABOUT SPORTS IN A WHOLE NEW WAY THROUGH THE COBB SPORTS ALLIANCE, SPORTS HAD AN ECONOMIC IMPACT OF $243,447,925 IN 2018 .

Source: Kennesaw State University Burruss Institue Sports Activity Calculator.

The COBB SPORTS ALLIANCE is the ONLY organization that collectively represents ALL THINGS SPORTS in our community.

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At Cobb Travel & Tourism, we are about

BUILDING & SUSTAINING RELATIONSHIPS.

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PARTNERSHIPS At Cobb Travel & Tourism, we are about building and sustaining relationships. We strive to strategically connect everything that our county has to offer. We market Cobb County by working with all areas of the hospitality community – hotels, restaurants, venues, and attractions.

We are an insider’s guide to Cobb and serve as a catalyst, uniting all things concerning the hospitality industry.

Through collaborative connections between Cobb Travel & Tourism, the hospitality community, and the Cobb County Police Department, the Hotel Security Task Force continues to be innovative and find ways to positively impact visitor safety.

Cobb Travel & Tourism took a comprehensive look into Cobb’s hospitality market at the first Cobb Hospitality Industry Forecast.

The Cobb Hospitality Industry Forecast focuses on upcoming projects for local attractions, the economic development outlook, and key planning data for the hospitality and business community.

Our partnerships with the dining community have grown each year during Cobb Restaurant Week.

Annually in September, we place the spotlight on the exploding dining scene in Cobb County.

This foodie event brings establishments together and offers residents and visitors an opportunity to try different culinary styles. Cobb restaurant week allows restaurants to gain exposure and life-long customers.

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MARKETING - DIGITAL REACH In 2018, we focused on leveraging Cobb’s wealth of tourism assets, positioning our community as a premier destination in Georgia and the southeast. With the objective of increasing market-wide visibility, we developed and delivered messages that stimulated growth in the number of visitors to Cobb, resulting in even greater economic impact throughout all areas of the county.

GEO REACH INCREASES IN 2018

36% 84% 75% 80% 65% 55%

VISITS GREW

34% IN 2018 134,000

GA

WEBSITE VISITS

FL

3,512

FOLLOWERS:

4,198

Cobb is Atlanta’s sweet spot for thrill-seekers, beach bums, sports fanatics, connoisseurs of culture, and the epicurious.

2018 ADS Our communities are diverse, each with their own unique vibe, providing something for everyone. Be at the center of it all - start planning your adventure.

TravelCobb.org ACWORTH

•

| #AtlantasSweetSpot

AUSTELL

2018 ANNUAL REPORT

NC

TN

106,533 4,929 2,802 2,502

•

KENNESAW

•

MARIETTA

•

POWDER SPRINGS

•

SMYRNA

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AL

2,365

SC

1,056

1,798

MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

ADWORDS

FACEBOOK AD CAMPAIGN

7.2%

2.7%

Click-Through Rate

(Average search click-through rate for hospitality/ tourism industry is 4.7%)

8,900 Clicks

Click-Through Rate 2,600 Clicks

Age

Age

18-34

35-54

46%

55+

36%

25-34

18%

5%

Gender

68%

35-54

55+

19%

76%

Gender

32%

64%

36% 125

HOTELS

13,700 HOTEL ROOMS

125

HOTELS

13,700

HOTEL ROOMS

Cobb is Atlanta’s sweet spot for thrill-seekers, beach bums, sports fanatics, connoisseurs of culture, and the epicurious.

Our communities are diverse, each with their own unique vibe, providing something for everyone.

Be at the center of it all - start planning your adventure.

COBB is ATLANTA’S SWEET SPOT & SPORTS CAPITAL of the South.

The Cobb Sports Alliance is focused on covering all of your bases. We can assist you in organizing an event that will make you and your team proud.

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100 MILLION

100

MILLION SQ FT DEDICATED TO SPORTS

SQ FT DEDICATED TO SPORTS ACWORTH

•

AUSTELL

•

KENNESAW

•

MARIETTA

•

POWDER SPRINGS

•

VISIT COBBSPORTSALLIANCE.COM & START PLANNING TODAY

SMYRNA

Cobb is Atlanta’s sweet spot for thrill-seekers, beach bums, sports fanatics, connoisseurs of culture, and the epicurious. Our communities are diverse, each with their own unique vibe, providing something for everyone. Be at the center of it all - start planning your adventure.

ACWORTH

•

AUSTELL

•

KENNESAW

•

MARIETTA

•

POWDER SPRINGS

COBB is ATLANTA’S SWEET SPOT and SPORTS CAPITAL of the South.

The Cobb Sports Alliance is focused on covering all of your bases. From helping you check facility availability, securing proposals from hotels and facilities, conducting site visits to preparing welcome bags, we can assist you in organizing an event that will make you and your team proud. So put us in coach, we’re ready to play. Visit CobbSportsAlliance.com and start planning today.

TravelCobb.org •

SMYRNA

VISIT COBBSPORTSALLIANCE.COM & START PLANNING TODAY

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+275 FILMING location requests MAKING COBB THE PERFECT TO SEE & BE SEEN.

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SPOT

CAMERA READY Cobb Travel & Tourism serves as the official camera-ready liaison for the State Film Office, and works with production scouts to find the perfect locations for filming.

In 2018, Cobb Travel & Tourism answered more than 275 filming location requests and this number continues to grow.

shooting locations, easy accessibility, and initiatives like the states film credit, Cobb County has become a go-to location for all types of productions.

Some of the most popular and highest grossing films and television series have including Dumplin, MacGyver and The Mule, and classics such as Remember the Titans have all been filmed in Cobb County.

Film stimulates Cobb’s economy through many avenues. Production companies use local services including hotels, restaurants, caterers, construction supplies, dry cleaners, and shortterm rented office and warehouse spaces.

Thanks to the many one-of-a-kind, unique

Georgia’s CAMERA READY COMMUNITIES program connects film and TV productions with skilled county liaisons across the state to provide local expertise and support.

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COBB ARTS VIBE The Cobb Arts VIBE initiative began in 2018 when Cobb Travel & Tourism launched a Cobb arts market study that involved 44 committed arts leaders throughout Cobb County, representing the performing arts, visual arts and cultural heritage arts. Led by MARKET Street Services, the goal was to bring together leaders and stakeholders from throughout the county to create opportunities, conversations and relationships.

We thought, what can local arts organizations do together that cannot be done separately?

What would be the impact if we were to create a connected arts community?

As our arts group journeyed through the process, we all began to realize that our common thread was creating experiences. No matter what part

of the arts spectrum you were on, everyone created an experience.

And so, our experience was created – and from that the Cobb Arts VIBE, Visionaries Imagining Bold Experiences.

The Cobb Arts VIBE will work together to form a collective vision for Cobb’s arts community.

People want to be in a place where they can be engaged by the world around them.

The arts are an incredible part of connecting with the community and the Cobb Arts

VIBE will show the world that the arts are thriving in Cobb.

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1.65M

$

OPERATING REVENUES

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OPERATIONS BUDGET FY18 Cobb Travel & Tourism’s budget is derived from multiple sources, with the majority coming through a portion of the hotel/motel tax collected by the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority.

FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPT. 30, 2018 OPERATING REVENUES:

$1,651,225.03 EXCEED BUDGET BY 4.5%

OPERATING EXPENSES:

$1,605,629.50 FAVORABLE TO BUDGET BY 4% NET INCOME:

$45,625.53 FAVORABLE TO BUDGET BY

$144,851.22 EXPENDITURES PAID FROM RESERVES:

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CELEBRATING OUTSTANDING PEOPLE & COMPANIES WHO WORK TO SERVE OUR INDUSTRY.

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SPOT-ON AWARDS In November, we celebrated our 26th Annual Meeting & Mixer at The Brickyard in Downtown Marietta. For 26 years, we have celebrated the hospitality and tourism community that is made up of outstanding people and companies who work to serve our industry.

Each year during our Annual Meeting & Mixer, Cobb Travel & Tourism presents the Spot-On Awards for exceptional support of Cobb Travel & Tourism and our industry.

The future possibilities and potential are sweet.

We look forward to continuing our partnerships with the hospitality community to develop a destination that exceeds expectations.

- JENNIFER BENNETT Chairwoman of Cobb Travel & Tourism’s Board of Directors

HOTEL PARTNER OF THE YEAR Embassy Suites Atlanta Galleria RESTAURANT PARTNER OF THE YEAR Loyal Q and Brew ATTRACTION PARTNER OF THE YEAR Gone with the Wind Museum EVENT OF THE YEAR Kennesaw Grand-Prix Series COBB SPORTS ALLIANCE EVENT OF THE YEAR USA BMX Dixieland Nationals HOSPITALITY HERO OF THE YEAR Joe Uhl Renaissance Waverly Hotel & Convention Center Cobb Hotel Council, Chairman

CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF OUR RECIPIENTS

We appreciate all of your contributions!

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FINAL THOUGHTS With a combination of the new and exciting along with the historic and long-lived, Cobb County is a place where the nostalgic and contemporary can be found only minutes from each other. We continue to stay on the cutting-edge, bringing new attractions, facilities, and restaurants while still honoring the things that have made our county sweet from the beginning.

Cobb Travel & Tourism is a CATALYST in the COMMUNITY and we strive to make meaningful, sustainable connections.

From the new to the old, OUR COMMON GOAL remains the same – MAKE COBB COUNTY EVEN SWEETER. The impact of our work will be felt for years to come.

We’re proud to see the efforts of both our organization and our partners succeed in attracting visitors, jobs, and business and being an economic powerhouse to Cobb. It is Cobb Travel & Tourism’s pledge to represent the hospitality and tourism industry to the best of our ability. The possibilities for success are endless.

With so much excitement surrounding Cobb County, telling the story of why we are Atlanta’s sweet spot is more important than ever. Now is the time for us to build on this energy and show others why tourism is so vital to our community. Each day, we see tourism transforming our community into a place that sets the standard for a viable and prosperous hospitality industry.

No two visitors are just alike and neither is anywhere in Cobb. The unique diversity of what our county has to offer is one that is hard to beat. Every new attraction, facility, and restaurant creates another reason to come to Atlanta’s sweet spot. And the memories made here create a reason to come back.

The SPOTLIGHT is on Cobb County and it’s here to stay.

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THANK YOU

We would like to extend the

SWEETEST THANKS to our PARTNERS and the numerous BUSINESS LEADERS for their continued support.

We would also like to thank all of our visitors and residents for the photos found in this year’s annual report, collected from the LENS. Thank you for telling the story of Cobb County through your eyes.

TravelCobb.org • @travelcobb • #AtlantasSweetSpot

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#ATLANTASSWEETSPOT

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Cobb Travel & Tourism | One Galleria Pkwy. | Atlanta, GA 30339 | 678.303.2622 | TravelCobb.org | #AtlantasSweetSpot