What is happening? City leadership discussions have included the possibility of placing either a large chain hotel or a smaller boutique hotel on the Lawn on Main as part of a vision to make Stone Mountain a convention destination. The Lawn currently has the potential to be a shared public space used for community events, festivals, concerts, recreation, and gatherings. A hotel would place a substantial portion of that land under private commercial control and fundamentally change who the space is designed to serve. We are asking the City Council and Planning Commission  to keep the Lawn publicly accessible and reject any hotel proposal on the greenspace. We are not opposed to renovations. Some development could improve the lawn and make it more inviting. Updated public restrooms, shade structures, seating, a playground, a small performance pavilion, market space, landscaping, or other community amenities could enhance the property. However, improvements must benefit the entire public, not primarily hotel owners, paying guests or developers.

Note: The City acquired the property using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Because the property was acquired with ARPA funds, residents believe any future disposition or redevelopment should carefully comply with all applicable federal requirements governing those funds.

 What is at stake?

• The permanent loss or privatization of public green space
• Increased pressure on parking, traffic, drainage, utilities, and public infrastructure
• A convention strategy unsupported by the necessary facilities and infrastructure
• Direct competition with Atlanta’s established convention industry
• The loss or diminishment of opportunities for public events, local vendors, and existing downtown businesses
• Decisions being made before residents receive complete financial, environmental, and infrastructure information. 

Who are we?

We are residents, neighbors, business supporters, and stakeholders asking the City of Stone Mountain to keep the Lawn on Main as publicly accessible green space. We support responsible economic development, but not at the expense of one of downtown's shared public spaces. We are an independent citizen group and are not affiliated with the City or any government agency.

Our Plan
We are asking the City of Stone Mountain to:

• Preserve the Lawn on Main as publicly accessible green space.
• Reject proposals for a chain hotel or boutique hotel that would replace, dominate, or privatize the property.
• Consider limited improvements only when they clearly benefit the general public, such as restrooms, shade, seating, recreation, landscaping, market facilities, or a performance pavilion.
• Expand the Lawn’s public hours and support consistent year-round programming.
• Commission transparent and independent studies of stormwater, traffic, parking, utilities, market demand, public costs, and financial risk before considering any major redevelopment.
• Require meaningful public participation before the City leases, rezones, or substantially redevelops the land.
• Pursue economic development that complements the Lawn and supports existing downtown businesses rather than replacing a shared public asset.

Concern 1: Loss of Public Space

Once public green space is occupied by a hotel, parking, access roads, loading areas, utilities, and private amenities, that open land cannot easily be restored. A chain hotel would require a substantial building footprint and supporting infrastructure. A boutique hotel may have a smaller footprint, but it would still dedicate a portion of the Lawn to private commercial use while providing substantially less lodging and meeting capacity than a larger hotel. Either option would permanently trade flexible public space for a private use that serves only a portion of the community. The parcel is zoned as Green space. The City's Greenspace ordinances establish requirements governing these properties and can be read here. 

Concern 2: Infrastructure and Stormwater
A hotel requires more than guest rooms. It requires parking, delivery access, fire access, utilities, waste collection, drainage systems, service areas, and space for employees and visitors. Downtown Stone Mountain already has limited parking and a small street network. A hotel and convention-oriented development would add traffic and parking demand during the same times that downtown businesses, festivals, and community events need those resources. Development that replaces permeable green space with buildings or pavement generally increases stormwater runoff. The city already has ongoing issues with sinkholes and lack of stormwater facilities. 

Concern 3: Stone Mountain Is Not Equipped to Be a Convention Destination A hotel alone does not create a convention destination. Successful convention markets depend on large exhibit areas, multiple ballrooms, numerous meeting rooms, hundreds or thousands of nearby hotel rooms, structured parking, strong transit connections, loading facilities, and convenient airport access. Downtown Stone Mountain does not currently have a Marta train station and the closest Marta train station is approximately 40 minutes away by bus.

Stone Mountain would also be competing with Atlanta, an established convention city located nearby. The Georgia World Congress Center offers more than four million square feet of space, approximately 1.5 million square feet of exhibit space, nearly 100 meeting rooms, two grand ballrooms, and an entire downtown convention campus. The connected Signia by Hilton alone has 976 rooms and more than 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

The Lawn on Main simply cannot accommodate anything remotely comparable. Stone Mountain lacks a major convention center, extensive downtown hotel capacity, structured parking, direct rail access, and the surrounding infrastructure necessary to compete for large conventions. A boutique hotel would be too small to create this market. A larger chain hotel would consume more public land without supplying the broader convention infrastructure that is still missing.

Concern 4: Existing Facilities Have Not Created a Convention Economy
Stone Mountain Park already has many of the assets that downtown Stone Mountain does not. The Atlanta Evergreen Lakeside Resort advertises 336 guest rooms, 48 conference-style meeting rooms, more than 64,000 square feet of event space, and multiple ballrooms, including a 9,450-square-foot ballroom. Those facilities are located inside a major tourist attraction with extensive land, parking, recreation, restaurants, and visitor traffic. Yet their presence has not transformed Stone Mountain into a major regional or national convention destination. The park has also experienced repeated changes in private management. In 2026, its operator announced an early departure after reporting a $1.6 million park-wide operating loss for 2025, leading to another transition in park management.That loss should not be described as belonging exclusively to the hotels. However, the park’s broader financial instability is still relevant. It shows that even a large tourist property with existing hotels, ballrooms, meeting rooms, parking, and attractions has struggled to sustain its operating model.

Concern 5: Opportunity Cost Using the Lawn for a hotel would eliminate or diminish other more meaningful opportunities that could benefit more residents and businesses.

With thoughtful investment and consistent programming, the Lawn could host:

• Farmers markets and artisan markets
• Concerts and cultural festivals
• Food truck events
• Outdoor movies
• Holiday celebrations
• Fitness and wellness activities
• Family programming
• Art shows
• Business-sponsored community events
• Public performances and civic gatherings

An underused public asset is not a worthless one. It is an opportunity for better programming, public investment, and responsible stewardship.

How can you help?

• Sign this petition and share it with your neighbors.
• Contact the Mayor, City Council, and City Manager and ask them to:
  • Keep the Lawn on Main public
  • Reject a hotel on the Greenspace
  • Expand public hours and community programming

Contacts:

Mayor Jelani Linder — mayor@stonemountaincity.org

Council members:

• Anita Bass — abass@stonemountaincity.org
• Mark Marianos — mmarianos@stonemountaincity.org
• Ryan Smith — rsmith@stonemountaincity.org
• Kay Nuñez — knunez@stonemountaincity.org
• Hub Jordan — hjordan@stonemountaincity.org
• Elaine Vaughn — evaughn@stonemountaincity.org

Our message is simple:
Improve the Lawn. Activate the Lawn. Let it support downtown, but keep it public. Stone Mountain can pursue economic prosperity without surrendering the places that belong to all of us. We recognize that tourism is an important part of Stone Mountain's economy. Our concern is not with tourism itself, but with whether this particular site (5325 Manor Drive) is the most appropriate location for a hotel given its status as one of downtown's few publicly owned open spaces.

Residents should also email city leaders and request that Public Works and the Chief of Police immediately:

• Open the Lawn’s gates consistently during posted public hours.
• Announce temporary closures and reopening dates.
• Expand everyday public access.

Contacts:

Eric Harvey
Public Works Supervisor
eharvey@stonemountaincity.org 

Mike Helton
Public Works Director
mhelton@stonemountaincity.org 

James R. Westerfield Jr.
Chief of Police
jwesterfield@stonemountaincity.org

Note: We acknowledge the work and effort of the council and city staff. Public service is hard work. In your outreach always treat everyone with respect.

Not sure where to start? Check out the email templates below for some ideas:

Dear Mayor, City Manager, and Council Members,

I am asking the City of Stone Mountain to preserve the Lawn on Main as publicly accessible greenspace and reject proposals to construct either a large chain hotel or boutique hotel on the property.

A hotel would permanently reduce public space while placing additional demands on parking, traffic, utilities, and stormwater infrastructure. Stone Mountain also lacks the transportation, hotel capacity, meeting facilities, and supporting infrastructure required to compete with established convention destinations such as Atlanta.

I support thoughtful improvements to the Lawn, including shade, seating, recreation, event facilities, and year-round programming. However, development on this land should benefit the entire community.

Please improve and activate the Lawn while keeping it public.

Thank you for your consideration.

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City Manager Miglena Dimov — mdimov@stonemountaincity.org 
Subject: Please open the Lawn on Main consistently

Dear Mayor, Council Members, and City Manager,

Please direct Public Works to establish and follow consistent, publicly posted hours for the Lawn on Main. When temporary closures are necessary, residents should be told why the Lawn is closed and when it will reopen.

The Lawn is public greenspace and should be regularly accessible to residents, families, visitors, and downtown patrons. 

Open the Lawn. Activate the Lawn. Keep it public.

Thank you.

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Support in Person:

Watch upcoming City Council, Planning Commission, and Comprehensive Plan agendas for any item involving the Lawn on Main, hotels, public property, greenspace, redevelopment, leases, land sales, tourism, or economic development. Attend meetings and make public comments opposing a hotel.  

Upcoming meetings
All listed meetings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 875 Main Street, unless the City announces a change.

Mayor and City Council

July 21 — Work Session
August 4 — Regular Session
August 18 — Work Session
September 1 — Regular Session
September 15 — Work Session
October 6 — Regular Session
October 20 — Work Session
November 4 — Regular Session
November 17 — Work Session
December 1 — Regular Session
December 15 — Work Session
Residents should also monitor for special-called meetings, which may be added outside the regular schedule. 

Planning Commission meetings are generally held on the third Monday of the month when zoning business requires a meeting. Confirm each date after an agenda is posted. 

July 20
August 17
September 21
October 19
November 16
December 21

Comprehensive Plan and Steering Committee:

August 27 — Second public hearing and submission of the plan for state review
October 6 — Local adoption deadline stage
The comprehensive plan addresses land use, economic development, transportation, housing, and capital improvements, making these meetings especially important to the Lawn’s long-term future. 

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Contact us at: stonemountainsustainability@gmail.com