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Atlanta in running to take over hosting duties of acclaimed Sundance Festival in 2027 – WABE

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Atlanta in running to take over hosting duties of acclaimed Sundance Festival in 2027 – WABE


Like some of the lucky filmmakers at Sundance, Atlanta may be in the running for a major win.

It’s been based in the resort town of Park City, Utah, since its inception in 1978, but growing financial and development concerns have led festival organizers to seek a new location. That announcement has been met with a slew of U.S. cities with strong cultural arts ties planning bids.

Now that includes Atlanta, according to Chris Escobar, owner of the Plaza and Tara Theatres.

“We’re throwing our name in the hat,” he told WABE on Monday. “They’ve got some things we have to do, some information we have to provide … it’s all about what commitment we can make.”

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The annual film festival is considered one of the most prestigious and highly-attended film festivals in the U.S.

Escobar says the city is in the preliminary steps of seeing whether or not Atlanta officials will be invited for a request for proposal, a decision that is set to be made on May 6. He believes that Atlanta is more than capable of the opportunity.

“Atlanta is the perfect place,” said Escobar, who is also executive director of the Atlanta Film Society, which produces the Atlanta Film Festival. “This is one of the top production hubs in the world, and even before that, it’s already a creative place as we see through our vibrant arts and culture community.”

He said the city’s diverse talent and culture is in alignment with Sundance’s mission of showcasing marginalized artists.

“There’s literally no single place in the planet to be doing that and supporting that, fostering new voices,” he added.

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While Atlanta does have a strong infrastructure, including Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and many hotel and tourism resources, Escobar admits that Sundance would be the first for the city as far as a culture and arts festival of its size.

If selected, arrangements may serve as a challenge to city officials, who did not respond to a request for comment before this story was published.

Escobar notes that while events like the Atlanta Film Festival and Atlanta Jewish Film Festival are popular with filmgoers, they bring in a small percentage of the city’s overall population.

“There’s always a lot of uncertainty sometimes when something that big moves into town, especially in the context like ours when philanthropic and public dollars for arts and culture can already be incredibly limited,” said Escobar.

“But I’m trying to be more optimistic and glass half full about this and maybe it will change the paradigm.”

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If selected, Atlanta would begin hosting the festival in 2027, with the potential opportunity of a lucrative long-term contract with Sundance.

Escobar says it’s no coincidence that the decision for Atlanta’s bid will be made just one day after the final screenings at this year’s Atlanta Film Festival.

“It’s one of those crazy star alignments … almost a great little reminder, sort of like a little sample case, of what’s possible,” he said. “In my biased opinion, in the interest of Sundance, we are not only ready for it. We are the best place for it.”

Named after Academy-Award-winning director Robert Redford’s film institute of the same name, the Sundance Film Festival has gained notoriety for showcasing some of the most critically acclaimed independent films. Previous Sundance winners include the 1994 comedy “Clerks,” the 2009 drama “Precious” and more recently Jordan Peele’s Academy Award-winning thriller, “Get Out.”

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Atlanta, GA

Fire at Chamblee apartment complex displaces more than 75 residents, closes businesses

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Fire at Chamblee apartment complex displaces more than 75 residents, closes businesses


A fire at a Chamblee apartment and retail complex displaced more than 75 people and caused a partial roof collapse, according to DeKalb County Fire Rescue.

Fire crews responded around 4:37 p.m. Sunday to the Windsor Parkview Apartments along Peachtree Boulevard after reports of a fire on the roof.

DeKalb County Fire Rescue said that crews arrived to find heavy fire coming from the roof and immediately began evacuating people from the building.

Officials said the fire quickly spread across a portion of the roof, leading to a partial collapse.

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Thankfully, firefighters said most of the damage appeared to be confined to the roof area.

Dozens of people were displaced on Mother’s Day after a fire broke out at a Chamblee apartment complex.

CBS News Atlanta


Many of the people living at the complex spent Monday waiting for answers about when they may be allowed back inside. Some told CBS News Atlanta they were especially worried about pets and belongings left behind during the evacuation.

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“We didn’t have to evacuate, as we were both already out of the house for Mother’s Day stuff. But we still have all of our stuff up in the apartment, and we have two cats that are up there, and we’re trying to figure out what exactly the plan is to get all that out of there,” said resident Thomas Wheeler. Hours later, Wheeler and his girlfriend were reunited with their cats.

Others said the uncertainty following the fire has been frustrating.

“There’s just a lot of people around with not a ton of information. The red cross was here. We got to interact with them. It was really a great experience at the Red Cross,” said resident Macy Trego.

The fire also impacted businesses located beneath the apartments.
Some workers told CBS News Atlanta they still do not know when they may be able to return to work.

“I’ve gotta get paid. Rent is high right now,” said Jeremy Snyder, who works at one of the businesses below the apartments.

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Windsor Communities released a statement Monday saying it is working with the Red Cross to help displaced tenants.

“We are deeply saddened by yesterday’s fire at Windsor Parkview Apartments, and our immediate focus is on supporting the residents and families impacted by this incident,” a Windsor Communities spokesperson said. “We are grateful to the first responders and local agencies whose swift actions helped ensure residents were safely evacuated and cared for during a very difficult situation.”

The company also said it is maintaining communication with people impacted by the fire while investigators continue working to determine the cause.

Fire officials said the fire may have started from an air conditioning unit on the roof, though the exact cause remains under investigation.

Windsor Parkview opened in 2021 as part of Chamblee’s redevelopment efforts along the Peachtree Boulevard corridor. CBS News Atlanta has also reached out to the City of Chamblee for additional information about the development’s role in the city’s broader revitalization plans.

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Midtown Atlanta sewer work to close part of 10th Street

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Midtown Atlanta sewer work to close part of 10th Street


Drivers in Midtown Atlanta should prepare for traffic changes this week as a new roadwork project begins along 10th Street.

What we know:

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The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management said part of 10th Street will close starting Wednesday for sewer repairs.

The construction will impact the eastbound lane between Charles Allen Drive and Monroe Drive.

Officials said the repair project is expected to continue for about four weeks.

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Crews will work overnight on weekdays from 5 p.m. until 5 a.m. Construction activity will continue around the clock on weekends until the project is complete.

What you can do:

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Motorists traveling through Midtown are encouraged to plan ahead and expect delays in the area during the closure.

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Three Biggest Questions Facing the Atlanta Hawks Following the NBA Draft Lottery Results

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Three Biggest Questions Facing the Atlanta Hawks Following the NBA Draft Lottery Results


The 2026 NBA Draft has come and gone, and while the results did not go the way that the Atlanta Hawks had hoped, landing at No. 8 overall, but they are still getting a top-eight pick in a deep draft when they are coming off a season in which they won 46 games and made the playoffs. Atlanta had hoped that having the most favorable selection from the Pelicans and Bucks would turn into a top-four pick, but they are going to get a chance to add to their young core with a high-level talent.

Now that the NBA Draft Lottery is over, what are some questions facing the Hawks?

1. Who could they take with the pick?

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We will get into other scenarios later, but for this exercise, let’s just assume that the Hawks are going to stick at No. 8 and make a selection.

While the top four picks are likely going to be (in some order) AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, the rest of the draft does not seem to be as certain.

There is a popular sentiment that the quarter of guards consisting of Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff, Kingston Flemings, and Mikel Brown Jr are going to be picks 5-8, but that is not as much of a certainity as the top four.

The Clippers are picking 5th, but they just made a big trade for Darius Garland. Brooklyn just took four guards in last year’s draft, and the Kings are always a wild card, though of these teams, they have the biggest need at guard and don’t seem likely to veer from that.

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In the NBA, needs is usually ignored in the draft and the best player available is taken most of the time, but it will be interesting to see which players the Clippers, Nets, and Kings decide on.

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If those teams do take three of those guards, the Hawks would have their choice of whoever is left over from that group or players such as Michigan center Aday Mara, Arizona guard Brayden Burries, or Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg.

2. Could the Hawks move up or down in the draft?

While I think as of right now that the most likely scenario is that the Hawks stay put at No. 8, they do have some interesting options to potentially move up or down depending on how things fall.

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As I mentioned earlier, the Clippers just traded for Darius Garland and if the Hawks wanted to get ahead of the Kings and Nets to land the guard of their choice, they could try and put together an attractive package to try and make a trade with Los Angeles.

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The Nets seem less likely to move down, but after taking four guards in last year’s draft, could they move down and try to target another position?

What about a trade down? If the Hawks had been at No. 7 or in the top four, I would say a trade down is unlikely, but at No. 8, there could be an opportunity there for Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh. Would Oklahoma City be interested in moving No. 12 and No. 17 for No. 8? That would give the Hawks three first round picks and if they like a player that could be in that range, that would be a possibility, though all of this is just hypothetical at the moment.

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3. Do the Hawks attempt to move the No. 8 pick for an established star?

Saleh has been adamnat that the team is not one player away and that the Hawks wanted to add through the draft, but even in a draft as deep as this one, the odds of getting a star player at No. 8 are long.

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It is tough to really gauge the trade market for this offseason right now, but the No. 8 pick is an attractive asset. Could the Hawks try to trade for Celtics star Jaylen Brown? Again, it is tough to know who else could be available this summer and I would bet against the Hawks moving this pick for a veteran player, but never say never in the NBA.

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