European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 3, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Mow to to tint those who attend the democratic National convention in Atlanta next july will find a booming Metropolis the commercial and tto Ancial colossus of the South. Tjie City is the nation s fifth fattest Urban growth area. Atlanta gears up for demo convention by Strat Douthat associated press it is sweltering in Atlanta these Days Wil steamy afternoons of 90 do Greer. And More but for Bobby Kahn the heat is  is president of the Atlanta so committee which put together Iho bit that won the City next year s democratic presidential nominating convention. For four weeks this Spring however Par leaders sweated out a grand Ury investigation prompted by allegations of cocaine use by prominent at Antans. It swirled most ominously around two of Georgia s democratic political Slars. A termer state senator Julian Bond and mayor Andrew Young Young emerged legally unscathed from allegations of tampering with a witness and no drug charges have been tiled against Bond on Iesals say they Are now conceal Ramg their investigation on disc nution rather than Possession of drugs we re All very very Happy Hal this thing is behind  said Kahn. Who is also a ecu live director of Georgia s state democratic paily it Means we can concentrate totally on planning for the democratic National convention " Kahn says he ii generally pleased with the prepare hons under Way to accommodate the 4,160 democratic delegates and 1.170 alternates along Wilh an til mated 15,000 reporters photographers and broadcasters who will pour Mlo Atlanta Neil july 18 21 the visitors will find a booming Metropolis. The South s commercial and financial colossus. Devastated in 1664 when Union troops under Gen William Tecumseh Sherman torched 70 percent of the City. Allan la rebounded gradually Over the decades but began pulling away from other Southern a lies about 25 years ago. Over the past decade greater Allan la with a population of 2.3 million has been the nation s fifth fastest Urban growth area. While Allan la has never been Host of a presidential nominating convention the City annually welcomes thousands of conventioneers. Last year 10 million attended meetings in Atlanta making in Tho country s 1hird most popular convention cily. Behind new York and Washington do. Atlan lans will Tell you even in you Don t ask that they live in a special cily. Offering a gentle mix of impressions a gleaming modern business District surrounded by gracious tree shaded residential sections Tho sophisticated Buckhead neighbourhood with High Rise condos and High fashion nightclubs and slow paced Decatur a Small town within the larger metropolitan area where life is casual and family oriented ii is the Corpora la Home of coca cola Georgia Pacific. Delia air lines and Ted Turner s Cable news network which has just moved into new quarters in the can Center Complex adjoining the convention facilities Atlanta s unique regional role and is easy blend of the be. And old souths were not lost on democratic National chairman Paul Kirk or. We picked  Kirk said because it is the heart Hub and capital of the South " with a City government run by Blacks since 1973. When Maynard Jackson was elected mayor and the country s highest percentage of Black homeowners Allan la further attracted the democrats through its symbolism As the Hisle no censer of the civil rights monday August 19b7 movement. Kahn Sard. And. Kahn added the democrats chose Allan la because they thought in would help them elect a president in 1988 doth parties were determined to hold their nominating conventions in the South its Lime he Caid Ihoko s no doubt that the South will be inc Battleground in 19bb. And Hal the Region is even More crucial Lor Ihu demo Cills by i_.1u,p the in Noblit ans always do  Well in the West and the Democrat cannot  the South their stronghold As in elections past in rep Bijek. A political science professor at the University of food Lei Carolina in june Lold members of the democratic a Cadetship Council a coalition of conservative Southern democrats Hal the South no Long i had a dominant political parly he suggested thai democratic candid Alc a must reach a broader Section of the electorate or lace reaction in the South Neil year Bui while Atlanta offers Many pluses Lor the democrats the cily also has some pole Liat embarrassments. Among them is to irony of a political party with a Long tradition of close lies to organized Tabor convening in the capital of a right to work stale where Union members comprise Only 25 percent of the total work Torce according 1o the Allan la visitor and convention Bureau. Us iwo of he cily s 31 downtown hotels employ Union labo1 we be had a Long hard Row to hoc in Georgia no doubt about in said Martha True of the Sale Al Cio. But this convention could really help us especially it the democrats win this Lime " a second embarrassment could come from the Kun kick klan. Some of our leaders will certainly attend the convention and will attempt to influence the  said James Vinable. The Imperial wizard of the National knights of the Kun flux klan. Based at Stone Mountain. But i Don t think Well stage any demonstrations unless we re sure we can got 5,000 to 10,000  the klan has  Active in Georgia this year. In january klansmen shouted at and threw mud and rocks Al civil rights brotherhood marchers in nearby Forsyth county which is virtually All while. On june 8. David Duke Lounder of the National association for the advancement of while people and one Lime grand dragon of the knights of the Kun flux klan based in new Orleans chose to announce his candidacy Tor the democratic presidential nomination in Marietta in suburban Cobb county. Transportation also remains a worry with Many Olie downtown Holets farther than a comfortable walk from the 15.000 seat Omni and world Congress Center where the delegates will meet. Marta Tho City s $2 billion rapid. System serves Loo narrow an area to serve All the conventioneers and planners Hope to have shuttle buses in operation by next summer. In addition the City has been divided in recent months Over How to Deal with the thousands of homeless people wandering its streets most delegates will stay in holds located in downtown Atlanta which each evening becomes a shining Shell of office towers As thousands drive Home to the suburbs As far As 30 and 40 Miles Distant. Crime picks up at night and the homeless Are More visible. Dan Seal. Executive director of Central Allan la Progress. In touched Oil a furious debate Lale last year by proposing 1he City s 8,000 homeless be cleared away from a vagrant free zone the idea brought swill reaction from homeless advocates who vowed to stage Demonsi rations during the convention if the cily followed sweat s suggestion. Seal defended his proposal As part of a 15-year renovation of the Central business disc not also under renovation is under ground Atlanta a historic Cluster of shops and restaurants that drilled into disrepair several years ago but in won i be ready in Lime for the convention and that Means we won i have a concentrated recreational area downtown like new Orleans French Quarter where Republican delegates will Galef in August Seal said one spot Hal should entertain the de socials. However is the Carter presidential censer ii includes a Library res Laurall and a variety of lil rns. Mementos and displays of the Jimmy Carter presidency close to downtown the Martin Luther King or his Lonc site includes the censer for nonviolent social change the Ebenezer Balisi Church and the Birthplace and graveside of the late Nobel peace prize the stars and stripes Page 17