Mark's Park - Berry College

TOP PHOTOS BY PAUL O’MARA. PARK PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARK BANTA.Mark’sPARKby Karilon L. RogersWhen the symbolic flame of unity and peace was extinguishedover Atlanta’s Olympic Stadium on Aug. 4, 1996, the CentennialOlympic Games that brought Georgia’s capital to the attention of theworld were over. But the benefits for the city and all who visit were not. For still toemerge from the many vestiges of sport and celebration left behind by the athletesof 197 nations was a new center of Atlanta rebirth, Centennial Olympic Park.Over the next 10 years, this 21-acre oasis in the heart of the city would spur$2.2 billion in economic redevelopment while annually providing millions ofcitizens with exceptional spaces for recreation andevents. In each of those years – in fact, since day one –Berry College graduate Mark Banta (82C) has been atthe park’s helm.SPRING 2007 17

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MARK BANTAIn the beginningIt was when the Games were over thatMark’s work began. The park had been thebrainchild of Billy Payne, CEO of theAtlanta Committee for the Olympic Games,who envisioned the transformation of ablighted, center-city area into a gatheringspot first for the Olympics and then for thepeople of Georgia. Approximately$75 million in private-sector support fromthe Atlanta-area community – and thewillingness of the state of Georgia to assumeownership after the Games were concluded –helped make Payne’s dream a reality. Thenext task was to transform the facility fordaily public use.Mark was working as an extension agentin urban agriculture for The University ofGeorgia when he was invited to guide thepark’s transition. He became its firstemployee and worked with one of thepremier land and community designconsultancies in the world to determine itsfuture format.“During the Games, the majority of thepark was a giant parking lot with pavilions –a tent city,” Mark said. “Now it has twofaces. It has green space and functions as aplace for people to enjoy themselves. It alsohas large public-event spaces supported bypower distribution and sound, lighting andtelephone systems.”Mark, who is general manager of thefacility, built his operational team from theground up while negotiating the unchartedterritory of managing a new operationwithout peer. “Originally, people didn’t knowwhat to think about the park,” he said.“They had no idea of how to run it or whatit would become.”He found the way, opting to operate on astrong platform of cleanliness and safety.Centennial OlympicPark is the largest centercitypark developed inthe U.S. in 20 years. Itboasts:• Approximately 575 trees,30,000 shrubs and 330,000square feet of grass.• More than four miles ofunderground conduit forpower distribution, eightmiles of light conduit, 30miles of wire, seventransformers and 11 milesof underground irrigation.• Granite from each of thefive continents representedin the Olympic Games.• Approximately 880,000bricks bearing 10,275,000engraved letters.• The world’s largestinteractive fountainutilizing the Olympicsymbol of fiveinterconnectingrings. Each ring is25 feet in diameter,while the entirefountain measures82.5 feet in length.“Everything was centered on providing apark that is neat, clean and safe – a placepeople would feel comfortable in and wantto bring their families to,” he said. “And ithad to have activities. If there was noactivity, it would only be used by peoplewith nothing else to do.”Mark worked hard to avoid what he callsthe “broken window syndrome.”“If you allow little things to happen –broken windows, litter, peeling paint orpeople sleeping on benches – it sends amessage that there is not a sense of order orsafety … and that ‘bad’ is OK. Thisperpetuates bad behavior. By payingattention to details, you send a message that‘bad’ will not be tolerated and that the parkis a safe, clean place. My golden rule for thepark is that no one person’s behavior canunduly affect someone else’s use of thespace.”This philosophy was tested early on, hesaid, by local media who thought parkofficials were being too tough on vagrantsand questioned whether all would get equaltreatment by park police. An undercoveroperation by a local media crew proved,however, that park officers were just as fastto enforce the rules when the personsleeping on a park bench wore an expensivebusiness suit as they were when a person ofapparent lesser means was in the sameposition.Building a brandToday the park, which is operated by theGeorgia World Congress Center Authority,has a reputation for safety that has helpedspur its growth as the venue of choice foroutdoor concerts and other large publicgatherings. An annual Fourth of Julycelebration, which includes musical acts anda fireworks spectacular, tends to be its largestevent each year. Free concerts by such artistsas Ray Charles, Trisha Yearwood, KanyeWest, John Mellencamp, Maroon Five, JZand Flaming Lips also have drawn multitudesof spectators. Mark said that John Mayer,Staind and India Arie, who each had No. 1hits at the time they played the park,brought full-capacity crowds.“I’m proud of the brand – or reputation –we’ve built,” Mark stated. “People know ifan event is here, it will be well done and safein a pristine environment with great support.We have to turn down more events than wecan take. That is a big compliment.”One of the park’s greatest features is theOlympic Fountain of Rings, a interactivefountain for children’s play that becomes ashow fountain – such as the one seen atBellagio in Las Vegas – four times each day.“It is one of the most photographedfountains in the world and is certainly themost popular and beloved feature of thepark,” Mark stated.The fountain recently underwentrenovations that Mark compared to goingfrom black and white TV with the old tubesto a color TV with digital controls.“We don’t have a gate, so we don’t countour visitors,” Mark said. “A veryBantain briefconservative estimate, however, is that 2.5 Family:million to 3 million visitors per year pass• Met wife Anitathrough or use the park. We do have a guest Marion Banta (81C)log book, and last year every continent wasat Berry.represented except Antarctica … and they • Two children:might have been here but forgot to sign in.”Jessica (21) andJake (19).Creating an iconEducation:By all measures, Centennial Olympic• B.S., agriculture,Park is an astounding success. An inspiredBerry College.vision and masterful planning, coupled with • Horticulture Corestrong management, have provided aTraining andwonderful place for all to enjoy, as well as aCertificate of Publiclasting commemoration of the CentennialManagement, TheOlympic Games. In fact, the park hasUniversity ofbecome such a public icon that it wasGeorgia.selected to represent Georgia on a recently Work experience:issued Monopoly game.• General manager,But, there is much more to the story.Centennial OlympicUnder Mark’s guidance and direction, thePark, 1996-present.park’s beauty, safety and vibrancy have• UGA Cooperative Extension Service,created a fertile atmosphere for an1983-1996, including service to DeKalbimpressive level of urban redevelopment.and Fayette counties as an extensionOnce almost a stand-alone facility, the parkagent and to Cobb County as extensionnow is surrounded by successful high-rises,agent and horticulture program leader.restaurants and hotels as well as the Georgia Professional involvements:Aquarium and the new World of Coke.• President of the Georgia Turfgrass“Centennial Olympic Park has becomeAssociation.the epicenter of downtown Atlanta,” Mark • Past president of the Metro-Atlantasaid proudly.Landscape and Turf Association.He considers his job to be one of the best • Fill-in host for WGST and WSB homegardeningprograms and frequentin the world: “It has all the things a personcould want – the flurry of activity andpublic speaker at workshops,adrenaline rush of big events as well as quiet conferences and conventions.time when you can look out the window at Professional recognition:the birds. In my previous work, I was able to • Named to a 2005 Atlanta Businesstouch people’s lives in a positive wayChronicle Who’s Who listing.through teaching and training. Now my• Recipient of the national Reader’swork enables me to touch people throughDigest DeWitt Wallace Award forboth the beauty created in the park and theproduction of a professional groundseconomic redevelopment that has stemmedmanagement video training series.from it.”Banta on Berry:Mark credits his father for putting him on “The experience you get at Berry givesa path that has led to job satisfaction andyou the flexibility, latitude and patiencesuccess.to work with difficult situations.“My Dad’s advice was to ‘find out whatWork/study gives you a sense of balanceyou love to do and figure out how to getand a work ethic. It teaches timesomeone to pay you to do it,’” Markmanagement and builds confidence.”explained. “Now I am in a job that, if Ididn’t need money to live, I would do forfree.” BPAUL O’MARA18 BERRYSPRING 2007 19