Atlanta nightlife is DEAD

That’s what the AJC claims in a story posted today, quoting officials in the “hospitality industry.”

The article cites the shuttering of Buckhead Village and the dearth of downtown clubs as the reason why Atlanta lost its party-town status — as if the Buckhead bar scene was something to be proud of.

According to the story:

Moves to curtail hours and efforts to revitalize Buckhead with high-end development have effectively killed its party reputation. ... Downtown, where most of the conventions take place, is missing the after-hours component.

But is Atlanta nightlife really that big of a downer? It seems to me that the Midtown clubs have picked up Buckhead’s slack, and that East Atlanta and the Highlands are alive and well. And when did people ever go downtown to party anyway? Clubs such as Karma and the Royal were always something of an exception. The canned Underground Atlanta scene has historically ebbed and flowed. And after Castleberry Hill became a decent, if not rowdy, party district, look what happened in that downtown ‘hood.

The story’s implication is that touristy nightlife is dead. My questions to you, tried-and-true Atlanta partiers, is this: Who cares if that sector of nightlife shrivels up and dies? If it does, perhaps our more authentic nightlife scene will have a better chance of survival.