Jerry Cooper is a living piece of Atlanta’s architectural history.

In this episode, the founder of Cooper Carry reflects on nearly a century of life and design — from his early years at Georgia Tech and a formative Fulbright scholarship in Rome, to helping shape some of Atlanta’s most influential buildings and developments.

We talk about Atlanta’s transformation in the late 1950s and ’60s, the rise of suburban office parks, garden apartments, and mixed-use projects, and how developments like Riverbend, Cumberland Mall, Piedmont Center, and Executive Park helped define a generation of growth. Jerry also shares how he thinks about real estate cycles, why phased development matters, and how Cooper Carry stayed relevant through decades of change.

From designing the College of Architecture at Georgia Tech to integrating buildings with the Chattahoochee National Forest, reimagining corporate campuses, and pioneering pedestrian-focused places like Underground Atlanta and Mizner Park, this conversation is about architecture built to last — and to mean something.

🎥 Watch the full episode for a rare, firsthand look at architecture, development, and the evolution of Atlanta.

Big thanks to our sponsors for supporting this series:
✨ Songy Highroads – songyhighroads.com
✨ Corporate Environments – corporateenvironments.com
✨ USA Cabling – usacablingtech.com

If you’re looking for commercial real estate in Atlanta, give me a call — I’d love to connect.

⏱️Timestamps
0:00–3:06 Intro + Early Life
3:06–4:09 Sponsorship Break
4:09–7:23 Architectural Influences
7:23–12:38 Early Career & Turning Points
12:38–13:16 Sponsorship Break
13:16–15:52 Rome, Fulbright & Going Independent
15:52–19:54 Atlanta’s Growth & Early Projects
19:54–20:36 Sponsorship Break
20:36–26:00 Civil Rights, Cities & Sprawl
26:00–30:54 Suburban Growth & Cooper Carry
30:54–37:27 Residential & Early Commercial Work
37:27–40:51 Garden Apartments & Riverbend
40:51–45:54 Mixed-Use & Corporate Expansion
45:54–51:50 Market Cycles & Legacy Projects
51:50–54:55 Designing with Purpose
54:55–1:06:28 The Future of Cooper Carry
1:06:28 Outro

More info: https://linktr.ee/timwright.cre

FEATURING SPECIAL GUEST - RYAN WOODS FROM BECK GROUP

**

Atlanta has hosted Super Bowls, Final Fours, and College Football Playoff Championships—but the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be on a completely different scale.

In this episode, I sit down with Dan Corso, President of the Atlanta Sports Council, to break down how Atlanta is preparing to host the world. Also joining the conversation is Ryan Woods, who stopped by with donuts and ended up jumping on the mic—bringing a fan’s perspective and keeping the conversation flowing on everything from sports to city growth.

We dive into FIFA’s “clean site” rules at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the 20-day Fan Fest planned for Centennial Olympic Park, and what brands, fans, and the city can expect as we head toward 2026. Dan also shares how Atlanta’s continuity of hosting mega events gives the city a massive advantage, how the city manages overlapping global events, and what’s next in the pipeline—including the Super Bowl in 2028, the Men’s Final Four in 2031, and future World Cup bids.

Big thanks to our sponsors for supporting this series:
✨ Songy Highroads – songyhighroads.com
✨ Corporate Environments – corporateenvironments.com
✨ USA Cabling – usacablingtech.com

If you’re looking for commercial real estate in Atlanta, give me a call — I’d love to connect.

#Atlanta #FIFAWorldCup2026 #AtlantaSportsCouncil #SportsBusiness #AtlantaEvents #MercedesBenzStadium #CRE #podcast


⏱️Timestamps
0:00-4:27 Introduction and Atlanta Sports Council Overview
4:27-5:23 Ad Break (Songy Highroads)
5:23-7:32 World Cup Branding and "Clean Site Principle"
7:32-10:46 Lessons from Past Events and Community Collaboration
10:46-12:05 Challenges in Event Hosting
12:05-13:26 FIFA Club World Cup as a "Dress Rehearsal"
13:26-14:08 Ad Break (USA Cabling Technologies and Solutions)
14:08-15:11 World Cup Volunteer Program and FIFA's Local Presence
15:11-19:23 Pop-up Shops, Fan Engagement, and Centennial Olympic Park
19:23-21:35 Hotel Bookings and Atlanta's Infrastructure Advantages
21:35-24:44 World Cup Ticket and Watch Party Regulations
24:44-26:55 Coordination with Centennial Yards and Downtown Development
26:55-29:06 Future Events: Super Bowl 2028 and Beyond
29:06-30:07 Ad Break (Corporate Environments)
30:07-35:34 New Sports Development: RIVAL Foundation
35:34-43:11 Outro

More info: https://linktr.ee/timwright.cre

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Ahrenkiel, a longtime leader in Atlanta’s commercial real estate scene. We talk about his time at Tishman Speyer, navigating the 2008 financial crisis, and developing major projects like Two and Three Alliance.

Chris also shares how those experiences shaped his career and his perspective on delivering large-scale office projects in a changing market. Today, he serves as Managing Principal at Cushman & Wakefield, where he continues to play a major role in Atlanta’s commercial real estate landscape. We also discuss Atlanta’s growth and why civic involvement has been a consistent throughline in his career.

Big thanks to our sponsors for supporting this series:
✨ Songy Highroads – songyhighroads.com
✨ Corporate Environments – corporateenvironments.com
✨ USA Cabling – usacablingtech.com

If you’re looking for commercial real estate in Atlanta, give me a call — I’d love to connect.

#AtlantaDevelopment #CommercialRealEstate #OfficeDevelopment #AtlantaCRE #DowntownAtlanta


⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 – Introduction
1:01 – Early career and path into real estate
5:13 – Sponsor Break (Songy Highroads)
6:17 – First real estate roles and early wins
8:23 – Tishman Speyer and the 2008 financial crisis
10:26 – Navigating the recession and leasing Two Alliance
16:40 – Leasing Two Alliance and developing Three Alliance
19:50 – Sponsor Break (USA Cabling)
20:54 – Three Alliance development, design, and market cycles
40:13 – Sponsor Break (Corporate Environments)
41:17 – Google Tower, civic involvement, and career reflections

More info: https://linktr.ee/timwright.cre