ATLANTA — Few people have had as clear a window into Atlanta's growth as a sports town as Gary P. Stokan.
He was president of the Atlanta Sports Council for more than a decade, from 1998-2009 -- a critical period when the city was looking to build on its profile in the wake of hosting the 1996 Olympics.
In that time Atlanta played host to a Super Bowl, Final Fours, and all-star games for the NBA, NHL and MLB. And in the years since Atlanta has only further grown its sports footprint, with highlights such as the opening of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, another Super Bowl and the World Cup coming in 2026. The city has also, in no small part through Stokan's direct efforts, become widely recognized as the college football capital of America.
From the College Football Hall of Fame to the annual hosting of the SEC Championship to the Peach Bowl's place as a fixture in among the New Year's Six bowls, there isn't a season goes by without a major game happening in Atlanta.
Stokan sat down with 11Alive's Reggie Chatman for a more than half-hour interview at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to talk about this development, ahead of Saturday's Aflac Kickoff Game between Georgia and Clemson (another feather-in-the-cap contest for Atlanta).
Stokan has been president and CEO of Peach Bowl, Inc. since 1998, and touched on his long memory of Atlanta's rise as a college football destination.
The longtime sports advocate and executive also shared a story about how he played a role in nearly making Nike's partnership with Michael Jordan never happen.
See the full interview in the video player above this story or in the YouTube player below.