The national spotlight is on Johns Creek, a northern suburb of Atlanta, due to this week’s PGA Championship. After an exciting first round that was filled with drama, surprises and tense competition, the big winner is Johns Creek, Georgia’s tenth largest city and home to thousands of families. With more than 200,000 spectators, media reps and vendors expected to roll into Johns Creek by Sunday’s final round, The PGA Championship is an economic windfall to the tune of $50 million.
Johns Creek has been preparing for the PGA Championship for years and many local residents are serving as volunteers. The PGA Championship History Exhibit is open at Johns Creek Walk and many families have already stopped by to view the collection of PGA memorabilia. Earlier in the week, Northview High School parking lot was one of the staging areas for the hundreds of Mercedes Benz vehicles used to transport the golfers around the city.
Traffic in Johns Creek is definitely busy, especially on Medlock Bridge Road, between State Bridge and Old Alabama Roads. However, Johns Creek residents are not complaining. The PGA Championship has thrust their hometown into the national spotlight. In addition, local businesses are cashing in. This is all good news for Johns Creek, Georgia, which is known for:
- Great schools
- 300 family-friendly subdivision neighborhoods
- Mild, seasonal climate
- Strong city government that was incorporated in 2006
- Thriving business community
- Beautiful surroundings
- A wide variety of quality restaurants
- Seven 18-hole championship courses and two 9-hole courses on private and public courses
- Johns Creek Emory Hospital
- Chattahoochee National Recreation Areas
- Active tennis community
Here are ten fast facts about family-friendly Johns Creek, site of the 2011 PGA Championship:
- Population: 76,728
- Households: 23,013
- Businesses: 1,900
- Area: 32 square miles
- Size: 10th largest Georgia city
- Average temperature: 61 degrees F
- Elevation: 1,050 feet above sea level
- School district: Fulton County
- Origin: Originally home to Cherokee Indians, settled by farmers in the early 1800’s
- Mayor: Mike Bodker
One of the biggest draws that brings families to Johns Creek is its award-winning schools. Of the 19 public Fulton County schools within Johns Creek, three of them (Chattahoochee High, River Trail Middle and Dolvin Elementary) are recipients of the US Department of Education's highest honor, the Blue Ribbon National School of Excellence. Three schools – Chattahoochee High, Taylor Road Middle and Haynes Bridge Middle – are recognized as Georgia Schools of Excellence. Northview High is a two-year recipient of the State AAAAA Governor's Cup and, along with Chattahoochee and Centennial, is consistently named "Best High School" by Atlanta Magazine. Centennial, Chattahoochee and Northview are recognized each year by Newsweek Magazine as a "Top 1,000 High School" and by US News and World Report as "Outstanding American High School." An average of 88% of the students who graduate from Centennial, Chattahoochee and Northview high schools attend four-year colleges, including Harvard, Yale, UCLA, Princeton, West Point, Johns Hopkins, MIT, William & Mary, Duke, Stanford and Georgia Tech.
Over 50% of the teachers in Johns Creek's public schools have their Masters degrees and 20% hold doctorate or specialist degrees. Like their students, many Johns Creek teachers have received national honors and awards, including the Milken Family Foundation Award.
The PGA Championship continues through Sunday, when one golfer will be crowned the 93rd winner. In the meantime, residents welcome their international visitors to Johns Creek.
Note from Editor: As a resident of Johns Creek, I’m very pleased to see thousands and thousands of out-of-town visitors, players, media reps and tournament attendees descend on our city. Yes, traffic may be a bit of a bear this weekend, but the national exposure that the PGA Championship brings to Johns Creek is invaluable. If you live in the area, it’s best to avoid the 141 corridor between State Bridge and Old Alabama Roads. Also be advised that restaurants will be packed and hotels are sold out. For local businesses, it’s all great news and a real boost to our local economy.
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