MACON, Ga. — Macon Mayor Lester Miller addressed a room of hundreds Tuesday afternoon, highlighting Bibb County's successes in the last year.
One of the big messages he had was a record-breaking year for tourism. Macon raked in $6 million in hotel and motel taxes in 2022. That's up about $900,000 in 2021. They hope to continue the momentum.
"People are choosing on their own to visit our city, just to be here," Miller said.
Mayor Miller walked up to the stage to the song, 'Taking Care of Business,' and it's how the mayor saw the past year.
"You know, the country has taken, and the world has taken notice of Macon-Bibb County," he told the crowd.
The county invested millions community-wide, promoting access to health food, and more recently helping bus fares stay consistent. Miller says they led the nation in innovative ways to use federal dollars.
"Investing millions in affordable housing, providing mental health support services, supporting public safety," he said.
With the victories, Miller recognized there's still work to be done. He acknowledged crime, and Macon's 2022 homicide numbers.
"It takes mere moments for a violent action to take place, but it takes years for mental health, job training and other support services to have an impact on our community," Miller said.
After the speech, he told 13WMAZ the Macon Violence Prevention Program is making good progress.
"We have seen a decrease in crime numbers this year compared to last year already, and it's something we think we're not going to get comfortable with, or complacent with, but I do think we're starting to turn the corner," Miller said.
He hopes continuing partnerships with community groups and law enforcement will help keep the trend going.
"As we continue to expand our target and stuff with the sheriff's department, they're doing a great job working with GBI and others, and I think that's something that's really going to head off some of our violent crime," Miller said.
The mayor says one of their goals next year is bringing more people to Macon and overcoming the notion that there's 'nothing to do.' He points to ongoing work at the Macon Mall, where he says the amphitheater will open this year. The newest designs include 2,000 more seats than originally planned.
The mall will also be home to what Miller calls the 'world's largest indoor pickleball facility.' He says they're already getting requests to host national tournaments, which he hopes will continue to bolster tourism.
The mayor also mentioned new courtrooms set to open inside the mall in the next two months. As of last year, the mall was valued at just over $250,000. The county is spending $44 million in bonds from the Urban Development Authority to pay for the amphitheater and renovations. Mayor Miller predicts the work will revitalize the Eisenhower Parkway corridor.
He says they're also making progress on a development in east Macon, which they hope will serve as the gateway to an Ocmulgee Mounds National Park.