Naturally, there's a story there. A group formed a business to build it as part of the run-up to the 1996 Olympics. The idea was to put a 123-foot tower up, charge people a couple of dollars to go to the top and admire the view, and then come down an visit a souvenir shop. According to Atlanta magazine, the owners also planned to make money on billboards near the structure.
You probably already have guessed that the Olympic Committee was not too happy about this development. Legal action was threatened, but in the end the tower went up ... and it is still there.
We passed it while walking in the neighborhood, and didn't think it would be too easy to get there ... or worth it. (Look at the photo and tell me you would have walked there.) Instead, we kept going to the Varsity, a legendary fast-food restaurant a couple of blocks from the tower. Yum.
Meanwhile, the real torch is over at Georgia State, although it is not in its original location. Got all that?
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