Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell shared, "Time and again, we've proven that when we invest in our downtown, we strengthen the economic engine of Cherokee County," as noted by the city's official website.

WOODSTOCK, GA — A new upscale hotel is coming to downtown Woodstock. City officials say they’ve signed a letter of intent with the master developer of Woodstock City Center to build a six-story, 130-room hotel directly across from the city’s amphitheater.

“Time and again, we’ve proven that when we invest in our downtown, we strengthen the economic engine of Cherokee County,” said Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell. “This new hotel is another bold step forward.”

The developer is in discussions with a "major hotel company" to select a brand for the property.

Mayor Michael Caldwell called it "another bold step forward" to bring "critical amenities like high-quality lodging and conference space that will support our local businesses and attract new visitors, all while being thoughtfully designed to reflect the unique history and character that makes Woodstock a place people are proud to call home."

“Time and again, we’ve proven that when we invest in our downtown, we strengthen the economic engine of Cherokee County,” Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell said in a statement. “This new hotel is another bold step forward. It brings critical amenities like high-quality lodging and conference space that will support our local businesses and attract new visitors, all while being thoughtfully designed to reflect the unique history and character that makes Woodstock a place people are proud to call home.”

The interchange of Interstate 575 and Ridgewalk Parkway in Woodstock is set to undergo a major transformation into a diverging diamond, aiming to alleviate traffic congestion and improve safety. The project, which has been in discussion for years, is moving forward with the Georgia Department of Transportation taking input from the community.

“This project impacts not only Woodstock, but the thousands of drivers from across the region who use Ridgewalk Parkway every day,” Mayor Michael Caldwell said in a statement. “We want everyone to take a few minutes to visit the project site, review the plans, and share their feedback. Public input is essential to getting this project right.”

At 4 p.m. Nov. 15, Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell and Canton Mayor Bill Grant will jump into a pool of cold water filled with rubber ducks adopted by community members. Each duck, adopted for a $5 donation, raises funds to expand soccer opportunities for children across Cherokee County.

“If anyone wondered what stellar governance looks like, this is it," Caldwell said in a news release. "This Council has shown they are willing to make the investments that matter and not spend a dime more than what is needed to do it.”

“At a time where city council has made the largest investments in infrastructure, parks and trails, police, fire, and just about everything that matters to the citizens of this city, they have also lowered taxes to the lowest point that we have seen in decades, and we saw our credit rating increase at the same time,” Caldwell said. “If anyone wondered what stellar governance looks like, this is it. This Council has shown they are willing to make the investments that matter and not spend a dime more than what is needed to do it.”

“Cities our size and scale do not typically have a comprehensive transportation plan… This is a big deal, and we should be proud of it,” Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell said.

What they're saying: Fire Chief Shane Dobson told council members the department could spread the 12 new firefighters across all four stations and refurbish an existing reserve fire truck to reduce costs. The total price tag for Station 28 on Ridgewalk Parkway is $7.437 million, while the Long Drive station will cost just over $6.831 million, according to the city. Building both simultaneously will save an estimated $606,000 based on current subcontractor quotes.

Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell praised the council’s decision, saying, “You’ve just added two new fire stations that will dramatically improve coverage and response times across our city, saving lives for generations to come. Since I’ve joined you in this role, you made a 26% starting pay increase for police officers which resulted in being fully staffed on the police force in the city and for the first time in over 10 years, you hired 12 new firefighters, taking the fire department from 48 to 60. You’ve made historic investments in public safety.”

"These stations will dramatically improve coverage and response times across our city," said Mayor Michael Caldwell. "This investment will save lives for decades to come, and we're doing it while continuing to lower the tax burden on our citizens." 

“The fire department went from 48 to 60 staff members and you’ve just added two new fire stations that will dramatically increase coverage through this city and response times which absolutely will save lives for generations to come,” he said. “You’ve made historic investments in public safety in the last four years. Congratulations.”

“Thank you to the City Council and to the staff, to the Woodstock Parks and Rec Advisory Board, and to everyone who has worked so hard to get this across the finish line,” said Mayor Caldwell.

“I am very proud of what we are presenting here. I think this is a great representation of what is a fiscally responsible budget while also making historic investments in our public safety, our infrastructure and the people who work here, and making sure we look out for the taxpayer of Woodstock,” Caldwell said. “This is an excellent investment in Woodstock’s future.”

“In the last three and a half years together now we’ve made the largest investment in parks and trails in our city’s history, the largest investment in infrastructure in our city’s history, the largest investment in police and fire in our city’s history... I am proud of this, and you should be too.”

“This represents a continuation of what is a generational investment in this city in infrastructure and parks and trails, and represents a second round of massive, unprecedented investment in our public safety — both fire and police,” Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell said. “This budget, like every good budget, shows what’s important to the people of this city. We are making an investment in tomorrow.”