Activating a Community Improvement District Through Soccer‑Inspired Art
Gateway Marietta is a Community Improvement District where commercial property owners reinvest in infrastructure, public safety, and beautification along the Franklin Gateway corridor. With the Franklin Gateway Sports Complex and nearby professional soccer facilities, the area is fast becoming a premier soccer destination.
As World Cup excitement built, Gateway Marietta CID wanted to tell the district's story — but lacked a bold focal point. They needed a photo-worthy landmark that could represent the community and connect visitors to the soccer experience around them.
Art That Brings the Community Together
id8 partnered with Gateway Marietta Community Improvement District, the City of Marietta, and local stakeholders to design a participatory public art experience centered on a four‑foot‑tall, three‑dimensional soccer ball sculpture at the Franklin Gateway Sports Complex. The concept was to turn the ball into a community canvas, with each panel representing organizations, partners, and people who are shaping the district’s future.
Drawing inspiration from Gateway Marietta’s brand arches and the movement of the game, id8 developed a colorful visual system that could be translated into paint‑ready segments so non‑artists of all ages could confidently take part. Branded invitations, social content, and on‑site signage framed the event as a celebration of the CID’s transformation and positioned Gateway Marietta as a convener of businesses, residents, and visitors.
Design That Invited Everyone In
On event day, representatives from schools, neighborhood organizations, businesses, sports groups, and civic leadership gathered to paint assigned sections of the sculpture, guided by the design system and live facilitation. Local media and social channels captured both the process and the finished artwork, telling the story of a Community Improvement District using creative placemaking to bring its “soccer corridor” identity to life.
A Signature Landmark for Gateway Marietta’s Community Improvement District
The completed sculpture now stands as a permanent public art landmark at the Franklin Gateway Sports Complex, visually marking the area as a vibrant soccer destination within Marietta. Its bold colors and recognizable form create an immediate photo opportunity, showing up in news segments, tourism storytelling, and user‑generated content that extends the reach of the Gateway Marietta brand.
Beyond the sculpture itself, the community art event strengthened relationships among CID property owners, city leaders, residents, and sports organizations, reinforcing the idea that a Community Improvement District is more than a funding mechanism—it is a catalyst for shared identity and pride. As World Cup visitors and local families move through the corridor, the installation offers a lasting, joyful symbol of how Gateway Marietta is using art, sport, and collaboration to reshape perception of the district.