Kennesaw, Georgia

Kennesaw, Georgia, is a city of over 33,000 residents located in Cobb County, roughly 25 miles northwest of Atlanta. Originally settled in the 1830s as Big Shanty, a railroad construction camp, the city was renamed Kennesaw in 1887 after the nearby Kennesaw Mountain. The name itself comes from the Cherokee word "gah-nee-sah," meaning cemetery or burial ground, a reference to the mountain's history as a Cherokee burial site.

Kennesaw holds a unique place in Civil War and railroad history. On April 12, 1862, Union spies led by James J. Andrews stole the Confederate locomotive "The General" from right under the noses of Confederate troops at Big Shanty. This daring raid became known as the Great Locomotive Chase, and the historic locomotive now resides at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, a must-visit destination downtown. Later, in 1864, the area witnessed the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, a major engagement during Sherman's Atlanta Campaign.

Today, Kennesaw is perhaps best known as the home of Kennesaw State University, one of the fastest-growing public research universities in the nation with over 45,000 students. The university brings cultural events, NCAA Division I athletics, and a youthful energy to the city. Kennesaw is also home to Truist Park, the spring-training and regular-season home of the Atlanta Braves, and The Battery Atlanta, a vibrant mixed-use entertainment district that has become a regional destination.

Kennesaw is in the midst of its most ambitious growth period in decades. The massive Eastpark Village project along the Cherokee Street corridor has assembled 65 parcels for 850 residential units and 300,000 square feet of commercial space, the largest land assemblage in city history. Kennesaw Square, a 12-acre transformational redevelopment on the former Kennesaw Elementary School site, will feature 371 multi-family residential units and 110,000 square feet of retail space. The Standard at Kennesaw, a 656-bed student housing development by Landmark Properties (157 units ranging from studio to six-bedroom plans), developed by Landmark Properties and Paceline Equity Partners, held its official groundbreaking at 112 Townpark Drive near the KSU campus on August 17, 2026, with delivery targeted for the 2028-2029 academic year. The Lacy at South Main, a 318-unit luxury apartment community, completed in early 2025 as part of a 19-acre mixed-use master plan. Additional downtown projects including Lacy Phase II, The Landing, and Revival are moving forward alongside infrastructure improvements for sidewalks, greenspace, and pedestrian-oriented design. BRP, the maker of Can-Am and Ski-Doo vehicles, is relocating its U.S. headquarters from California to Kennesaw. Yamaha Motor Co. also announced it is relocating its U.S. headquarters from Cypress, California, to Kennesaw in a multi-year transition beginning in late 2026 and continuing through 2028, ending nearly 50 years of California operations. KSU opened the Summit II residence hall on August 4, 2026, adding 462 beds for students, and was admitted as a member of the Georgia Research Alliance in May 2026, boosting its research impact toward R1 status. KSU also announced major campus infrastructure improvements on August 12, 2026, including renovations to the Carmichael Student Center and new residence halls. KSU reported its economic impact exceeded $2.55 billion in fiscal year 2025. The city celebrated the grand opening of its $15.62 million Public Safety Facility on September 23, 2026 at 3074 Moon Station Road, a 25,000-square-foot SPLOST-funded building that consolidates all Kennesaw Police Department operations, including a Real-Time Crime Center, under one roof. Smith-Gilbert Gardens completed a major renovation including new accessible restrooms, a covered education and events pavilion, nearly one mile of newly paved pathways, and expanded exhibits. Leone Hall Price Park also completed new pavilion, restroom, and parking improvements. Council also approved roughly $137,262 in impact fees for a new park and playground expansions at Kennesaw Station and Adams Parks, with Adams Park gaining a tandem zipline, new swings, and an upgraded play structure for ages 2-6, and Town Center Community held a September 10, 2026 open house on its 30-Year Vision Master Plan. The city also acquired a historic 10,000-square-foot building downtown for mixed-use redevelopment. New businesses continue to arrive: Raising Cane's, Smash Hit Burgers (opened at 2921 Cherokee Street NW in the former Nest space), Brown Dog Books, Caribou Coffee, Wayback Burgers (opening fall 2026 at 2774 Cobb Parkway), Momoyama Ramen & Hawaiian BBQ, Joella's Hot Chicken (hiring 60 employees), and Public Lands (the only Georgia location of this sporting goods retailer) all opened or are opening in 2026. Dulce Canela (churros and ice cream), The Artful Rabbit (art studio and bookstore), Stitch Revivals (vintage clothing), and Asian Wok also opened downtown. Prohibition Co., a speakeasy, opened in July 2026. Joupe Jeht, a Cambodian restaurant serving fresh noodle and rice dishes, opened on North Main in 2026. Nicky's Undefeated, a Philly-style sandwich shop, held its soft opening September 3, 2026 in the former Burger 21 space. Reformation Brewery opened a downtown taproom and is planning a two-building expansion at 2861 Main Street, with a taproom and distillery expected in 2027. Chamblee Tap and Market was approved by the Kennesaw Development Authority in April 2026 for a move into downtown, and in mid-August 2026 the same team announced plans to rehabilitate the historic three-story J. G. Lewis Building at 2881 North Main Street into Kennesaw Tap and Market, a taproom and market. Poké House is opening a location at Barrett Corners, and Raising Cane's and Salad 'N Go are planned for a new outparcel development along Barrett Parkway. Kennesaw Marketplace, the 44-acre mixed-use center at Barrett Parkway and US 41 anchored by Whole Foods, Hobby Lobby, Starbucks, and Academy Sports, anchors the corridor's retail scene. The city announced a property tax increase of 4.25% for M&O and 3.70% for Bond in 2026. The Big Shanty Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 18-19, 2026. The Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival moves to October 16-17, 2026 for its 25th anniversary, featuring headliners Chayce Beckham and Tigirlily Gold. The Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield gained 21 acres in June 2025 and closed Mountain Road to private vehicles on January 6, 2026, replacing car access with a free shuttle. New residential communities including Townes at South Main (luxury three-story townhomes in downtown Kennesaw), Ross Pointe (single-family homes near KSU's campus at 1651 McCollum Parkway), and The Reserve at Bells Ferry (active-adult community by Brock Built, from $534,900) are also underway. The Station at South Main offers up to 47,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, currently leasing. The city launched a Comprehensive Plan Update in February 2026 to create a 10-15 year vision for growth and development, and received a $160,000 Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) Study grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission for downtown planning. The City Council approved a $46.77 million SPLOST project list in April 2026 for roads, parks, a community center, bridges, and municipal buildings, with a voter referendum set for November 2026. Cobb County's separate SPLOST 2028 program, projected at roughly $1.2 billion over 2028-2033, covers roadway resurfacing, bridges and culverts, pedestrian trails, transit, and drainage countywide. The Northwest Georgia region expects 27,000 new jobs and $9 billion in capital investment in the coming years. E.M. Bop Korean BBQ opened its second Kennesaw location at 1155 Ernest W Barrett Parkway NW in August 2026, featuring sizzling tableside Korean dining. City Barbeque announced it is heading to Kennesaw (announced August 14, 2026). Okiboru Ramen & Tsukemen opened in Town Center Plaza, specializing in Japanese tsukemen dipping ramen. Lazy Guy Distillery proposed an expansion to a new 7,000-square-foot facility adjacent to The Landing on Summers Street. Dumpling Master listed Kennesaw as a coming-soon location. Town Center at Cobb was sold at a foreclosure auction in July 2026 to Atlanta-based The Ardent Companies for approximately $51.75 million. KSU unveiled the 70,000-square-foot Robin and Doug Shore Innovation Center, a $60 million research facility. Portillo's opened its first Georgia location in Kennesaw on November 18, 2025, and Shake Shack and 7 Brew are joining Raising Cane's as new tenants at the former AndThat! site on Ernest Barrett Parkway. Reserve at Hickory Walk by Taylor Morrison is a new residential community with homes from around $669,990. Wellspa opened in February 2026 on South Main within The Lacy on Main development, and Mataeo Couture Studio added a boutique presence at The Lacy. On the schools front, Cobb County School District opened the 2026-27 school year on August 3, 2026, and Palmer Middle School welcomed Amanda Childress as its new principal for the year. Harrison High School is undergoing a $15.4 million infrastructure renovation, and the Cobb Board of Education approved renovation contracts for Kennesaw Mountain High School in September 2026 covering HVAC replacement, restroom upgrades, new gym bleachers, and a new fire alarm system, plus auditorium seating replacement, along with a new annex at Tritt Elementary as part of an accelerated SPLOST VI construction program. New downtown openings in 2026 include Wreckon Skate & Vinyl, and the Kennesaw Development Authority continued its meeting calendar at City Hall through September. On August 25, 2026 the City Council unanimously approved the annexation and rezoning for a 35-home neighborhood at 3227 Old 41 Highway and 3137 Robin Drive near Swift Cantrell Park, and at its September 2 meeting residents made the case to the council for a new pollinator garden at Ben King Road and McCollum Parkway and a new playground at Depot Park. In mid-September 2026 the 10-court Dill Dinkers Pickleball Club opened at 2500 Cobb Place Lane NW, the Harvest Hustle 5K drew runners through downtown on September 19 as part of the 2026 Kennesaw Grand Prix series presented by Wellstar, and the Kennesaw Concert Series wrapped its 2026 season on September 26 with the ABBA tribute Dancing Dream. The Poké House poke chain has committed to Barrett Corners Phase III, the retail center replacing the former LA Fitness on Barrett Parkway, with a 2027 or early 2028 opening expected, and the last Bahama Breeze in Georgia closed permanently in late August at 755 Ernest W. Barrett Parkway, with owner Darden beginning conversion of the building into a Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen on September 23, 2026. The free First Friday Concert Series closes its 2026 season on Friday, October 2 with Groove Daddies on the Main Street Plaza. The Southern Museum's Haunted Spirits Halloween evening is set for October 23, and residents are making the case to the city for a new playground and pollinator garden at Depot Park. On the data-center front, the City Council first weighed a moratorium on new data centers in July 2026, and at its September 14 work session staff reported the draft measure remains tied up in the appellate process, with an analysis to follow. FY2027 city funding requests include a Swift Cantrell Park water-fountain replacement, skate-park restroom repairs, and audio-visual upgrades at the Ben Robertson Community Center. Kennesaw voters face the November 3 general election, with voter registration closing October 5 and advance voting running October 13-30, including at the Ben Robertson Community Center polling site. October's entertainment calendar is packed: Caffeine and Octane returns October 4, the downtown Candy Crawl runs October 24 with trick-or-treating and bounce houses, the Nightmare on Main 5K closes the Kennesaw Grand Prix series on October 31, Sinfully Sweet Keto, a gluten-free keto bakery and dessert shop, has opened at 2750 Jiles Road, and the Smith-Gilbert Gardens Harvest Gathering garden-to-table dinner is set for October 4. The Kennesaw Development Authority also welcomed Exotic Envy, an exotic pet store on Cherokee Street, and Precious Gems Academy, which held its grand opening on Cherokee Street with the mayor in attendance, while the City Council earlier approved an 89-townhome development at 6095 Pine Mountain Road with homes around $400,000.