Former studio home to WAZX 1550 AM, Belmont Hills Shopping Center, has been reduced to rubble. There has been murmurings about re-development of the shopping center for years, including a Wal-Mart being built, but it never came to fruition, until August (with the exception of stores closing down). Now, there's maybe a building or two still standing, and the only business still there is Pizza Hut near Atlanta Rd and Hawthorn. Was Belmont Hills one of Cobb County's oldest shopping centers?
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Another Radio Landmark Bites The Dust
- Thread starter FloydB
- Start date
No doubt that it's Cobb's oldest, but the year is a bit in dispute.
"Cobb County’s first shopping center, Belmont Hills, opened in 1950 at the corner of Atlanta Road and Windy Hill Road in Smyrna." - http://www.smyrnavinings.com/2007/06/belmont-hills-smyrna-redevelopment/
"Belmont Hills opened circa 1954" - http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1900
"original construction of the Belmont Hills Shopping Center in 1950. At the time, Belmont Hills was the first strip mall in Cobb. - http://www.whitlockavenue.com/2007/02/06/yes-belmont-hills-can-look-this-good/
"Cobb County’s first shopping center, Belmont Hills, opened in 1950 at the corner of Atlanta Road and Windy Hill Road in Smyrna." - http://www.smyrnavinings.com/2007/06/belmont-hills-smyrna-redevelopment/
"Belmont Hills opened circa 1954" - http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1900
"original construction of the Belmont Hills Shopping Center in 1950. At the time, Belmont Hills was the first strip mall in Cobb. - http://www.whitlockavenue.com/2007/02/06/yes-belmont-hills-can-look-this-good/
trusty said:
From some of the posts from the "die hards" that's been around for a while, I would believe so, yes. Come on, guys, I think a lot of you like to talk about history. I moved to Smyrna in '99, and the marquis was still on the main building in the shopping center until they tore it down. When I first moved here, it was branded as Que Buena, and I'm not sure if the studios were there at first, but I do know a few years ago they were down Windy Hill, in an office building at the corner of Village Parkway and Lake Park Drive SE. What was it, just last year when the antannae were moved from behind the shopping center further into Cobb County?
yep apparently in summer 2007 or was it 2008 when the towers were taken down. BH sat in ruins since about 2000, when most businesses moved out. The city of Smyrna approved a multi-use development, and the owner, Halpern Enterprises, has a plan to build on the site:
http://www.smyrnavinings.com/2009/04/belmont-hills-update/
Interesting though, that many residents nearby are now complaining of respiratory issues, and it is suspected that asbestos was not properly removed before the demolition crews moved in a month or so ago. The EPA has an active investigation and a HAZMAT cleanup crew have been seen moving debris into sealed plastic bags inside dumpsters. WSB-TV was out there this week:
http://www.wsbtv.com/video/21600172/index.html
1550 was indeed a staple here, I recall in the early 1990's they used to carry Campbell high football games, lots of local programming (remember when radio stations did that?) and until they went Spanish they had quite a number of local businesses on their client list.
As I write this, the 1550 carrier is up and they are playing their oldies/classic rock mix with automated time/temperature every 10-15 minutes and an hourly ID "WAZX Smyrna". Nice to hear decent music on this carrier but we all know it is short lived.
http://www.smyrnavinings.com/2009/04/belmont-hills-update/
Interesting though, that many residents nearby are now complaining of respiratory issues, and it is suspected that asbestos was not properly removed before the demolition crews moved in a month or so ago. The EPA has an active investigation and a HAZMAT cleanup crew have been seen moving debris into sealed plastic bags inside dumpsters. WSB-TV was out there this week:
http://www.wsbtv.com/video/21600172/index.html
1550 was indeed a staple here, I recall in the early 1990's they used to carry Campbell high football games, lots of local programming (remember when radio stations did that?) and until they went Spanish they had quite a number of local businesses on their client list.
As I write this, the 1550 carrier is up and they are playing their oldies/classic rock mix with automated time/temperature every 10-15 minutes and an hourly ID "WAZX Smyrna". Nice to hear decent music on this carrier but we all know it is short lived.
The offices and studios were there. But about 10 years ago, they were having some kind of problem with the transmitter interfering with the equipment, thus the move down Windy Hill.
MRFLASHPORT said:
I didn't know it was short-lived. All I remember was discovering this new daytimer in the mid-60's called WSMA on 1550 that played top-40 music and traveling out to this small shopping center on Atlanta Road across from the railroad track and asking this young guy why they were the only station playing the Beatles' "She Loves You" when WQXI, WPLO and WFOM only played "I Want to Hold Your Hand" over and over and over and over and over because "She Loves You" had not been cleared for the U.S. yet and being told I'd have to talk to "The Big Guy" (who was big - owner of Jonquil Broadcasting (or something like that)) so I did and he told me "because we can" (His brother had brought the record back with him on his trip to England.) and traveling WAY out into the country to their tower (that was the first one for WKXI/94.1) and visiting them again after they had moved the control room and office to a trailer at the foot of the tower to save money and meeting a new guy from WAKE (Vic Aderhold (Ricky Lane)? – not sure) who was their new PD and had filed with the FCC to change their calls to WYNX (“winks”) but was opposed by WDYX in Lawrenceville because of the similarity in calls but won the case anyway and talking to Tommy Goodwin who became morning guy on WIGO (when Bob McKee was morning guy on WAOK – making two white DJs on morning drive on Atlanta’s two black stations (and later visiting WIGO and hearing about the antics of Sir Rageddy Flagg behind the glass (and against the glass) in the production room to make him laugh during his shift)) and telling him about WFOM’s “station that doesn’t run down at sundown” bit (but that’s another story) and a few other things that will remain unposted.
Other than that, I don’t remember a thing. Are you saying the oldies will leave when the asbestos leaves?
The station appears to be using satellite fed True Oldies (same exact programming on 106.7). I flipped between 106.7 and 1550 today and hear the same thing, sans the True Oldies bumpers and segues on 1550- identical.
Only a slight delay between the two. So I wonder how 1550 affords to pay the bills with no revenue coming in?
Only a slight delay between the two. So I wonder how 1550 affords to pay the bills with no revenue coming in?
So I wonder how 1550 affords to pay the bills with no revenue coming in?
You could ask the same question for TrueOldies 106.7, from what I've read Citadel employees should cash their paychecks the day they get them.
You could ask the same question for TrueOldies 106.7, from what I've read Citadel employees should cash their paychecks the day they get them.
toolofthebiz said:
I think the 1550 operation is on just long enough to secure their license. Once the minimum time required has been time met, they will file to go silent for another 11 months. All Citadel employees cash their checks the day they get them both stations in Atlanta! In fact almost every person who works for broadcasting company that starts with “C” (except Cox) would be wise to cash every check the day they get them. There are many links about Citadel’s financial issues. Of all the clusters Citadel has Atlanta has a very low payroll, with no large multiple person news gathering operation. If you’re wondering about 106.7 check the ratings. Not great but better than several Atlanta stations and they did it with no promotion expenses, or large payroll to speak of. 106.7 is running local commercials. I don’t know if it is sold as a part of a deal on the country station or on its own.
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