Atlanta is a major destination for its music history and nightlife. Michael Paul assumed the newly created role of Manager of Nightlife and Culture for the Mayor's Office of Film, Entertainment and Nightlife following a career path most suited for this role. Michael Paul has a long history in the hospitality and entertainment industry, primarily in Atlanta, but also in New York and Washington, DC. From general operations to consulting on business opening and management. As a resident, he’s been active in neighborhood organizations, advocating for the industry and improvements for creating a safer experience and listening to the concerns of residents from nighttime activities. This was demonstrated as a leader in planning for the Super Bowl, held near his neighborhood.
Michael Paul is a national leader in hospitality. With more than 25 years of experience in nightlife, entertainment and restaurant management, Michael is a highly sought after proprietor and consultant who made his mark creating, designing, managing and turning around more than two dozen venues in Metropolitan Atlanta, Washington DC, and New York.
Michael Paul was called upon to aid Hartsfield Jackson International Airport to assist in the development of fair and transparent RFP processes to identify restaurant and retail opportunities at the world’s busiest airport. He has served as a senior level manager for such brands as Houston’s (national chain owned by Hillstone Group), Justin's Restaurant (owned by Music Mogul Sean “Puffy” Combs of Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment), The Shark Bar (NYC, ATL, CHI, LA), LOVE The Club, and the Park at Fourteenth (both nightclubs owned by the Nightlife Impresario Marc Barnes), Bartaco (Barteca Restaurant Group (CT, NYC, DC, ATL,TPA, NASH).
Michael Paul is a United States Army veteran that served with the 2/504 PIR of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and RTB Class 3 at Fort Benning, Georgia. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the University of Maryland at College Park and holds a Hospitality and Food Service Management Certification from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. He is a Certified Specialist of Spirits with certifications from the Society of Wine Educators.
Michael Paul is also a vocal, well-respected and well-connected policy and community advocate. He served as the Economic Development Chair for the Castleberry Hill Neighborhood Association (CHNA) in 2015. He served on the CHNA Board of Directors as the Vice President in 2016 and 201, and in 2018 he was voted into presidency and continued a second term as President in 2019. As President of the neighborhood association, he also sat on the NFL Host committee and assisted in planning for Super Bowl LIII, which was hosted in Atlanta. He spearheaded the NFL Pass the Shovel project, an urban forestry initiative and worked with “Off the Wall: Atlanta’s Civil Rights and Social Justice Journey”; a collaboration between WonderRoot, the Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee and the City of Atlanta, funded by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.
Currently, Michael Paul serves as a Partner of Atlanta Hospitality Collective, a hospitality planning and advocacy company whose core competencies are strategic planning to create dynamic environments that offer phenomenal experiences and organizing to implement solutions that protect business owners and the communities they serve. Additionally, Michael Paul is the founder and former owner of Habanos Cigar Lounge located in Atlanta’s historic Castleberry Hill district. In partnership with CIM, Micheal Paul brought Wild Leap Brewery and Local Green concepts to the Centennial Yards Development.
Michael Paul is a native of Boston, Massachusetts by way of Alexandria, Virginia and for the last 28 years has called Atlanta, Georgia home.
