Whether it was building a safe roster for Team USA or establishing a new reality in Atlanta. Grant Hill became a broadcaster in 2013, following his retirement from playing in the NBA. Just two years later, he joined the ownership group led by Tony Ressler to purchase the Atlanta Hawks. Now, the same group is developing an area that was once thought to be too complex to ever be developed.

“Above, sunlight glinted off the façade of the new Hotel Phoenix, with a name evocative of myth but also reality in the center of Atlanta’s downtown,” On his Instagram, Hill shared the update. “The $5 billion Centennial Yards project is rising within the 50-acre hole long known as the Gulch.” Yes, they are transforming the 50-acre site in downtown Atlanta, a neglected area, into a vibrant urban neighborhood.

“Food, music, sports — those are powerful experiences,” said Grant Hill, the NBA Hall of Famer, Hawks co-owner, and one of Centennial Yards’ earliest named investors. “It’s exciting that all of that will take place here, not just for tourists but for Atlantans.”

The idea started with Tony Ressler a decade ago as Atlanta’s downtown was struggling. The opposing teams didn’t want to stay there, and there were few incentives/activities for fans to do before or after games. Gulch was surely a hole in the heart of the city that screamed for a change. Over the next five to seven years, the development team expects to build thousands of apartments.

It will have new streets, attractions, retail, and office towers that will connect the sports and entertainment hub anchored by Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena to the rest of downtown. Plus, there will be other celebrities who have been roped in to endorse the Big Billion project.

NBA Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal and Vince Carter, alongside them, Usher, 2 Chainz, and Quavo. It will also have several Hawks executives and Falcons owner Arthur Blank. Ressler called them “global ambassadors” to help spread the project’s influence beyond just its slice of downtown and change the image of the Gulch.

Grant Hill continues to lead for a better future

Once he retired, the former Duke legend was not afraid to put on a different cap. Alongside his wife Tamia, he added stakes in both Orlando City SC and the Orlando Pride, connecting deeply with a city where he once played. More recently, he became part of the group that bought the Baltimore Orioles. Apart from the Hawks, this is his fourth investment in four different leagues. His presence is now felt not just courtside, but in boardrooms.

Now, six months after joining a bid to bring women’s pro basketball back to Detroit, it’s official. Grant Hill and Chris Webber have become minority owners in the city’s new WNBA team. Another feather on his cap. This was led by Pistons owner Tom Gores and joined by NFL quarterback Jared Goff; their group paid a $250 million expansion fee. The team will begin play in 2029.

“This is a huge win for Detroit and the WNBA,” Gores said. “Today marks the long-hoped-for return of the WNBA to a city with deep basketball roots and a championship tradition.” Being a dad of two girls, Grant Hill is setting the right example and leading different projects to spread his positive influence.