ATLANTA - As Atlanta prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, city leaders are working to spruce up Midtown and downtown with new construction projects — but some business owners say the work is driving customers away.

What they're saying:

Ayman Kamel, owner of popular restaurants 5Church Midtown, 5Church Buckhead, and Alta Toro, said while he loves his work, the growing traffic problems are taking a toll on business.

"I wake up, and I love coming in here to do what I do best," Kamel said. "This is what I love, and this is what I know how to do for a living."

But lately, he said, traffic has become "an absolute nightmare."

"To come out of your house and have the hope to get to work on time — you have to factor an extra 15 minutes to an hour," Kamel said.

He blames ongoing highway cons

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