It’s official - the city of Smyrna will be getting its first brewery business.

The city council Tuesday night voted 5-2 to approve the sale of nearly an acre of undeveloped public land to StillFire Brewery. The business would sit in the city’s downtown area, located at the intersection of Atlanta Road and Powder Springs Street. Remaining land around the site would be developed into a public park.

It was a months-long process to get to this culmination, which mayor Derek Norton noted after the vote. “No matter how you thought about this or where you stood on this issue, I’m very proud of this community. I’m proud of the passion. I’m proud of the involvement.”

The passion against the project over many weeks has come from many residents, who have had issues over the brewery’s planned proximity to the Smyrna Community Center, a church, and a planned attached park.

On Tuesday, two councilmembers outlined their concerns.

“I don’t believe that a brewery is the place for family gatherings,” said Charles Welch - Ward 4 councilman in Smyrna. He said he’s not opposed to the brewery...just the location. He said the city negotiated “poorly with the proposed buyers, essentially giving them everything they wanted.” When Welch followed by calling it “the sweetest deal” he’s ever seen (for a land buyer), mayor Norton interjected, labeling some of Welch’s points “misinformation for the public.”

Councilwoman Susan Wilkinson also echoed some of Welch’s concerns, calling the negotiating process “flawed from the beginning.”

But five other councilmembers laid-out why this is an important deal for the city - not the least of which is the uniqueness of a brewery business and what it can bring economically.

“I can see it checking the boxes...on a place that people can gather, on a place that could potentially revitalize downtown and get more foot traffic,” said Ward-2 councilman Austin Wagner.

“We’ve got to get smart about how we’re attracting businesses and keeping our people here in Smyrna. And I think this checks the box,” said Ward-3 councilman Travis Lindley.

Earlier in the evening, a city official detailed the successes of other brewery and distillery operations in Cobb County.

Smyrna leaders have called this project a cornerstone of a nearly $7 million downtown redevelopment plan. There’s also a plan on paper to build a three-story parking deck near the community center.

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