GMA and the Georgia Cities Foundation will once again get down to the "Heart & Soul" of Georgia for three days in April. The 7th annual bus tour is scheduled to take place April 18-20 and this year's route will include cities in central Georgia. State legislators, business leaders and philanthropists will get glimpse of the different approaches cities have taken to revitalize and capitalize on their downtowns.

This year's tour will feature the cities of Douglasville, Bowdon, Newnan, LaGrange, West Point, Pine Mountain, Barnesville, Macon, Forsyth, McDonough and Fayetteville.

"Each year we try to choose cities that have done an excellent job in creating vibrant and strong communities through public-private partnerships," said Georgia Cities Foundation President Mike Starr. "This year we have chosen 11 cities in the central region of the state that we feel have done an exemplary job of that task."

The tour is part of an overall effort to educate and inform state leaders on the importance of successful downtown development and its role in supporting overall economic development efforts for regions and communities.

"The Foundation's ultimate goal is to help cities through successful public-private partnerships," said Starr. "The bus tour is one way we can showcase cities that have taken advantage of the Foundation's resources."

Georgia Cities Foundation is a non-profit subsidiary of GMA and was created to make Georgia's downtowns more livable and economically prosperous. Through public-private partnerships, the Foundation facilitates the redevelopment and reuse of downtown areas through Georgia. The Foundation provides funding for capital projects through a revolving loan program.

"The Foundation is off to a good start again this year," said Starr. "We will be closing on several loans shortly, which are a clear representation of our enthusiasm for the opportunities that exist in our cities and our partnership with the state."

Approximately 45 people will participate in the tour, with some joining at stops along the way, during the three day trip that will kick off in Douglasville the morning of April 18 and end in Fayetteville April 20.