New app will designate venues, users as ‘Soda City Certified’

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A new app will showcase selected Columbia-area attractions as “Soda City Certified” in what its creator envisions as a networking and business development tool.

The Soda City Certified app will feature businesses, venues and individuals in three main categories for a fee of $100 to $2,500 annually. The GPS-based app will include events, deals and who’s who components, with users able to receive points for checking in to places or sharing pictures on social media.

“We wanted to create a tool for everyone to explore this great city,” Khali Gallman, app creator, author and regional entrepreneur, said in a news release. “We have been fortunate to include sites and events overseen by the Historic Columbia Foundation, and we look forward to including other key attractions around town. Our goal is to support economic development as well as foster professional and personal relationships.”

The SCC app is formatted for Apple iTunes and Google Play Android smartphones and is free in both app stores. Users can receive incentives to visit venues and attractions, and users who accumulate at least 5,000 points by Jan. 31, 2021, will be deemed “Soda City Certified” and receive $500 each, according to the release.

Businesses and individuals wishing to participate can find more information on each featured category online at sodacitycertified.com. The app is accepting participants in who’s who categories including art, health and fitness, media, nightlife, realtors and restaurants.

Gallman is the creator of the Not Just Spring Break app, which promotes nationwide urban events.