Centennial Olympic Stadium

Centennial Olympic Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and was built for the 1996 Summer Olympics, with International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic Committee overseeing the project. The stadium was designed by Heery International and HOK Sport, with Georgia World Congress Center Authority as the owner and operator, and was constructed by a team of engineers and architects from Bechtel Group, Perini Corporation, and Hunt Construction Group. The stadium's construction was also supported by Federal Highway Administration, Georgia Department of Transportation, and City of Atlanta, with Mayor of Atlanta Maynard Jackson playing a key role in the project.

● History

The idea of building a stadium for the 1996 Summer Olympics was first proposed by Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) in 1990, with William Porter Payne as the chairman, and was supported by International Olympic Committee (IOC) and United States Olympic Committee (USOC). The stadium was built on a site adjacent to the Georgia World Congress Center and Georgia Dome, with Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia State University nearby. The construction of the stadium was a major project that involved the collaboration of several companies, including Bechtel Group, Perini Corporation, and Hunt Construction Group, with Fluor Corporation and Jacobs Engineering Group providing engineering and design services. The stadium's construction was also supported by Federal Highway Administration, Georgia Department of Transportation, and City of Atlanta, with Mayor of Atlanta Maynard Jackson and Governor of Georgia Zell Miller playing key roles in the project.

● Design and Construction

The stadium was designed by Heery International and HOK Sport, with a seating capacity of over 85,000, and was built with a unique design that featured a large video scoreboard and a roof that could be opened and closed, with Birdair and Structural Dynamics Research Corporation providing the roof design and construction services. The stadium's design was influenced by Olympic Stadium (Montreal), Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and Stadium Australia, with Frank Lloyd Wright and I.M. Pei as inspirations. The construction of the stadium began in 1993 and was completed in 1996, with a total cost of over $207 million, and was supported by United States Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and American Society of Civil Engineers. The stadium's construction involved the use of advanced materials and technologies, including steel framing, concrete foundation, and advanced roofing systems, with American Iron and Steel Institute and Portland Cement Association providing technical support.

● 1996 Summer Olympics

The stadium was the main venue for the 1996 Summer Olympics, hosting the opening ceremony and closing ceremony, as well as the track and field events, with International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and United States Track & Field (USATF) overseeing the competitions. The stadium also hosted the gold medal matches in soccer, with FIFA and United States Soccer Federation (USSF) involved in the organization. The stadium was attended by over 3.5 million spectators during the Olympics, with President of the United States Bill Clinton and First Lady of the United States Hillary Clinton in attendance, along with International Olympic Committee (IOC) members Juan Antonio Samaranch and Dick Pound. The stadium's events were also supported by National Broadcasting Company (NBC), CBS, and ABC, with Bob Costas and Jim McKay as commentators.

● Post-Olympic Use

After the Olympics, the stadium was converted into a baseball stadium and was renamed Turner Field, with Atlanta Braves as the main tenant, and was supported by Major League Baseball (MLB) and National League (NL). The stadium hosted several high-profile events, including the 1996 World Series and the 2000 MLB All-Star Game, with Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig and National League President Leonard Coleman in attendance. The stadium was also used for concerts and other events, with Live Nation and AEG Live as promoters, and was supported by City of Atlanta and Fulton County, Georgia. The stadium's events were also covered by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Business Chronicle, and Sports Illustrated, with Peter Gammons and Tom Verducci as writers.

● Renovation and Conversion

In 2016, the stadium was replaced by SunTrust Park as the home of the Atlanta Braves, and was subsequently demolished, with Georgia World Congress Center Authority and City of Atlanta overseeing the demolition process. The site where the stadium once stood is now being redeveloped into a mixed-use complex, with Georgia Institute of Technology and Carter Development as partners, and is supported by United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Georgia Department of Community Affairs. The redevelopment project involves the construction of new residential and commercial buildings, as well as a park and other amenities, with American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and Urban Land Institute (ULI) providing design and planning services. The project is expected to be completed in the near future, with Mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms and Governor of Georgia Brian Kemp supporting the development.

Category:Defunct stadiums in the United States