Georgia World Congress Center

Georgia World Congress Center is a major convention center located in Atlanta, Georgia, and is one of the largest in the United States, hosting events such as the Southeastern Conference's Football Championship Game and the Dragon Con science fiction and comic book convention, which attracts attendees from New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The center is owned by the State of Georgia and operated by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, which also manages the nearby Centennial Olympic Park and the Georgia Dome, home of the Atlanta Falcons National Football League team. The center has undergone several expansions since its opening, including a major renovation in 1992, which added the Thomas Murphy Ballroom, and another expansion in 2002, which added the Building C exhibit hall, increasing its total exhibit space to over 1.5 million square feet, making it a popular venue for events like the International Woodworking Fair and the Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market.

● History

The Georgia General Assembly authorized the construction of the center in 1971, with the goal of creating a state-of-the-art facility to attract conventions and trade shows to Atlanta, and to complement the existing Atlanta Civic Center, which was home to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Ballet. The center was designed by the architectural firm of TVS and built by the construction company Beers Construction Company, with a total cost of $28 million, and was officially opened on September 8, 1976, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Georgia Governor George Busbee and Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson. Since its opening, the center has hosted numerous high-profile events, including the 1996 Summer Olympics's Fencing and Handball competitions, which featured athletes from Australia, China, and Great Britain, and the 2008 and 2012 Democratic National Committee's Platform Committee meetings, which were attended by Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Nancy Pelosi.

● Architecture and Facilities

The center's design was influenced by the Brutalist architecture style, which was popular in the 1970s, and features a distinctive concrete and steel exterior, with a total of 3.9 million square feet of exhibition space, including the 100,000-square-foot Thomas Murphy Ballroom, which is one of the largest ballrooms in the United States, and the 40,000-square-foot Sidney Marcus Auditorium, which is equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and hosts events like the TEDxAtlanta conference, which features speakers from Harvard University, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The center also features a number of art installations, including a large sculpture by artist Zachary Coffin, which is located in the center's main atrium, and a mural by artist Charles Nelson, which is located in the Building C exhibit hall, and has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects and the National Endowment for the Arts.

● Events and Exhibitions

The center hosts a wide range of events and exhibitions throughout the year, including conventions, trade shows, and expos, such as the Atlanta Comic Con, which attracts attendees from San Diego Comic-Con International and New York Comic Con, and the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival, which features chefs and restaurateurs from New Orleans, Austin, and Portland. The center has also hosted numerous high-profile events, including the 1996 Summer Olympics's Fencing and Handball competitions, which featured athletes from France, Germany, and Japan, and the 2008 and 2012 Democratic National Committee's Platform Committee meetings, which were attended by Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Elizabeth Warren. Other notable events held at the center include the Southeastern Conference's Football Championship Game, which is broadcast on ESPN and CBS, and the Dragon Con science fiction and comic book convention, which attracts attendees from Baltimore, Denver, and Seattle.

● Location and Transportation

The center is located in downtown Atlanta, within walking distance of several major hotels, including the Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center, the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, and the Marriott Marquis Atlanta, and is accessible by public transportation, including the MARTA rail system, which connects to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the Atlanta BeltLine, a former railroad corridor that has been converted into a multi-use trail and park system, which features public art installations and community gardens. The center is also located near several major interstate highways, including Interstate 75 and Interstate 85, which provide easy access to the surrounding metropolitan area, including the cities of Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, and Decatur, and the counties of Fulton County, DeKalb County, and Gwinnett County.

● Economic Impact

The center has a significant economic impact on the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia, generating an estimated $1.5 billion in economic activity each year, according to a study by the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia, and supporting over 10,000 jobs, both directly and indirectly, in the hospitality and tourism industries, including hotels, restaurants, and retail establishments, such as the World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium, which attract visitors from Orlando, Las Vegas, and New York City. The center is also a major driver of tax revenue for the state and local governments, generating an estimated $100 million in sales tax revenue each year, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue and the City of Atlanta, and has been recognized as one of the top convention centers in the United States by industry publications such as ConventionSouth and Meetings & Conventions.

Category:Convention centers in the United States