Georgia Dome rises like a Phoenix with latest public relations award

Nearly a year since its implosion, the Georgia Dome rose tonight like a Phoenix  – a Phoenix Award, that is.

At the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Georgia Chapter’s Phoenix Awards ceremony held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority’s (GWCCA) campaign surrounding the beloved venue’s D-Day picked up an Award of Excellence for “Out With a Bang: Saying Goodbye to the Georgia Dome” in the Most Effective Campaign on a Shoe String Budget ($5,000 or Less) – Government category.

The same campaign also notched national recognition in June when it earned a PRSA Silver Anvil Award of Excellence at a glitzy ceremony in New York City that’s regarded as the Academy Awards of the public relations industry.

The hoopla involving the Nov. 20, 2017 demolition of the GWCCA’s iconic domed stadium grabbed the local and national spotlight with 127 credentialed media members covering the event.

The GWCCA’s #DomeFarewell social media campaign compiled more than 15 million impressions across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Not even a wayward MARTA bus could steal the thunder of the Dome’s last hurrah.

Meanwhile, some other PRSA Phoenix Awards were doled out tonight with ties to the GWCCA campus:

► Cookerly Public Relations on behalf of The Westin Peachtree Plaza and The Sun Dial Restaurant won a Phoenix Award for Westin Peachtree Plaza & Sun Dial Bid Farewell to GA Dome, a watch party/event hosted at the revolving restaurant atop the 73-story downtown Atlanta hotel.

► Also a Phoenix Award went to Georgia Entertainment Public Relations Alliance on behalf of DreamHack for Debut of DreamHack Atlanta 2017, the self-described world’s largest LAN party and computer festival that was held at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) in July 2017 for the first time. (It’s coming back to the GWCC for a second time on Nov. 16-18).

► In Most Effective Campaign on a $5,000 to $10,000 Budget – Business category, Leff & Associates and the Georgia Entertainment Public Relations Alliance for MomoCon won a Phoenix Award  for Momocon: Cosplay, Anime, Gaming, Music in Atlanta, honoring the fast-growing geek culture convention hosted annually over Memorial Day weekend at the GWCC.