There’s much to be thankful for on the GWCCA campus

The turning of leaves, a cornucopia of pumpkin spice offerings, and cooler weather are sure signs that the holiday season has arrived. And while it’s a great time for personal reflection, it’s also the perfect time for us here at the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) to share some of what we have to be thankful for (in the form of campus development) as we approach the midpoint of our current fiscal year.

Here are just a few:

Artist rendering of The Spectacular, a new sculpture soon to be unveiled at Centennial Olympic Park.

Centennial Olympic Park: The park’s 18-month capital improvement project, designed to increase community access, strengthen Olympic heritage, enhance the visitor experience, and expand programming opportunities, is nearing completion. A little more than an acre of new green space has been created thanks to the addition of the West Lawn Promenade (former Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce site). The Androgyne Planet statue, a symbolic representation of the Olympic Games’ continuity and spirit of international unity, now has a permanent home and place of prominence on the corner of Baker Street and Centennial Olympic Park Drive. New engraved Adopt-A-Bricks will be installed next month, raising Andrew Young International Boulevard to street level between Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Marietta Street. The Spectacular, a 10-foot high interactive sculpture in the shape of the Olympic Rings, is slated for completion by mid-December. Located at the East entrance at Andrew Young International Boulevard and Centennial Olympic Park Drive, it’s sure to be a popular selfie spot for park visitors for years to come. These are just a few of the projects wrapping up just in time for Super Bowl LIII, slated for Feb. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on the GWCCA campus.

A view of new carpet scheme and new terrazzo flooring in Building C of the Georgia World Congress Center.

New Carpet: The Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) is getting new carpet throughout its concourses, ballrooms, and auditoriums. The new design, celebrating Georgia’s mountains, pines, and beaches, started in July and is expected to be completed in January 2019. Who doesn’t love new carpet?

Crews prepare a portion of the former Georgia Dome site for the new Orange Deck multi-level parking facility.

New Parking Deck: Snuggled beside The Home Depot Backyard and facing east of Building C of the GWCC, the Orange Deck will include six levels of parking, approximately 576 parking spaces, 12 electric vehicle charging stations, and 12 truck berths. Construction began in July and is estimated to last approximately a year.

B/C Exhibit Hall: Not only are we thankful for this expansion project, but so are many of our customers who will benefit from the one million-plus square feet of contiguous exhibition space once this project is complete at the end of 2019. Improving the GWCC’s connectivity while bolstering Atlanta’s status as a top convention destination is a top priority for us and I can’t think of a better way to demonstrate our commitment to our customers and to our vision to be the No. 1 convention, sports and entertainment destination in the world.

From our family of dedicated team members to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.