James May June 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 17
to the city to establish a “base camp”
of sorts to cover matches across the
U.S. as well as in Mexico and Canada.
William Pate, president and CEO
of the Atlanta Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, tells James why sporting
events play such an important role in
the tourism industry. “When we host
teams from around the country and
around the world, we often attract
visitors who are making their first
trip to Atlanta,” he says. “They typically arrive a few days in advance to
experience all the festivities in the city,
which means additional business for
our hotels, restaurants and attractions.
Our hope is that when they return
home, they share the wonderful experience they had in our city and make
plans to return for another visit.”
It’s shaping up to be a busy rest
of the decade in Atlanta, but sporting
events and the millions of fans who attend them aren’t limited to the state’s
capital city.
Says Markwalter, “Communities
all across the state host a variety
of sporting events that collectively
strengthen Georgia’s position in the
travel marketplace and drive economic
growth— from the Masters in Augusta,
drawing 200,000 attendees from
around the world over just two weeks,
GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER
to LakePoint Sports in Cartersville,
attracting 3 million visitors annually.”
There’s also the Rome Tennis
Center at Berry College, the largest
hard-court facility in the nation, and
Columbus’ whitewater course running
through uptown which hosts the ICF
Kayak Freestyle World Championships,
welcoming hundreds of the world’s
best freestylers to compete in an array
of kayaking events. And of course, the
Bulldog faithful flock to Athens in the
fall, filling hotels and downtown bars
before heading into Sanford Stadium to
watch their beloved football team.
Business Travelers Power the Industry
When the Georgia World Congress
Center opened in 1976 it was the first
state-owned convention center in the
United States. A series of expansions
that included the construction of Centennial Olympic Park and the Georgia
Dome, and later Mercedes-Benz Stadium, have maintained its position as
one of the premier convention centers
in the country due to 3,900,000 square
feet of exhibition space.
Because the Georgia World
Congress Center Authority (GWCCA)
operates as a state-run agency it receives funding directly from Georgia’s
budget, seeing more than $360 million
in investments for capital improvements and connectivity upgrades over
the past decade alone. That is money
well spent. The Georgia World Congress Center is the beating heart of
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