Georgia World Congress Center
Encyclopedia
The Georgia World Congress Center or GWCC is the major convention center
in Atlanta. It is the fourth-largest convention center in the United States
at 3.9 million ft2 (130,000 m2) and hosts more than a million visitors each year. At the time opened in 1976 the Georgia World Congress Center was the first state owned Convention Center in the United States. The A, B, and C buildings of the GWCC (the actual Convention Center), Centennial Olympic Park
and the Georgia Dome
are all run by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority under the auspices of the State of Georgia
and funding for new expansions and other major project come from the Georgia General Assembly
.
The GWCC is located in downtown Atlanta at 285 Andrew Young International Blvd. NW, adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Dome, CNN Center
and the Philips Arena
. Public transportation is serviced by the Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center
MARTA
station.
The GWCC was designed by Atlanta-based architects Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates
(TVS) and is made up of three adjacent buildings, Buildings A, B, and C. In total these buildings have twelve exhibit halls, 105 meeting rooms, and two ballrooms. Building A has three exhibit halls and the Sidney Marcus
auditorium seating 1,740. Building B, the largest, contains five exhibit halls and the 33,000 square-foot (3,065 m 2) Thomas B. Murphy Ballroom. The newest building, Building C, has four exhibit halls and the 25,700 square-foot (2,387 m 2) Georgia Ballroom. Other amenities include a FedEx Kinko's office, Starbucks coffee shops, a gift shop, internet access, telephone service, and full IT management provided by CCLD (Convention Center Long Distance), a concierge
desk, and a food court plus another restaurant. Freight rail tracks (owned by CSX Transportation
) run through the middle of the complex and under the parking decks. The complex incorporates pedestrian bridges to connect exhibit halls on opposite sides of the tracks.
The GWCC opened in 1976 with 350000 square feet (32,516.1 m²) of exhibit space. Additional phases opened in 1985, 1992, and 2002. During the 1996 Summer Olympics
, the GWCC hosted handball
, fencing
, judo
, table tennis
, weightlifting
, wrestling
, and the fencing and shooting portions of the modern pentathlon
. The International Broadcast Center for the worldwide media was also set up inside the GWCC. On November 8, 2001, President George W. Bush
made a speech at the GWCC in which he exhorted the crowd of police
, firefighter
s, and politician
s, "My fellow Americans, Let's roll
!", a phrase he would later use at the 2002 State of the Union address. The center also hosted the 2009 Soul Train Music Awards
, the first held outside of the Los Angeles area.
Every year, the GWCC holds the SEC Football Fanfare
in one of its convention halls, usually Halls C1 and C2, joined together to create one large exhibition hall. Fanfare is a huge event in early December that occurs simultaneously along with the SEC Championship Game
, held in the Georgia Dome
. For the 2 day event, thousands of Southeastern Conference
football
fans attend to see the festivities. The GWCC will play host to WrestleMania Axxess for WrestleMania XXVII
at the nearby Georgia Dome.
struck Atlanta
, including the downtown area
. The Georgia World Congress Center was heavily damaged by the storm, including roof and water damage. In addition to rain pouring in from the holes in the roof, there was also water damage from the sprinkler system and broken water pipes. The extent of the damage led to the cancellation of immediate events. After the disaster, a letter was posted on the GWCC's website detailing the closure of the GWCC. However, the facility along with the nearby Georgia Dome was able to be repaired enough to host the FIRST
Robotics World Championship during the dates of April 18–20. The Georgia Dome and the Congress Center were also ready in time for the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) run by DECA
, an association of marketing students from around the country. FBLA-PBL
, a student business organization, held its opening and closing sessions for the National Leadership Conference in 2008 there. The tornado was the first to hit the downtown area since weather record keeping began in the 1880s.
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
in Atlanta. It is the fourth-largest convention center in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at 3.9 million ft2 (130,000 m2) and hosts more than a million visitors each year. At the time opened in 1976 the Georgia World Congress Center was the first state owned Convention Center in the United States. The A, B, and C buildings of the GWCC (the actual Convention Center), Centennial Olympic Park
Centennial Olympic Park
Centennial Olympic Park is a 21 acre public park located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA that is owned and operated by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. The park was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games as part of the infrastructure improvements for the Centennial...
and the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
are all run by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority under the auspices of the State of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and funding for new expansions and other major project come from the Georgia General Assembly
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
.
The GWCC is located in downtown Atlanta at 285 Andrew Young International Blvd. NW, adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Dome, CNN Center
CNN Center
The CNN Center is the world headquarters of the Cable News Network . The main newsrooms and studios for several of CNN's news channels are located in the building...
and the Philips Arena
Philips Arena
Philips Arena is an indoor arena in Atlanta, Georgia.Completed in 1999 to replace The Omni, at a cost of $213.5 million, it is home to the Atlanta Hawks, of the National Basketball Association, and the Atlanta Dream, of the Women's National Basketball Association...
. Public transportation is serviced by the Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center
Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center (MARTA station)
Dome / GWCC / Philips Arena / CNN Center is an at-grade rail station on the Blue and Green lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail system. As the station name suggests, the station provides service to the Georgia Dome, the Georgia World Congress Center, Philips Arena, and...
MARTA
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority or MARTA is the principal rapid-transit system in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the ninth-largest in the United States. Formed in 1971 as strictly a bus system, MARTA operates a network of bus routes linked to a rapid transit system consisting...
station.
The GWCC was designed by Atlanta-based architects Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates
Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates
tvsdesign, formerly known as Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates or TVS, is an international architecture and interior design firm in the areas of planning, architecture, interior design and sustainable design...
(TVS) and is made up of three adjacent buildings, Buildings A, B, and C. In total these buildings have twelve exhibit halls, 105 meeting rooms, and two ballrooms. Building A has three exhibit halls and the Sidney Marcus
Sidney Marcus
Sidney J. Marcus was a Georgia legislator from Atlanta's 26th district, now the 106th district, who served in the Georgia General Assembly from 1968 until his death in 1983. He served on several committees: Health and Ecology, on which he was chairman; Ways and Means; and Rules. For several...
auditorium seating 1,740. Building B, the largest, contains five exhibit halls and the 33,000 square-foot (3,065 m 2) Thomas B. Murphy Ballroom. The newest building, Building C, has four exhibit halls and the 25,700 square-foot (2,387 m 2) Georgia Ballroom. Other amenities include a FedEx Kinko's office, Starbucks coffee shops, a gift shop, internet access, telephone service, and full IT management provided by CCLD (Convention Center Long Distance), a concierge
Concierge
A concierge is an employee who either works in shifts within, or lives on the premises of an apartment building or a hotel and serves guests with duties similar to those of a butler. The position can also be maintained by a security officer over the 'graveyard' shift. A similar position, known as...
desk, and a food court plus another restaurant. Freight rail tracks (owned by CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
) run through the middle of the complex and under the parking decks. The complex incorporates pedestrian bridges to connect exhibit halls on opposite sides of the tracks.
The GWCC opened in 1976 with 350000 square feet (32,516.1 m²) of exhibit space. Additional phases opened in 1985, 1992, and 2002. During the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, the GWCC hosted handball
Handball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Final results for the Handball competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics.-Medal summary:-References:*...
, fencing
Fencing at the 1996 Summer Olympics
-Men's events:-Women's events:-References:*...
, judo
Judo at the 1996 Summer Olympics
This page shows the final results of the Judo Competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.Kye Sun-Hui surprised spectators by winning gold in the women's extra-lightweight event. She had obtained a wildcard entry to the Games.-Men's events:...
, table tennis
Table tennis at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The table tennis competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics consisted of four events.-Medal table:-Medal summary:-Controversy:During the women's singles final match between the People's Republic of China and Chinese Taipei , police arrested two Taiwanese spectators for waving the flag of the Republic...
, weightlifting
Weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The weightlifting competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta consisted of ten weight classes, for men only. The range of each weight class was adjusted by 1–4 kg for these Games, marking the first redefinition of Olympic weightlifting weight classes since they were introduced in...
, wrestling
Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics
At the 1996 Summer Olympics, 2 different wrestling disciplines were contested: freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. The freestyle category was notable as it featured the gold medal performance of Kurt Angle, who later became a notable professional wrestler.-Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-Medal...
, and the fencing and shooting portions of the modern pentathlon
Modern pentathlon at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Modern pentathlon at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Team events were eliminated from the 1996 Olympics.-Medal Summary:Individual:-Final Results:-References:*...
. The International Broadcast Center for the worldwide media was also set up inside the GWCC. On November 8, 2001, President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
made a speech at the GWCC in which he exhorted the crowd of police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s, and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s, "My fellow Americans, Let's roll
Let's roll
"Let's roll" is a catchphrase that has been used extensively as a term to move and start an activity, attack, mission or project. After the September 11 attacks, the phrase, especially in the United States, has come to symbolize heroism, self sacrifice and initiative in a tough situation...
!", a phrase he would later use at the 2002 State of the Union address. The center also hosted the 2009 Soul Train Music Awards
Soul Train Music Awards
The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual award show which previously aired in national television syndication, and honors the best in Black music and entertainment...
, the first held outside of the Los Angeles area.
Every year, the GWCC holds the SEC Football Fanfare
SEC Football Fanfare
SEC Football Fanfare is an event held in the Georgia World Congress Center prior to the SEC Championship Game. Usually held the day before, and the day of the game, Fanfare allows people to enjoy festivities prior to the game...
in one of its convention halls, usually Halls C1 and C2, joined together to create one large exhibition hall. Fanfare is a huge event in early December that occurs simultaneously along with the SEC Championship Game
SEC Championship Game
The SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
, held in the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
. For the 2 day event, thousands of Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
fans attend to see the festivities. The GWCC will play host to WrestleMania Axxess for WrestleMania XXVII
WrestleMania XXVII
WrestleMania XXVII was the twenty-seventh annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , held on April 3, 2011 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia...
at the nearby Georgia Dome.
2008 Atlanta tornado
On 14 March 2008, a tornadoTornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
struck Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, including the downtown area
Downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta is the first and largest of the three financial districts in the city of Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta is the location of many corporate or regional headquarters, city, county, state and federal government facilities, sporting facilities, and is the central tourist attraction of the city...
. The Georgia World Congress Center was heavily damaged by the storm, including roof and water damage. In addition to rain pouring in from the holes in the roof, there was also water damage from the sprinkler system and broken water pipes. The extent of the damage led to the cancellation of immediate events. After the disaster, a letter was posted on the GWCC's website detailing the closure of the GWCC. However, the facility along with the nearby Georgia Dome was able to be repaired enough to host the FIRST
First
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one.First or 1st may also refer to:* First , minor summit below the Schwarzhorn in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland* First , mountain in Bernese Alps in Switzerland...
Robotics World Championship during the dates of April 18–20. The Georgia Dome and the Congress Center were also ready in time for the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) run by DECA
DECA (organization)
DECA, also known as Collegiate DECA on the college level) is an international association of students and teachers of marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service . DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing,...
, an association of marketing students from around the country. FBLA-PBL
FBLA-PBL
The Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, or FBLA-PBL, is an American career and technical student organization that has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia...
, a student business organization, held its opening and closing sessions for the National Leadership Conference in 2008 there. The tornado was the first to hit the downtown area since weather record keeping began in the 1880s.
- See article: 2008 Atlanta tornado outbreak2008 Atlanta tornado outbreakThe 2008 Atlanta tornado outbreak was a tornado outbreak that affected the Southeastern United States on March 14–15, 2008.A tornado caused widespread damage across downtown Atlanta, including to the CNN Center and to the Georgia Dome, where the 2008 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament was postponed...
.