Centennial Park District in Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

Welcome to Centennial Olympic Park

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 11, 2023

1. Welcome to Centennial Olympic Park Marker

Inscription. It is hard to believe that in 1993 this magnificent, 22-acre urban oasis was a dilapidated section of downtown Atlanta. Billy Payne, chief executive of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG), spent hours gazing from his nearby office balcony at empty lots and abandoned buildings. He soon envisioned a beautiful gathering space for visitors and residents during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, and for years to come.

In early 1995, the master plan for the Park was unveiled and, just months later, a wrecking ball smashed into the Genuine Parts Company's Beck & Gregg building to mark the beginning of construction for Centennial Olympic Park. To help fund building of the Park, ACOG sold engraved bricks that would serve as pathways inside the Park. In the most successful program of its kind, nearly 500,000 commemorative bricks were sold.

The Park is much more than a legacy to the 1996 Summer Olympic Games and a catalyst for Atlanta's downtown revitalization efforts. Today, Centennial Olympic Park anchors a thriving entertainment and hospitality district spurring billions of dollars of economic

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impact.

The Park is a private venue operated and maintained by Georgia World Congress Center Authority and receives no funding from the State.

Erected by Georgia World Congress Center Authority.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1993.

Location. 33° 45.551′ N, 84° 23.62′ W. Marker is in Atlanta, Georgia, in Fulton County. It is in the Centennial Park District. It can be reached from Marietta Street Northwest south of Park Avenue West Northwest, on the left when traveling south. Marker is next to the park's visitor/information center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 267 Park Ave W NW, Atlanta GA 30313, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Georgia’s Piedmont.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Deep South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 11, 2023

2. Welcome to Centennial Olympic Park Marker

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 1996 Summer Olympics (here, next to this marker); 1998 Shining Light Award (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); CNN (about 500 feet away); The Glenn Hotel (approx. 0.2 miles away); Thrasherville (approx. 0.2 miles away); Building at 161 Spring Street (approx. 0.2 miles away); Dr. John S. Pemberton (approx. ¼ mile away); U.S. Courthouse, Atlanta, Georgia (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Atlanta.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 3, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 668 times since then and 74 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 3, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.