Georgia World Congress Center

Georgia World Congress Center
Map
Address285 Andrew Young Intl Blvd NW
LocationAtlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Coordinates33°45′31″N 84°23′54″W / 33.758652°N 84.39841°W / 33.758652; -84.39841
OwnerState of Georgia
Opened1976
Expanded1985, 1992, 2002
Enclosed space
 • Total space3,900,000 sq ft (360,000 m2)(90 Acres)
 • BallroomYes
ParkingOver 5,600 spaces[1]
Public transit accessMetropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority at GWCC/CNN Center
at Peachtree Center
Website
www.gwcc.com

The Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) is a convention center in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Enclosing some 3.9 million ft2 (360,000 m2)[2][3] in exhibition space and hosting more than a million visitors each year, the GWCC is the world's largest LEED certified convention center and the fourth-largest convention center in the United States.[4] Opened in 1976, the GWCC was the first state-owned convention center established in the United States. The center is operated on behalf of the state by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, which was chartered in 1971 by Georgia General Assembly to develop an international trade and exhibition center in Atlanta. The authority later developed the Georgia Dome, Centennial Olympic Park, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which replaced the Georgia Dome. In 2017, the Georgia Dome was closed on March 5 and demolished by implosion on November 20 while Mercedes-Benz Stadium officially opened on August 26. While the GWCCA owns Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AMB Group, the parent organization for the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer's Atlanta United FC, is responsible for the stadium's operations.

In addition to convention and trade shows, the GWCC often coordinated with the Georgia Dome to host activities in conjunction with major events being held at the dome. Every year, the center hosts SEC Football Fanfare, a two-day fan festival for the thousands of Southeastern Conference football fans in the city for the SEC Championship Game. The center played host to a similar event in tandem with WrestleMania XXVII, WrestleMania Axxess.[5] Family Feud started taping at Georgia World Congress Center in 2015 and stayed there until 2017, when it moved back to Los Angeles. Feud returned to Georgia World Congress Center in August 2020 and remained there until 2021.

The GWCC is located in downtown Atlanta at 285 Andrew Young International Boulevard NW, adjacent to CNN Center and State Farm Arena. Public transportation is serviced by the GWCC/CNN Center MARTA station. Delta Air Lines previously had a ticket office in the lobby of the complex.[6]

Though similarly named, the Georgia International Convention Center is a smaller unrelated facility located near Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

  1. ^ "Georgia World Congress Center - Parking". Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  2. ^ "GWCC - Georgia World Congress Center Authority" (PDF). www.gwcc.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  3. ^ "GWCC - Georgia World Congress Center Authority". www.gwcc.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  4. ^ "Georgia World Congress Center Becomes World's Largest LEED Certified Convention Center". exhibitoronline.com. October 30, 2014. Archived from the original on November 12, 2014.
  5. ^ "WrestleMania". WWE.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "City Ticket Offices." Delta Air Lines. Retrieved on November 20, 2012. "285 International Blvd. Atlanta, Georgia 30313 " and "Location: Georgia World Congress Center lobby, across from State Farm Arena