Asia PR News

ATLANTA, GA., June 28 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ –

Ten years after the Olympic Games were held in Atlanta, the city is still
being transformed by an Olympic legacy that changed the face of downtown
Atlanta, strengthened the city’s position as a global commerce hub and
positioned Atlanta as the sports capital of the world.

Wednesday, July 19, will mark the 10th anniversary of the Opening
Ceremonies of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta.

"The 1996 Olympic Games made Atlanta a household name around the world and
kick-started major infrastructure investments," said Sam A. Williams, president
of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. "But we didn’t let it stop there.
Atlanta has never stopped leveraging our Olympic opportunity to revitalize
downtown Atlanta, recruit companies from all over the world and host the
biggest and best sporting events in the nation."

A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta
Downtown Improvement District, said the Olympics physically transformed
downtown and set the stage for the current boom in residential growth and new
infrastructure changes that made capturing new commercial development easier.

"Centennial Olympic Park became the nucleus that spurred new development
and visitor use of downtown," said Robinson. "It has been and continues to be a
magnet for good things in downtown. Its legacy continues to build every day."

The 1996 Games drew more attendees than any prior Olympic Games, created a
$5 billion economic impact and branded Atlanta — to the 70 percent of the
world’s population that watched the Games — as a great place to do business. A
worldwide Lou Harris poll revealed that positive perceptions of Atlanta among
corporate decision makers nearly doubled after the Olympic Games.

Below are highlights of Atlanta’s Olympic legacy:

Downtown Development
In the 10 years following the Atlanta Olympic Games, more than $1.8 billion
in hotels, office buildings, high-rise residential buildings and entertainment
venues have risen in downtown Atlanta. The catalyst for nearly all of that
growth is the 21-acre Centennial Olympic Park, which transformed a blighted
area between the Georgia World Congress Center and Atlanta’s hotel district
into a thriving business epicenter.

Centennial Park West, The Glenn Hotel, Georgia Aquarium, The World of
Coca-Cola, Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta, Ivan Allen Plaza and
Philips Arena are a few of the many developments that have taken advantage of
the beauty and international popularity of Centennial Olympic Park.

Hub of Global Commerce
International awareness of Atlanta created through the Olympic Games
strengthened Atlanta’s reputation as a hub of global commerce.

- Today Atlanta is home to nearly 1,600 international companies,
representing a more than 30 percent increase in international companies
since the Olympic Games.
- These companies employ more than 80,000.
- More than 20 percent of expansions and relocations to Atlanta in the
last 10 years were from other countries.
- Atlanta has 50 foreign consulates, 31 foreign chambers of commerce and
18 sister cities.
- The city ranks 7th in the nation in terms of direct international
weekly flights.

Sports Capital of the World
The sports scene has been one of the most visible areas of success for
Atlanta since the Olympic Games, earning the city a reputation as the "Sports
Capital of the World."

Today the city hosts more major sporting events, more often, than any other
city in the world - and is home to five professional sports teams and several
collegiate athletics programs. The estimated economic impact of sporting events
in metro Atlanta from 1999 to 2005 alone totaled more than $1.5 billion.

Facilities such as Turner Field (the former Olympic Stadium) and the
Georgia International Horse Park have not stood idle like so many other venues
created for the Olympic Games. They continue to be entertainment destinations
and carry economic impact. Since 1994, Atlanta has staged two Super Bowls, two
NCAA Final Fours, the PGA Championship and the annual TOUR Championship, NASCAR
races, All-Star Games, collegiate football and basketball championships and one
of college football’s best post-season bowl games.

Anniversary Celebrations
Atlanta’s celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Olympic Games will
take place all summer long. Some of the events include Olympic pin trading and
the AVP Volleyball Tournament, both at Atlantic Station from July 6-9. The
Atlanta History Center will host a free public day for the Grand Opening of the
Centennial Olympic Museum on July 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The celebration
will continue at Centennial Olympic Park that evening from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Atlanta History Center Volunteer Appreciation Week will be held from July
16 through 21 and allow 1996 Olympic Games Volunteers free admission upon
presentation of an official ID badge or volunteer uniform.

SOURCE: Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce

NOTE TO EDITORS:
For complete press kit:
http://www.metroatlantachamber.com/nr_newsrel.html

CONTACT: Esther Campi of Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce,
+1-404-586-8474, or
ecampi@macoc.com; or

Richard Orr of Central Atlanta Progress,
+1-404-658-1883,
richorr@centralatlantaprogress.org