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2009
W Hotels Open Fourth Atlanta Location
The 237-room W Atlanta-Downtown opened January 27, 2009, complete with a Bliss spa, 9,000 square feet of meeting space and event space and a helicopter pad. This addition gives Atlanta the most W hotels in any U.S. market other than New York. W Atlanta-Downtown also offers 74 residences, four destination bars and W Hotel's signature BLT Steak restaurant.
National Museum of Patriotism Relocates to Downtown
The National Museum of Patriotism relocated to the corner of Baker and Luckie streets across from the Georgia Aquarium in February 2009. The museum, which originally opened in 2004, is dedicated to helping Americans reconnect with original patriotic traditions.
Sky Bridge Connects Marriott Marquis and Hilton Atlanta
Atlanta Marriott Marquis and Hilton Atlanta constructed a pedestrian sky bridge linking the two hotels in March 2009. The 107' long, 8' wide bridge gives planners and attendees a seamless convention experience with a combined 279,000 square feet of meeting space and 2,8000 rooms.
Georgian Terrace Hotel Undergoes $11 Million-Plus Renovation
The Georgian Terrace Hotel has commenced an $11 million renovation project to upgrade guestrooms and renovate public and social spaces. The improvement program, expected to be completed in April, will provide new furnishings, electronics and fixtures to each guestroom, wireless internet throughout the property, new hallway carpet and an updated front lobby. The area immediately north of the current lobby will be converted into an entertaining space for social gatherings, wedding ceremonies and business meetings. The current restaurant and bar will be transformed into Livingston, a fine dining restaurant.
Luxurious St. Regis Opens in Buckhead
An ultra-luxurious 26-story hotel, the St. Regis, is scheduled to open in spring 2009 with 150 rooms and 50 condos at Peachtree and West Paces Ferry roads in Buckhead. The St. Regis will offer top-drawer services and amenities and will include a 9,200-square-foot ballroom.
Palomar Hotel Scheduled to Open in Midtown
A $100 million investment will be funding the 304-room hotel and 38 residences of Palomar Hotel which will be located in Midtown at the corner of Abercrombie and West Peachtree streets in spring 2009. This pet-friendly property will be a part of Kimpton Hotels & Resorts and include an onsite fitness center and 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
Atlanta Botanical Garden Green Expansion
Atlanta Botanical Garden will open a new LEED certified visitor center and parking facility in summer 2009. The addition will include a new pedestrian path that will connect pedestrians from Piedmont Avenue to the Visitor Center and directly to Piedmont Park. This expansion will also include Canopy Walk, a 600-foot-long, 45-foot-high "skywalk" through the treetops of Storza Woods. By 2010, the current parking lot will be replaced with a new Edible Garden and outdoor cooking demonstration kitchen.
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum Gets a Facelift
The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum plans to undergo the largest renovation since its conception in 1986. The $10 million building project, scheduled to be completed October 1, 2009, will be a dramatic transformation of the 24,000-square-foot space facility. Except for the existing replica of the Oval Office, the museum will have a brand-new look, which will include history-making scenes from around the world. The renovation designer, Gallagher & Associates, also is designing the exhibits for the new Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta.
Sheraton Atlanta Spends $20 Million on Capital Improvements
The Sheraton Atlanta is spending $20 million on a capital improvement and enhancement program encompassing all facets of the 760 guest room and conference center hotel. All renovations will be completed by November 2009.
CONRAC and Shopping Center Constructed at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
The new Consolidated Rental Agency Complex (CONRAC) will be a centralized area housing all the airport's rental car companies. An automated people mover system will operate from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to the new CONRAC facility, with an intermediate stop at the Georgia International Convention Center. 70 new shops will also be added in late 2009, including Georgia Aquarium Beyond the Reef, Savannah Candy Kitchen and Panda Veranda, a gift shop that will feature a live panda cam feed from Zoo Atlanta.
2010
180 Peachtree Gets a Makeover
The terrace level of the former Macy's department store at 180 Peachtree Street will be converted into an 18,000 square-foot exhibition hall, scheduled to open in early 2010. The top two floors will house boutique shops and restaurants including a Meehan's Public House.
Two Hotels to Open Near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
The SpringHill Suites Atlanta Airport Gateway, opening February 2010, will head off major expansion taking place at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway will open in September 2010, complete with 403 rooms and more than 300,000 square feet of event space. Both properties will be adjacent to the Georgia International Convention Center and utilize an automated people mover which is connected to the airport.
Loews Atlanta Hotel to Anchor 12th and Midtown
Loews Atlanta Hotel is slated to open in April 2010 with 414 guest rooms and more than 24,000 square-feet of ballroom and meeting space.
Women's Professional Soccer League to create Atlanta Team
Women's Professional Soccer, a league planning to debut in April 2009, has added Atlanta to its expansion list for 2010. Atlanta will be the ninth team in the league.
Georgia Aquarium Expands with New Dolphin Exhibit
The Georgia Aquarium is adding a $110 million dolphin exhibit that will open by the end of 2010. The additional 84,000 square-feet of space and 1.3 million gallon exhibit will include dolphin encounters, viewing windows and dolphin shows.
2011
Streets of Buckhead to Open with Green Status
The Streets of Buckhead, a $1.5 billion luxury retail development, is scheduled to open in 2011 with the silver status in the LEED Green Building Rating System.
Streetcars Planned for Peachtree Corridor
Running from Buckhead to Downtown, Atlanta Streetcar is set to open in 2011 and will complement existing and future transportation systems by acting as a short transit shuttle for those traveling along the Peachtree corridor and through parts of downtown.
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Comes to Midtown
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel will open a $285 million hotel with 198 rooms, 71 residences and a three-story spa in early 2011. The development also will have four restaurants and bars and the lobby will be on the 30th floor with sweeping views of Piedmont Park.
Hard Rock Bringing Hotel Brand Downtown
A Hard Rock Hotel will be the focal point of a contemporary mixed-use development near the Georgia Aquarium. This 270-room hotel that promises a rock-star experience will open in 2011.
2012
One of the World's Most Accessible Airports Expands
The latest improvements to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport include a $5.4 billion development program which will expand, repair and upgrade designated areas within the airport's facilities. In 2012, a new international terminal will be completed, allowing passengers to access the landside without having to use an automated people mover. It will include access to the roadway, a parking structure and a provision for the southern MARTA extension to the terminal. Concourse E is expanding with 900,000 new square feet, including international passenger ticketing facilities, 10 additional gates, two levels of curb-front parking and approximately 1,100 public parking spaces adjacent to the terminal. An expanded airport people mover will also provide direct access to MARTA.
Center for Puppetry Arts Plans Jim Henson Wing Expansion and New Exhibition
The Center for Puppetry Arts, the largest museum dedicated to puppetry in North America, is planning to open a Jim Henson wing in 2012, which will double the museum's current size and will allow for the museum to bring many of its 4,500 collectibles out of storage. The museum will also open a new, long-term exhibition in 2010, bringing to life puppetry's global and ancient history.
New Development in Northern Downtown
The W Atlanta-Downtown Hotel, which opened January 2009, is the latest addition to a nine-block, mixed-use development, located on the northern edge of downtown. The area is also home to French American Brasserie, Au Bon Pain, Room at TWELVE and Mellow Mushroom. When the final phase is completed, the plaza will include more than 2 million square-feet of office space; 200,000 square-feet of neighborhood retail and restaurants; more than 3,000 residences; and more than 500 luxury hotel rooms. The project, expected to be completed in 2012, will cost a total of $1.95 billion.
Center for Civil and Human Rights
The Center for Civil and Human rights will open adjacent to the World of Coca-Cola and Georgia Aquarium in early 2012 and offer visitors insight into the contributions made by Atlantans and Georgians to the historic struggle for African-American freedom and equality. In addition, the Center will house the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection and feature interactive audio and video exhibits. The Center will also include a meeting and performance space for artistic and educational programming.
2013
National Health Museum Comes to Downtown
The National Health Museum will be located in downtown Atlanta near Centennial Olympic Park with an estimated 1.1 million to 1.4 million visitors annually. The museum will be a 21st century science-based attraction with the mission of inspiring Americans to live healthier lives through access to knowledge and themed exhibits focused on the life sciences. The physical museum will deliver health-related content and experiences to millions of visitors, inspire America's next generation of caregivers and life scientists and help the nation remain at the forefront of health discovery, technology, practice and care.
2008
Completions
The Sheraton Colony Square Hotel at Peachtree and 14th streets has been transformed into the W Atlanta Midtown Hotel with 466 rooms. The property, which opened in spring 2008, features the first Bliss Spa to open in Georgia and celebrity chef Jean-George Vongerichten's famous restaurant, Spice Market.
Hilton Garden Inn opened near the Georgia Aquarium and Georgia World Congress Center in March 2008, adding 242 rooms to the market.
The Mansion, a Rosewood property, features 127 hotel rooms, a 15,000-square-foot spa and a 4,000-square-foot fitness center. Neo, a contemporary Italian restaurant, opened May in 2008 and celebrity-chef Tom Colicchio's Craft restaurant opened in fall 2008.
The new W Buckhead Hotel opened in November 2008 with 295 guest rooms, rooftop bar, a two-story restaurant and 7,000-square-feet of meeting space.
Renovations
The Atlanta Marriott Marquis completed a $138 million renovation, adding 40,000 square feet of meeting space, seven new restaurants and bars, a spa, fitness center and updated technology.
Hyatt Regency Atlanta invested more than $15 million in renovations to its guest rooms, ballrooms and exhibit space. The hotel now provides more than 54,000 square-feet of contiguous exhibit space.
AmericasMart has added a new two-story ballroom and event facility. This 70,000-square-foot addition is located on top of Building 1 of the AmericasMart complex. The new space will be used for weddings, corporate events and gala parties.
After the March 2008 tornado, buildings A and B of the Georgia World Congress Center received several energy efficient upgrades. The upgrades included new ceiling tiles, safety glass, new fabric wall panels in the concourses, more than 30 refurbished or replaced escalators and new roofs over Buildings A, B and C Concourses.
New Attractions
Stone Mountain, Georgia's most visited attraction, celebrated its 50th anniversary in May 2008 by adding Sky Hike, the nation's largest family adventure course with suspended bridges, high ropes and vertical nets.
The Millennium Gate, which opened in July 2008, is a 73-foot tall monumental arch dedicated to Atlanta's philanthropic families. The monument is located near Atlantic Station and can be compared to the Washington Arch in New York and the Wellington Arch in London.
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