Georgia World Congress Center Georgia Dome Centennial Olympic Park Fall 2003 Georgia International Plaza OFFERS UNIQUE LOCATION FOR SPECIAL EVENTS Outdoor dinners and receptions offer a one-of-a-kind experience for guests. Just outside the Georgia World Congress Center's doors is the perfect place to host such a special event Georgia International Plaza. The six-acre plaza features elaborate landscaping, an articulate sculpture commemorating the 1996 Olympics and a soothing fountain. Georgia International Plaza first opened in 1996, just in time for the Centennial Olympic Games, which held events at the Georgia World Congress Center, the Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park. The plaza, that sits atop a 2,000-space parking deck, offers green space between three major downtown venues: the GWCC, the Georgia Dome and Philips Arena. The plaza is accented with 16 65-foot tall light towers, trees, shrubs, flowers and benches as guests gather before and after events held at each of the facilities. The plaza also links the Georgia World Congress Center with MARTA for guests to come and go by train. The highlight of Georgia International Plaza is the 24-foot tall bronze sculpture, Flair Across America. The statue was donated to the state of Georgia and the GWCCA to commemorate the 1996 Olympic Games. Whether you are planning an outdoor concert or a formal dinner, be prepared to "wow" your guests on Georgia International Plaza. To learn more about hosting a dinner, reception or other event on the plaza, please call (404) 223-4200. InterContinental Hotels Group held a reception on Georgia International Plaza to celebrate the end of their convention. The event featured a live band, a gospel choir and a variety of food and drinks. Georgia Dome Tours GIVE BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE DOME Conventioneers and visitors can now see for themselves what goes on inside the walls of the Georgia Dome home to such exciting events as Atlanta Falcons football, the 1996 Olympics, NCAA Men's and Women's Final Four and more. Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of an Atlanta Falcons match or the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl? Now you can see for yourself. The Georgia Dome now offers guided tours of the largest cable-supported domed stadium in the world. Georgia Dome Tours offers show attendees, exhibitors and other guests another exciting thing to do during their stay in Atlanta. Home to the Atlanta Falcons and numerous collegiate and professional sporting events, the Georgia Dome has a story to tell. The Georgia Dome opened in 1992 after 28 months of construction. It immediately became the home field for the Atlanta Falcons. Since opening, the Georgia Dome has hosted major events including the 1996 Summer Olympics (gymnastics, basketball and handball), SuperBowls XXVIII and XXXIV, the 2002 NCAA Men's Final Four, the 2003 NCAA Women's Final Four and several yearly events including Monster Jam and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Each event has a significant economic impact on the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia. From Tuesday to Saturday, Georgia Dome Tours are offered on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tour hits all of the hot spots in the Dome including the locker room, the field, the suites and the press box. Tours begin at the Dome Administrative Entrance, located between Gates B and C (overlooking the GWCC West Plaza). Tours cost $6 for adults and $4 for students and seniors. Convention attendees receive a $1 discount with a show badge. Additionally, the souvenir Dome Tour ticket provides a $1 discount at the CNN Studio Tour, Turner Field and SciTrek. Group tours are also available for $2 per person (groups of 20+ only). For more information, please call (404) 223-TOUR. w i t h Greeter Program Welcomes Guests a smile T he Georgia World Congress Center is rolling out the red carpet for show attendees with a newly launched greeter program. Staff from the GWCC will be on hand at the door to welcome your guests and answer any questions. The program, launched in September, has welcomed guests to such events as Dcor Expo, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards and InterContinental Hotels Group. "We are doing whatever we can to ensure the best experience for all of our guests. Sometimes all it takes is a smile. We want both the Georgia World Congress Center and Atlanta to be remembered for its warm, southern hospitality," stated GWCC General Manager John Smith. Greeters wear badges that say "Welcome" on it and are positioned at the main entraces. To learn more about this new program, ask your sales person or event coordinator for more information. two Omni Tower Opens Next Door to GeorgiaWorld Congress Center "It is a pleasure to do business with professionals who take their position seriously and make an event so pleasant by ensuring that every detail is handled well. The evening was special to all of our schools being honored, and I wanted you to know that your professionalism and expertise added to all of our enjoyment of the event." Kathy Cox State Superintendent of Schools Georgia Department of Education On November 10, the renowned Omni Hotel at CNN Center opened its 600-room, 28-story Omni Tower, situated between the GWCC and Centennial Olympic Park. The $100 million expansion makes this Omni Hotel one of Atlanta's largest hotels. The new Omni Tower is located just outside of the Georgia World Congress Center. The $100 million expansion makes the Omni Hotel at CNN Center one of Atlanta's largest hotels. When combined with the existing hotel inside the CNN Center, the Omni Hotel now offers 1,067 rooms for guests traveling to Atlanta, offering more room for conventioneers. The hotel also boasts more than 120,000 square feet of meeting space including two ballrooms overlooking beautiful Centennial Olympic Park. "This multi-million dollar expansion, combined with the hotel's recent renovations, will make the Omni Hotel at CNN Center the premier Atlanta hotel facility in terms of the quality of service and amenities, in addition to its size and central location," said Jim Caldwell, President of Omni Hotels. A new plaza will connect the Omni Tower to the Georgia World Congress Center Building A Entrance Lobby. Construction of East Plaza is underway and will be completed in early 2004. Once East Plaza is completed, the Georgia World Congress Center will have three landscaped plazas for outdoor receptions and special events. "Initially, I was concerned about moving my conference to the Georgia World Congress Center from the Cobb Galleria Centre because I feared that my conference would be lost in such a large venue. How wrong this premonition turned out to be! You should know that I was simply amazed at the responsiveness of the personnel at your venue. All of my requests were met instantly." Braden Albert President HR Star Conference "In all my years in this business, and providing services to meetings all over the world, I have never come across a more genuine, caring and welcoming group of people than your excellent staff." Ludwig J. Krammer Director of Operations Bucom International, Inc. "Thank you for being so helpful with all of our ongoing changes and requests. The GWCC is a great facility and is managed very efficiently. Your commitment to ensuring our event's success and our attendee's safety did not go unnoticed." Lanay Stokes Assistant Director of Events Advocare three Walk Through a Real Winter Wonderland The C.O.P. ice skating rink makes the perfect place for corporate parties and group outings. Call (404) 223-4412 for special offers and other promotional opportunities. It's that time of year again! Time to get into the spirit of the season with Centennial Olympic Park's Holiday in Lights. From Nov. 20 to Dec. 31, Centennial Olympic Park will be glowing with thousands of lights. Holiday in Lights has become one of Atlanta's fastest growing traditions. Be sure to check out this year's display. Also back this year is the ever-popular Centennial Olympic Park Ice Skating Rink. Now in its fourth season, the ice skating rink can skate more than 100 people at any one time at its Southern Company Amphitheater location. Imagine the atmosphere theme music, theatrical lighting and colorful holiday lights surrounding the rink. For $5, you can skate for 90 minutes. If you don't have skates, you can rent them for just $2. Skating Rink Hours Nov. 21 to Dec. 18 Mon. Thurs. Friday Saturday Sunday 4:30 p.m. 10 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 11 p.m. 10 a.m. 11 p.m. 10 a.m. 10 p.m. Dec. 19 to Jan. 5 Sun. Thurs. Fri. Sat. closed Christmas Day 10 a.m. 10 p.m. 10 a.m. 11 p.m. four WELCOME Your GUESTS to ATLANTA in a MEMORABLE WAY Thousands of visitors head to Centennial Olympic Park to see the Fountain of Rings the world's largest fountain using the Olympic symbol of five interconnecting rings. The 25-foot landmark can shoot water as high as 35 feet during scheduled fountain shows. The Fountain of Rings also serves as a welcome mat to event attendees making their way to the Georgia World Congress Center from downtown hotels. To extend an even warmer welcome to your attendees, why not make a fountain announcement that greets your guests. The Georgia World Congress Center public relations department records free personalized greetings that welcome your show to Atlanta. Ask your event coordinator to learn more about fountain announcements. Georgia Gold Medal Garden ADDS A NATIVE TOUCH TO CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK In November, Centennial Olympic Park partnered with the Fulton County Central Master Gardeners (FCCMG) to bring the Georgia Gold Medal Plant program to the Park. The Gold Medal Garden showcases plants and trees that thrive in Atlanta's horti- cultural zone. All plants selected for the garden are winners of the Georgia Gold Medal Award. "Centennial Park is excited to be working with Master Gardeners on this project," said Mark Banta, general manager of Centennial Olympic Park. "As the northern perimeter of the Park is further developed, the Gold Medal Garden will provide a wonderful enhancement to an area that will see more visitors in the near future. Showcasing the Gold Medal Plants is a unique garden concept that fits well with the Olympic legacy of the Park." FCCMG is a subgroup of the Georgia Master Gardeners Volunteer Program, an educational program offered through county offices of the Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. Through this program, individuals are trained and certified in horticulture and related areas. Master Gardeners volunteer its expertise and services, under the direction of the County Extension Agent, to help others through horticultural projects that benefit the community. five Dome Press Box Offers Unique Space for Meetings, Receptions Great food and great service is hard to beat. Add a unique location and the result is an unforgettable event experience. The Georgia Dome has the flexibility to effectively stage almost any event, from a sold-out football game to an important business meeting. Thanks to the facility's in-house culinary service partner, MGR, meetings at the Dome are a combination of exceptional cuisine, friendly service and ease of planning beyond expectations. In addition to meeting rooms and suites, the Dome has unique meeting spaces that are great for business, like the official press box, with room for as many as 323 guests! Complete with its own food service area and a great view of the new field, the Press Box was designed to give reporters a professional environment in which to work and, more importantly, to give them a favorable impression of the facility and home team. Meeting planners can use this great space the same way: it's perfect for a spe- cial presentation, a reception or a business meeting to remember. The Georgia Dome is the home of the Atlanta Falcons and host of first-class events such as Super Bowls XXVIII and XXXIV, the 1996 Centennial Olympics, the 2002 NCAA Men's Final Four, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the SEC Football Championship and the Supercross series. With that history, the Dome has the experience to treat every attendee as a VIP. Add your business meeting to the list and bring your championship team to the Georgia Dome! two Georgia Dome Makes Nice Segway This fall, the Georgia Dome purchased a Segway Human Transporter (HT). The vehicle is used primarily to patrol plazas and to support the public safety department on event days. Officer Darrell Barnes (left) says the Segway HT gives him extra height, a real asset in crowds on game day. "Everybody wants to know how it works, how much it costs and is it safe," he said. The Segway HT is great in pedestrian areas because I "...can ride in many areas without having to dismount. It's one hundred percent better than a bicycle for our applications." The revolutionary Segway HT balances using gyroscopes and a special computer and is powered by electricity. The unique scooter is not the first electric vehicle (EV) in the GWCCA fleet, however. Since 1997, Centennial Olympic Park has been a participant in the Federal Government "Clean Cities Program," designed to demonstrate how EVs provide a real alterative to gas-powered vehicles. The Park uses Ford Ranger EVs, Short and long bed EV carts, and a more traditional EV scooter. CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL PUTS SEC AND ACC HEAD TO HEAD On January 2, 2004, it's the SEC vs. the ACC in the 36th Annual Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Last year's game featured Tennessee and Maryland as the Terps defeated the Vols 30-3 in front of 68,330 fans. The Dome has hosted the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl since 1992. The Perch Adds to Game Day Excitement on Campus Interested? Tickets for The Perch are $99 per person for one game and can be purchased from the Falcons Ticket Office (404.223.8444). Football fans coming to the Dome know that in addition to the game, they'll see quality entertainers singing the national anthem and performing at halftime. They also know that they can play interactive football games and see live music at Falcons Landing, the free NFL theme park on International Plaza open three hours before every game. New for the 2003 season, there has been another great reason to see the Falcons, the new hospitality ticket packages at "The Perch." The Perch is a complete pre-game tailgate party package in style. The Perch party kicks off in the beautiful new Georgia Ballroom in Building C of the Georgia World Congress Center. The package includes a game ticket, two coupons for beer, wine or soda at the Perch, gourmet buffet-style lunch or dinner, and pre-game shows on giant TV screens. You can always expect Freddie Falcon and the Falcons Cheerleaders to stop by the Perch to fire up the fans. For more information visit www.atlantafalcons.com. SEC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATES 71 YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENTS The Southeastern Conference Football Championship has a storied 71-year history of athletic achievements and academic excellence. The SEC has built perhaps the greatest tradition of intercollegiate competition of any league in the country since its inception in 1933. The SEC has recorded the largest total attendance figure of any conference in the nation, with over six million fans attending games each year. This year's soldout championship takes place Dec. 6 at 8:30 p.m. seven The Big Event is published quarterly by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. 285 Andrew Young International Boulevard, N.W. Atlanta, GA 30313-1591 Telephone 404.223.4200 Fax 404.223.4211 E-mail contactus@gwcc.com www.gwcc.com THE GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER CONTINUES TO BE THE PRIMARY ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT DRIVES THE REGION'S HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2003, MORE THAN 5 MILLION VISITORS ATTENDING OVER 400 EVENTS AT THE GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER, THE GEORGIA DOME AND CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK GENERATED AN ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT OF NEARLY $2 MILLION FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA. source: 2003 GWCCA Annual Report PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 596 Atlanta, Ga Return Service Requested