Atlanta: A Top Destination for Major Sporting Events and Meetings

By Victoria Lightfoot

Published July 28, 2016
Last Updated February 3, 2021

Atlanta is a top destination for meetings, conventions and tourism as well as sporting events. Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) assists with major sports events including 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, several NCAA Men’s Final Four tournaments, the annual Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and in 2019, a third Super Bowl. These events choose Atlanta for the same reasons that you would want to book your meeting here.

Infrastructure

Atlanta’s infrastructure is one reason the city is top sports destination. Fans can park at their hotel and walk right into their event as well as entertainment and dining options, and your attendees can do the same.

The convention and entertainment district includes the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) and more than 11,700 hotel rooms and 300 dining options. Surrounding attractions include World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium, College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience and Center for Civil and Human Rights and are also located within walking distance.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium will open in 2017 and play host to the College Football Playoff National Championship (2018), Super Bowl LIII (2019), and NCAA Final Four (2020). 

Sports fans and attendees alike will enjoy the convenience of the convention and entertainment district, whether cheering on their favorite team or expanding their professional horizons.

Hotel Portfolio

The area boasts 11,700 hotel rooms within walking distance of the convention and tourism district, and that’s just the beginning. Atlanta’s lodging portfolio includes more than 94,500 hotel rooms, with options that will fit every fan, attendee and meeting planner budget.

For those who want to be near the action, Downtown offers a range of hotels from family-friendly, like Embassy Suites at Centennial Olympic Park and Hilton Garden Inn, to convention hotels, including Atlanta Marriott Marquis and Hyatt Regency Atlanta.

Midtown has a host of boutique hotels located right in the middle of the neighborhood’s arts and culture scene, including the historic Georgian Terrace Hotel and the art-centered Artmore Hotel.

Buckhead is known as the “Beverly Hills of the East” and has the hotels to prove it. Attendees looking for luxury accommodations can choose from InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, Mandarin Oriental Atlanta or St. Regis Atlanta.

Variety of unique meeting venues

When the game is done and your sessions have ended for the day, Atlanta has several special meeting venues that can host small receptions to full fan zones.

Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) is the fourth-largest convention center in the U.S. with 1.4 million square feet of exhibit space spread across four buildings. GWCC is the heart of Atlanta’s convention and tourism corridor and can accommodate meetings of all sizes.

Beyond GWCC, meeting planners have their pick of a wide range of special events venues, all within the convention corridor. Attractions like World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium and the College Football Hall of Fame all include meeting space that’s out of the ordinary.

Head over to Peachtree Street for two additional event venues – Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart for events in the penthouse ballroom and 14-story grand atrium or the ballroom at Southern Exchange at 200 Peachtree.

If you’re looking to host a large-scale event, trust your meeting with ACVB – that’s always a slam dunk.