ATLANTA, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
representatives from AT&T (NYSE: T) and the Georgia World
Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) were joined by key elected
officials and community stakeholders to announce AT&T's
$1 million contribution that will
help fund renovations at Atlanta's
Centennial Olympic Park.
The updates to Centennial Olympic Park are an essential
component of the GWCCA's 2020 Vision strategic plan, and AT&T's
support will help make that vision a reality by funding catalytic
projects within the green space.
"We are proud to continue our investments in this vibrant
community and to work closely with our friends at the Georgia World
Congress Center Authority to breathe new life into the Centennial
Olympic Park," said Bill Leahy,
president of AT&T Georgia. "Twenty years ago, our fiber-optic
infrastructure helped connect Atlanta to the world, and today, through our
continuing investments in the community and in our fiber-optic
network, our more than 17,000 employees in Atlanta are enhancing opportunities to connect
to this unparalleled community."
"The vision that the Georgia World Congress Center Authority has
for Atlanta connects the historic
importance of Centennial Olympic Park with a future of community
growth and vitality," said Atlanta
Mayor Kasim Reed. "AT&T has long
shared and supported that same vision for our community, and I
appreciate their support – and the support of the entire business
community – in making the future promise of our city a
reality."
Centennial Olympic Park welcomed the global community that
converged on Atlanta to celebrate
the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Today, this unique 21-acre park
performs a dual mission: it serves as Georgia's lasting legacy of the Centennial
Olympic Games and it anchors efforts to revitalize residential and
commercial development in the heart of Georgia's capital city. Centennial Olympic
Park has become the center of a dynamic downtown entertainment
district, a place where residents and visitors have fun, feel safe,
and create lifelong memories. New museums and attractions, as
well as significant commercial and residential development, have
contributed to an urban renaissance around the park—boosting the
economy with more than $2.4 billion
in new investments to date with another $1.5
billion in the pipeline.
"In 1996, Centennial Olympic Park welcomed visitors from, around
the globe to our great city," said Frank
Poe, Executive Director of the Georgia World Congress Center
Authority. "Over the past 20 years, the park has continued to be a
place where our community celebrated, and with AT&T's generous
support, we are excited that the Centennial Olympic Park will
continue to serve as a glorious gathering spot for many years to
come."
As the Park's caretaker, the GWCCA is committed to ensuring that
Centennial Olympic Park continues to enhance the quality of life in
metro Atlanta for decades to come.
GWCCA leaders have developed an exciting 2020 Vision that sets a
course for the next five years as Mercedes-Benz Stadium opens, the
Georgia Dome is decommissioned, and a new on-campus hotel is
developed adjacent to the Congress Center's Building C. As
part of this campus-wide vision, GWCCA is preparing for significant
improvements to Centennial Olympic Park— including transformative
projects designed to increase community access, expand programming
opportunities, and greatly enhance the visitor experience. These
projects include adding additional greenspace, creating a
pedestrian plaza, revamping the park's popular amphitheater,
creating a bike depot in conjunction with the PATH Foundation, and
opening up the Baker Street corner to neighboring attractions.
About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at
AT&T
AT&T is committed to advancing education,
strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its
community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in
projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and
economic achievement; or address community needs. AT&T Aspire
is AT&T's signature philanthropic initiative that drives
innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on
the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and
mentoring. Through Aspire, we've passed the $250 million mark on our plan to invest
$350 million in education from
2008-2017.
About the Georgia World Congress Center Authority
Located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, the Georgia World Congress Center
Authority (GWCCA) now includes Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the 3.9
million- square-foot convention center, the 71,250-seat Georgia
Dome, and 21-acre Centennial Olympic Park. Additionally, GWCCA
manages operations of the Savannah International Trade &
Convention Center. These public facilities represent the largest
combined convention, sports, and entertainment destination in the
world. This past year, the GWCCA hosted 555 events and welcomed
more than 2.4 million visitors who generated $1.33 billion in economic impact to the
State of Georgia.
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SOURCE AT&T