Centennial Olympic Park

Atlanta Stories
The Olympic Rings at Centennial Olympic Park1

The 1996 Summer Olympics took place from July 19th to August 4th in the city of Atlanta, Georgia and marked the 100th anniversary of one of the most prestigious sporting events worldwide. Atlanta was awarded the status of host over the original host Athens, and in doing so, made the United States the first country to host Games in three different cities, after St. Louis and Los Angeles.2 The Olympic Games were an opportunity for revitalization in various parts of the city, both for welcoming the world into our city, and to renew the city itself. Several new facilities were built in anticipation for the Games, including the Centennial Olympic Stadium, The McAuley Aquatic Center, and Centennial Olympic Park. The first two facilities were later acquired by local universities (Georgia State University and Georgia Tech, respectively) but the latter remains a core part of downtown Atlanta, and will be the focus of this article.

Before The Olympics

1919

1919 Map of Atlanta3

Above is a map of Atlanta showing how the land that Centennial Olympic Park would occupy more than 80 years later was covered in various types of buildings. There was an even mix of residential housing and businesses.

1928

Before there was even an inkling that the Big Peach would host such an esteemed event, the land that would eventually become the Park was a lot more fluid with its surroundings, as seen in the comparison below. On the left is a map of the area from 1928, and the right is a modern map.4 The Streets of Harris, Cain, and Hayden were essentially wiped out in order to build the Park, and both Luckie and Walton Street were cut off as well. Techwood Drive was also renamed to Centennial Olympic Park Drive.

1929

Looking into Atlanta City Directories is a great way to learn more about what people and businesses were in every little part of the city, and also to track changes in these areas. For the purpose of this article, the years 1929 and 1961 were studied to see if there were any major changes in the 30+ years that pass. 1929 is where we start the comparison.

The Streets of Cain, Harris, Hayden, Luckie, Walton, and Marietta were chosen in order to document changes of the streets that either border the park or were removed in construction. Most of the streets in this area were mostly just housing for white people. For example, where Cain and Luckie intersected, there were mostly white women living in apartments, such as Ms. Cordelia Callaway and Ms. Prudie Gillespie.5 There were also small businesses in the vicinity, with contractors and plumbers based at the intersection of Luckie Street and Cain Street. The area as a whole was also rich in various types of automotive shops.

1931-1932

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 1931-19326

This brings us to our next moment in time, which is 1931-1932. This Sanborn map is situated right at the heart of the present day park, displaying the streets of Baker, Harris, and Cain. There is a lot of automobile based businesses in these blocks, such as sales, tire service, and parking. There were also a few other stores such as one for Paints and Oils, and even the Adolf Hotel.

In just a few short years, the area was already moving towards a more commercial and industrial sort of feel.

1945

Land Use Map, 1945 7

After a little under 15 more years, the area is now almost completely covered in commercial/industrial buildings. This sector is starting a trend that continues into the next section as well.

1961

Now it’s time to dive back into the City Directory, and this time it’s for 1961. This section really completes the industrialization trend, as there are now no remaining residential areas. The intersection of Marietta and Cain is home to a large automobile garage and an upholstering business, and the crossing of Harris and Techwood offers advisement firms, contractors, and even more auto shop (because who doesn’t want more?).8 The most interesting development of the area is situated at Walton and Cain, where you could find the Twentieth Century Fox Film Studios, which is nice foreshadowing to the giant that Atlanta becomes in the modern world.

1995

Our final stop on the timeline is right before construction of the park began. Below is an image from the Atlanta History Center depicting what the land held before everything was razed to build the park. It’s very clear that the area was still mostly comprised of commercial properties. It was also starting to become a bit more rundown as time went on. “In the early 1990s, this area was filled with warehouses, small businesses, and open lots, and bordered by aging public housing complexes.”9

Future Centennial Olympic Park Land, March 1995

Awarding of the Games

For many large-scale sporting events, decades of planning are required to make sure that host cities and countries are ready. For example, the FIFA World Cup receives bids and awards host countries as far as 12 years away. This is also the case for the Olympics. “In September of 1987, Atlanta submitted its bid to the United States Olympic Committee Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, along with thirteen other American cities.”10 In early April 1988, Atlanta was selected as America’s candidate to host the 1996 Olympics. Atlanta then submitted its bid to the International Olympic Committee in 1990, which included over 5 volumes of information introducing the IOC to our city. The other cities up for contention were Athens, Belgrade, Manchester, Melbourne, and Toronto. Many assumed that Athens would be the favorite for the award, seeing as the 1996 Games were 100 years after the first modern Games were held in Athens.11 Spoiler alert: the city of Atlanta won after nearly 9 years of campaigning!

Park Origins

As soon as the news broke that Atlanta was going to host one of the most significant sporting events in the world, the city government immediately got to work. The ACOG was formed: Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, which was a nonprofit. These committee was focused on using only privately-raised funds to bring the Games to life, which had never been done before. ACOG spent around $1.7 billion over six years, with around a quarter of that fund spent on construction. The funds came from sponsorships, ticket sales, merchandize, and broadcast rights. One of the most notable sponsorships was Coca-Cola, which supplied more than $300,000,000.12 Some believed that these Games had excessive commercialization as a result, especially when there were various corporate sponsor tents across Centennial Olympic Park.

Another way that the ACOG receive funds were through a commemorative brick program. Individuals could choose an inscription on a brick inside the park for $35, and over 330,000 bricks were sold by the start of the Games.13

The ACOG got right to work constructing all of the facilities that they would need. The most important athletic venue up for construction was the Centennial Olympic Stadium, which would house the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as all of the track and field competitions. But Atlanta also kept its own interests and revitalization aspirations in mind. The city entered an agreement with the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority and the Atlanta Braves, so that our resident baseball team could move into a brand new facility when the Games ended. This was also the case for the Olympic Village, which was the housing needed for more than 10,000 visiting athletes. The area chosen was Georgia Tech, with all of the housing configured into dorms for students following the Games.14

Downtown leaders realized a bit late, in 1993 to be exact, that there were no plans for a major outdoor gathering place for spectators. This is where the ACOG decided to kill two birds with one stone. They had to the opportunity to build a wide park and do so by purchasing, clearing, and transforming small scale businesses and parking lots. Over 21 acres were acquired, and the vision of an iconic area for the 1996 Olympic Games was established.

The job to bring the park to life was given to the H.J. Russell and Co. firm. Phase I of the park was completed in July 1996, just mere weeks before the opening ceremony. This phase had a budget of $28 million. Phase II was completed in 1998 for $15 million, as the Park was renovated to “support year round use by various organizations throughout the City of Atlanta and the region. Below are some images depicting the construction process.15

Construction of Centennial Olympic Park16

Utilization during the Olympic Games

Aerial View of Centennial Olympic Park during the Games17

Centennial Olympic Park was essentially the main hub for spectators to socialize and follow the various events of the day. It was “Filled with tents, entertainment stages, temporary exhibitions, and souvenir stations during the summer of 1996…”18 It was a great area for Atlanta residents to interact with foreign athletes and spectators, and dive into the sense of unity that the Olympics never fails to bring.

The Olympic Park Bombing

While the 1996 Games were largely a success for the city of Atlanta, they were also marked by tragedy. On July 27, Eric Robert Rudolph planted a pipe bomb within Centennial Olympic Park. Before detonation, the bomb was found by security officer Richard Jewell, and he made an attempt to evacuate the area. Sadly, the bomb went off and killed 2 and injured 111 others. Jewell was initially believed to be the culprit, but was later cleared. It wasn’t until 2003 when Rudolph was finally captured after a string of other bombings.19

Athletes and Game officials decided to continue with the 100th iteration of the Games.

Usage of the Park after the Games

The Centennial Olympic Games officially concluded on August 4th, 1996. The president of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch declared these Games the “most exceptional Games ever.”20 The Atlanta Games were a popular success overall, as the city was debt free from all of the sponsorships and greater audiences were drawn in by the affordable ticket prices.

In the 30+ years from the Atlanta Games, Centennial Olympic Park has become a center for urban redevelopment, as it currently has a perimeter made up of museums, venues, hotels, and restaurants.21 The Park is also within walking distance of several notable Atlanta attractions, including the Coca-Cola Factory, Georgia Aquarium, and the College Football Hall of Fame.

It has also has hosted music festivals, such as Shaky Knees from 2016-2017.22

The newest addition to the park was introduced in 2019. Standing 11 feet tall and weighing in at 5,000 pounds, an aluminum sculpture of the Olympic Rings was unveiled with the title of “The Spectacular.”23 It has proved to be a spot for tourists looking to create memories, and invites guests to climb around the insides.

Construction of The Spectacular24
The Spectacular on display25

Conclusion

Overall the 1996 Olympics took a slightly rundown commercial sector into one of the most iconic areas in the city of Atlanta. Centennial Olympic Park has proven to be a vital part of our city, and will continue to do so in the future.

  1. “Best Things to Do at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta,” Discover Atlanta, July 1, 2024, https://discoveratlanta.com/things-to-do/outdoors/centennial-park/. ↩︎
  2. “List of Olympic Host Cities,” Architecture of the Games, accessed April 2025, https://architectureofthegames.net/olympic-host-cities/. ↩︎
  3. Foote And Davies Company. Atlanta. [N.P, 1919] Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/75693190/> ↩︎
  4. ATLMaps, “Centennial Olympic Park Area Maps: 1928 and Present Day,” https://www.atlmaps.org. ↩︎
  5. Atlanta City Directory, 1929. ↩︎
  6. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of Atlanta, Fulton County, GA, Map 43, 1931.https://digitalsanbornmaps-proquest-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/browse_maps/11/1377/6155/6523/97899?accountid=11226 ↩︎
  7. “Land Use Map of Atlanta, 1945,” CONTENTdm, n.d., accessed April 2025. ↩︎
  8. Atlanta City Directory, 1961 ↩︎
  9. Michael Dobbins et al., Atlanta’s Olympic Resurgence: How the 1996 Games Revived a Struggling City (Chicago: Arcadia Publishing Inc, 2021). ↩︎
  10. Dobbins et al., Atlanta’s Olympic Resurgence. 2021 ↩︎
  11. Dobbins et al., Atlanta’s Olympic Resurgence. 2021 ↩︎
  12. Dobbins et al., Atlanta’s Olympic Resurgence. 2021 ↩︎
  13. “Stop 12: Centennial Olympic Park,” Atlanta History Center, September 13, 2021, https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/programs-events/public-programs/olympic-paralympic-games-celebration/sites-and-venues-of-96/centennial-olympic-park/#:~:text=Initial%20funds%20came%20from%20the,building%2C%20to%20the%20park%20project. ↩︎
  14. Dobbins et al., Atlanta’s Olympic Resurgence. 2021 ↩︎
  15. www.kickoffmarketing.com Kick Off Marketing, “Construction Group Projects,” H. J. Russell & Company, https://web.archive.org/web/20081205000825/http://www.hjrussell.com/constructionProjects/public-CentennialPark.htm. ↩︎
  16. “Stop 12: Centennial Olympic Park,” Atlanta History Center, September 13, 2021, https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/programs-events/public-programs/olympic-paralympic-games-celebration/sites-and-venues-of-96/centennial-olympic-park/#:~:text=Initial%20funds%20came%20from%20the,building%2C%20to%20the%20park%20project. ↩︎
  17. Atlanta History Center, 2021. ↩︎
  18. Atlanta History Center, 2021. ↩︎
  19. “Eric Rudolph,” FBI, May 18, 2016, https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/eric-rudolph. ↩︎
  20. Dobbins et al., Atlanta’s Olympic Resurgence. 2021 ↩︎
  21. Atlanta History Center, 2021. ↩︎
  22. Michelle Geslani, “Shaky Knees Reveals 2017 Lineup: The XX, LCD Soundsystem, Phoenix, and More,” Consequence, January 10, 2017, https://consequence.net/2017/01/shaky-knees-reveals-2017-lineup-the-xx-lcd-soundsystem-phoenix-and-more/. ↩︎
  23. Newest Centennial Olympic Park Feature is (the) spectacular – and built for Selfies – Georgia World Congress Center Authority, accessed April 2025, https://www.gwcca.org/newest-centennial-olympic-park-feature-is-the-spectacular-and-built-for-selfies. ↩︎
  24. Georgia World Congress Center ↩︎
  25. “Best Things to Do at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta,” Discover Atlanta, July 1, 2024, https://discoveratlanta.com/things-to-do/outdoors/centennial-park/. ↩︎