How important are citywides to a meeting city’s economy? In April, Atlanta experienced an amazing 82 percent hotel occupancy rate for the highest total ever recorded in the city during that month, according to research was conducted by Smith Travel Research (STR).
Atlanta’s record-breaking occupancy was spurred by four major citywide conventions, which brought an estimated 49,000 attendees with an estimated direct economic impact of $55.5 million.
“This milestone is a testament to the entire hospitality community of Atlanta as we continue to build on our tremendous success,” says William Pate, president and CEO of Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB). “We have great momentum heading into the summer travel season as Atlanta continues to deliver a world-class destination for visitors to experience.”
Here are the citywide events that took place in April at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center.
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), April 2-4
• MODEX 2016, April 4-7
• Varsity Spirit Corporation–One Up 2016, April 8-10
• Army Aviation Association of America, April 28-30
Georgia World Congress Center offers 3.9 million sq. ft. of exhibit space. The largest LEED Silver certified convention center in the world, it’s adjacent to Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park.
Atlanta’s star continues to rise in terms of citywides. On May 25, the National Football League (NFL) announced that Atlanta was chosen to host Super Bowl LIII in February 2019. It will be played at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which is scheduled to open in June 2017. Atlanta has hosted three Super Bowls .
Transformation was the focus of Atlanta’s Super Bowl presentation, including the new $1.4 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which is under construction in the heart of Atlanta. The walkability of the downtown area was another key element in Atlanta’s favor, with easy access to world-class attractions such as College Football Hall of Fame, Georgia Aquarium and National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium has also landed the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship and numerous semifinal games, as well as the 2020 NCAA Men’s Final Four. The Southeastern Conference football championship game is slated to take place in Atlanta for the next 11 years, moving into Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017; it’s currently held at the Georgia Dome.
