convention, sports, and entertainment destination in the world 2 015 Annual Report One-Stop Destination for Conventions, Sports 20 1 5 Annual Report and Entertainment Over the course of one weekend in title of No. 1 convention, sports and With the College Football Hall of Fame As a leader, it often means being the February 2015, a singular organization entertainment destination in the world. opening up on GWCCA’s campus in FY first to achieve and attain certain status – hosted more than 120,000 attendees, 2015 the Authority added another offering and FY 2015 saw the GWCC become Fiscal Year 2015 saw the GWCCA’s exhibitors, fans and participants in to the downtown entertainment and tourism the largest LEED (Leadership in Energy properties abuzz with activity, hosting downtown Atlanta as the Bronner Bros. district that it anchors. Meanwhile the future and Environmental Design) certified top-drawing sporting events including International Beauty Show occupied the of this robust live-work-play urban corridor convention center in the world, as well as nine Atlanta Falcons home games, the Georgia World Congress Center, Monster continued to take shape as construction of the GWCCA campus becoming the first SEC Championship Game, the Chick-fil-A Energy Supercross invaded the Georgia the $1.4 billion retractable roof Mercedes- combined convention center-and-sports- Peach Bowl, superstar concerts featuring Dome, and the Atlanta Mission 5K Race Benz Stadium rapidly progressed next to entertainment complex to be recognized Beyonce and Jay-Z, Kenny Chesney, was staged at Centennial Olympic Park. the Georgia Dome. Set to open in 2017, as a National Weather Service Outkast, One Direction, the Sweetwater the state-of-the-art venue ensures that the StormReady© Supporter. Who does that? The Georgia World 420 Festival, community events and Atlanta Falcons remain downtown, that Congress Center Authority does. And industry-leading conventions and meetings, Many other strategic initiatives aligned Georgians will get their first taste of Major with best-in-class service – and on a including the International Production during the year as the Authority marched League Soccer, and that heritage events regular basis routinely hosting overlapping & Processing Expo, the V103 Car and toward the goals outlined in the established at the Dome, such as the SEC and concurrent large-scale sporting Bike Show, the Hinman Dental Meeting, organization’s strategic plan known as Championship Game and Peach Bowl, events, concerts and expos on the same Cheersport Nationals, and the ASIS 2020 Vision, available online at: transfer to the new facility. downtown Atlanta campus, earning the International Seminar and Exhibits. www.gwcc.com/vision. MISSION VISION VALUES The State of Georgia established the Our vision is to constantly earn our To achieve our vision, we make our CREDITS The 2015 Georgia World Congress Center Authority Annual Report is published by the GWCCA Department of Georgia World Congress Center reputation as one of the world’s finest customers the focus of all we do. We Communications, Frank Poe, Executive Director. Written, compiled Authority to develop and operate the convention, sports and entertainment venues. take pride in providing friendly and and edited by: Jennifer LeMaster, Alicia McNease, Kent Kimes, Jason Kirksey and Morgan Smith-Williams. Principal photography by: Robb Georgia World Congress Center, the Every day we exemplify our steadfast courteous service to our guests and D. Cohen and Greg Mooney, Additional photography by: GWCCA Georgia Dome, Centennial Olympic commitment to excellence in our expertise, customers. We strive constantly to Communications, CCLD Networks IT Director Sam Brown, Georgia Department of Economic Development, International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Park, and related facilities. These facilities efficiency and quality of service. Our vision improve productivity and to promote Association, Hopper Stone, and Warner Bros. exist for the primary purpose of promoting is to lead our industry through innovation; to the best interests of the Georgia World Layout and Design: Lampe-Farley Communications and facilitating events and activities that operate successfully in an ethical manner; Congress Center, the Georgia Dome, Printing: Excitaprint LLC generate economic benefits to the citizens to satisfy our customers’ expectations with and Centennial Olympic Park. Digital copies of this publication and prior annual reports are of the State of Georgia and the City of motivated, service-oriented employees; to available at www.gwcc.com/about/Annual_Report. The 2014 Georgia World Congress Atlanta as well as enhance the quality of provide a safe, clean environment; and to Center Authority Annual Report is the life for every Georgian. foster both the personal and professional proud winner of the Public Relations Society of America-Georgia Chapter’s growth of our people. Phoenix Award of Excellence. CONTENTS 2 Event Highlights 12 See Green 4 Campus Connectivity 14 Cultivating Leaders 6 Public Safety 16 International Tourism 8 Community Outreach 18 GWCCA Financials 10 Behind the Lens 21 GWCCA Board of Governors SEPTEMBER Homegrown hip-hop mega-duo Outkast thrilled Atlanta with their first hometown EVENT dates in nearly 15 years, performing three sold-out HIGHLIGHTS #ATLast concerts at Centennial 2014-2015 Olympic Park AUGUST 2014 Downtown Atlanta’s newest with a combined crown jewel, the College Football Hall of Fame attendance and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience, officially opened approaching JULY 2014 Hip-hop/pop/R&B power couple Jay-Z and on the GWCCA campus adjacent to Centennial 60,000. Beyonce’s “On the Run” tour dazzled a sold-out Georgia Olympic Park. Dome, representing the first major concert event at the venue since construction began in close proximity on the New Atlanta Stadium on GWCCA’s campus. OCTOBER British pop heartthrobs One Direction brought the “Where We Are” tour to a sold-out Georgia Dome. AUGUST Steve Harvey’s State Farm Neigh- OCTOBER Centennial Olympic NOVEMBER Long time borhood Awards Expo came to the Georgia Park, built for the 1996 Summer Georgia Dome Event World Congress Center for the first time, Olympics, was given the Urban Services Manager Ken relocating from Las Vegas. The three-day event Land Institute’s special 20-year Jefferson was inducted into drew 44,366 attendees and featured live project award, recognizing the the Atlanta Convention and broadcasts of the “Steve Harvey Morning attraction’s impact on downtown Visitors Bureau Hospitality Show,” a stand-up comedy jam in Sydney Atlanta tourism and economic Hall of Fame. Marcus Auditorium and an expo-only version of development. “Family Feud” with Harvey hosting. 2 NOVEMBER Providing a seamless indoor, climate- FEBRUARY The 68th Mid-Winter Bronner Bros. Interna- MAY The controlled pedestrian corridor to and from the tional Beauty Show – the nation’s largest multi-cultural beauty massive, colorful Georgia World Congress Center’s closest overnight product trade show – featured more than 300 exhibitors, traveling Current luxury lodging option, the GWCC-Omni Atlanta celebrity appearances, and drew 18,000 patrons over the Collections See the Hotel connector opened, linking to the GWCC- course of three days at the Georgia World Congress Center. Unseen Sculpture, College Football Hall of Fame connector. designed to raise awareness about how trash travels from our streets to impact DECEMBER As part MARCH Joel local waterways, of the new College and Victoria was unveiled Football Playoff format, Osteen filled at Centennial the “Peach Bowl” name the Georgia Olympic Park, returned to the Chick-fil-A Dome on an where it stayed on Bowl. In its first game inspirational display through as a host bowl, No. 6 night of hope, June 22. TCU defeated No. 9 worship and Ole Miss 42-3. encouragement. MAY In partnership with Levy Restaurants, the Georgia World Congress Center hosted the grand opening of Southern Roots Café APRIL After a 28-year absence from Atlanta, The Clean in the former Building A Starbucks Show – the world’s largest trade show and seminar for the space, serving Southern-inspired laundering, dry-cleaning and textile care industry – was breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, staged at the Georgia World Congress Center with 437 and featuring a soundtrack and exhibiting companies using 195,400 square feet of booth décor honoring the contributions of space and attracting 11,250 attendees. Georgia-born musicians. JUNE In what has become a Georgia Dome tradition, country superstar JANUARY 2015 Stoking the excitement surrounding Kenny Chesney returned the construction of the $1.4 billion state-of-the-art to the stadium for his third retractable roof New Atlanta Stadium (now known headlining performance as Mercedes-Benz Stadium) — the new home of the as “The Big Revival” tour Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC Major League featured opening acts Eric Soccer club on the GWCCA campus — a dramatic Church, Brantley Gilbert, animated fly-throughvideo was released on YouTube. Chase Rice and Old It features a bird’s eye view of the facility’s grand Dominion, thrilling an ap- plazas, seating bowl and peeks inside the club proximate 45,000 fans. lounges, suites, and concourses. 3 The Authority is literally, Out-of-town exhibitors, conventioneers, LEADING figuratively and sports and concert fans attending THE CHARGE FOR technologically speaking, GWCCA events have an array of connected to downtown lodging options to consider with 10,000 CONNECTIVITY Atlanta’s burgeoning tourism/ hotel