Centennial Olympic Park could be in for a major expansion if the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce sells their building on the park's edge to the state. According to the Saporta Report, opinions among members of the chamber are mixed, but rumblings indicate that the organization would vacate their primo park-side locale for a whopping $10.5 million payout. Overall, it sounds as if the chamber has changed its tune since last year, when they indicated they had no intentions to sell the building.
The building was originally designed by internationally renowned, locally based Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects. But Scogin told the Saporta Report there's nothing sacred about the building, going so far as to say, "I would tear it down and start all over…" However, local architect Michael Sizemore, who oversaw renovations in the mid-1990s, wasn't too keen on the idea of his creation being demolished.
While the location is prominent, the chance to improve Centennial Olympic Park — which has become Atlanta's enduring legacy to the games we hosted 19 years ago — is one that could have a profound effect on the city. Preliminary concepts released earlier this year hint at a possible amphitheater, a bike depot and generally more green space. Estimates put the construction for those enhancements at $46.5 million. But with the area's rise to prominence as (arguably) the cultural and tourist hub of the city, and with the 20th anniversary of the park's opening on the horizon, it's high time for a revamp, right?
· Varying views on value of Atlanta Chamber having its own home [Saporta Report]
Loading comments...