Atlanta Airport hotel tower to be demolished for additional runway

For more than 30 years, the Sheraton Atlanta Airport Hotel has stood at the western end of Hartsfield-Jackson’s southern runways; but soon, the 12-story red brick tower and sprawling convention center will be no more.

Last week, the City of Atlanta purchased the 395-room hotel with plans to demolish it to make way for the expansion of the airport, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle. The sale closed for $16.7 million.

The building’s sale marks a major step toward the realization of plans to relocate cargo facilities and add a sixth runway between the existing fourth and fifth runways.

The runway addition is part of a larger plan to make more than $6 billion of upgrades and expansions to Hartsfield-Jackson over the course of the next few decades.

Work is already getting underway on the dramatic new curbside entries at the domestic terminals.

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Reports indicate the closure of the hotel will happen sometime in July, but the loss of rooms will likely have little impact on accommodation options around the airport.

Later this week, the new Renaissance Atlanta Airport Gateway Hotel will open, offering 204 rooms just a quick ATL SkyTrain ride away from the terminal.

The Renaissance is just one of at least three hotels planned in close proximity to the airport.

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• City buys Sheraton Airport Hotel for almost $17 million, to become part of Hartsfield-Jackson expansion [Atlanta Business Chronicle]