Nothing says a destination has hit the big time like hosting the biggest game in the world, the Super Bowl, and the spotlight will be focused on Atlanta when the 53rd edition of the greatest show on the globe plays Mercedes-Benz Stadium February 3, 2019.
While the hometown Atlanta Falcons are out of the running, Super Bowl LIII and all of its companion events will result in “The ATL” sparkling for the world to see, both for visitors and in high-definition on all manner of screens throughout the world.
“I know everyone’s going to really be awed by what they see in the stadium,” said Mark Vaughan, executive vice president and chief sales officer for the Atlanta CVB. “This is a tremendous opportunity for us to really put a stamp on and own what we’re so proud of here, which is Southern hospitality.”
The super-sized show of hospitality will begin as visitors arrive at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport—the world’s busiest—which is in the midst of a $6 billion, 20-year transformation that will update the domestic terminal and concourses, culminating in two independent facilities for domestic and international passengers. The project will also feature a park-like atrium, add another concourse and include a 440-room InterContinental-branded hotel. Airport officials are eyeing the construction of a sixth runway further along in the project.
Dubbed ATLNext (http://next.atl.com), the project will radically improve the “front door” where most meetings and events visitors enter Atlanta long after the Super Bowl is logged into the history books.
“Everything was designed to enhance the visitor experience,” Vaughan said of the massive airport project. “There will be a new visitor center right at the top of the [arrivals] escalator. We want to be in a good position to where people are feeling good right when they come up the escalator at Hartsfield-Atlanta Airport.”
Hartsfield-Atlanta International Airport
Super Bowl Superlatives
The NFL championship is all things “super,” and the 2019 Super Bowl has galvanized Atlanta to new heights of teamwork to show off the destination and create a spectacular events experience for everyone coming in for the big game.
“We started this journey back in early 2015, and as you can imagine it takes an army to pull this thing off, and we’ve had tremendous community support,” Vaughan said. “It gives everyone a great opportunity to look at the destination and the product, and how we put our best food forward. People in this community know. They’ve had this date circled for three years now—what they need to do and the visibility it will be for our city.”
“We had 30,000 applicants and we needed 10,000, so we were really able to pick the cream of the crop,” Vaughan added. “That just shows you how fired up the city is and how excited they are for people to be here.”
Vaughan said some of the key Super Bowl happenings include a variety of free events, such as a free concert series at Centennial Olympic Park, which benefitted from a variety of improvements in preparation for the big game. The new Home Depot Backyard venue, next to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, will also serve as a focus of Super Bowl fan fun.
The Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest series of concerts featuring top acts will be held at State Farm Arena, which recently reopened after a massive renovation and is located next to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Atlanta’s primary convention venue, the Georgia World Congress Center, which itself is home to the Super Bowl Experience—an eight-day football theme park.
“We’re going to have everyone from Aerosmith the Bruno Mars,” Vaughan said, referring to the Music Fest series.
New hotels opening just before the Super Bowl include a dual-branded, 288-room AC Hotel by Marriott and Moxy hotel in the Midtown neighborhood.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our hotel community,” Vaughan said. “There’s not one of our convention hotels that has not undergone a renovation in the last two years.”
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PageBreakBy the Numbers: Super Bowl LIII
Hotels
The NFL is currently contracted with 107 hotels at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Decatur/DeKalb, Gwinnett, Perimeter, Cobb Galleria, Buckhead, Midtown, downtown, Alpharetta and beyond.
20,100 hotel rooms on peak have been contracted by the NFL (February 1 through February 4).
100 venues have been secured for Super Bowl-related events.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
4,000 miles of fiber will accommodate simultaneous livestreaming by 75,000 fans.
Team ATL Volunteer Program
10,000 volunteers were selected through the interview process, and 22 languages, including American Sign Language, can be communicated.
Community Engagement
More than 200 local, diverse and certified businesses are participating in the NFL’s Supplier Diversity Program for Super Bowl LIII.
30 civil rights and social justice murals will be installed around the city.
Latest + Greatest
The St. Regis Atlanta is undergoing a property-wide renovation scheduled for completion in early 2019. Highlights of the refresh include the rejuvenation of its guest rooms, including iPad control of guest services and room amenities; the addition of a three-story meeting space, Maisonette; and an overhaul of the outdoor Atlas terrace to include an all-season garden experience.
The Home Depot Backyard opened in August 2018. The 11-acre greenspace is located next to downtown’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, site of Super Bowl LIII. Serving as a tailgating location on game days, the facility will offer a three-tier, dual-level shaded pavilion.
Canopy by Hilton Atlanta Midtown opened in January 2019. Located in the Midtown neighborhood, the 176-room property offers 3,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and is within walking distance of many of the city’s premier arts destinations.
A dual-branded AC Hotel by Marriott and Moxy hotel debuted in January 2019 in the Midtown neighborhood. The 288-room property features a decked event space, rooftop bar and pool, and offers an “Art Walk” pedestrian connector that leads to the Midtown Arts District.
Centennial Olympic Park is undergoing a $27 million renovation that is scheduled to wrap in winter 2019. Included in the renovation is the addition of a pedestrian gateway, additional parking space and the expansion of its amphitheater by 800 seats.
Hyatt Place Centennial Park, located across from the Georgia Aquarium, is scheduled for an August 2019 opening. The 175-room hotel will offer 2,100 square feet of meeting space.
Georgia World Congress Center has embarked on a $55 million expansion that will add a 100,000-square-foot exhibit hall between its B and C buildings. Estimated to be completed by the end of 2019, the facility will offer more than 1 million square feet of contiguous exhibition space. Hilton was selected to operate its new 1,000-room Signia-brand headquarters hotel on the former Georgia Dome site.
An 11-story, 440-room InterContinental hotel with 80,000 square feet of conference space is expected to open in 2020 within walking distance of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The $350 million development is also planned to include two select-service hotels.
RFD Social opened in July 2018. Located at Ponce City Market, the venue includes a 10th floor lobby and bar, The Parlour, and the 11th floor The Roebuck Room events venue that is divided into two conference rooms and a large area for gatherings for up to 175 people.
