One of the nation's premier convention facilities, the Georgia World Congress Center started in the heart of downtown Atlanta with 350,000 square feet of exhibit space in 1976. Many expansions later, the GWCC has attained a status as one of the five largest convention centers in the U.S., with 1.4 million square feet of exhibit space and unmatched events and attractions.
Part of the GWCC Authority campus that also includes Centennial Olympic Park, the College Football Hall of Fame, the Junior Achievement Discovery Center and the brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the convention center is a core component of GWCCA's goal of becoming the No. 1 convention, sports and entertainment destination in the world.
To enjoy the array of possibilities at the Georgia World Congress Center, follow this guide:
Location: 285 Andrew Young International Blvd. NW
Events and calendar: With three buildings, GWCC has the event facilities to play host to a huge convention or trade show but also small meetings, receptions or banquets. Exhibitors, event planners and attendees have a vast selection of events, conventions and shows at the GWCC. Just a few examples in a given year include a convention for the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers; Walker Stalker Con; FABTECH International 2018 and the Progressive Insurance Atlanta Boatshow 2019.
To keep track of them all, consult the GWCC online events calendar.
Directions and transportation: A map of downtown Atlanta highlighting GWCCA along with driving directions for reaching GWCC from North, East, West or Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta Airport/South can be found on the GWCCA website.
Public transportation to the GWCC is available via MARTA. Events in GWCC Buildings A and B can use the Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center Station (W-1) and events in GWCC Building C can use the Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center Station (W-1) or the Vine City Station (W-2).
The Atlanta Streetcar also provides transportation, some of it free, to GWCC destinations.
Parking: GCCC is in the heart of downtown Atlanta, which means parking is at a premium and events at nearby downtown attractions might conflict with GWCC offerings. At the same time, there are more than 5,000 parking spaces adjacent to the three buildings that make up GWCC, along with a staging area for 200 buses. Depending on other events, additional parking may be available at the CNN Decks and Centennial Garage located on Centennial Olympic Park Drive.
Purchase event parking online for GWCC events by linking to Parkmobile from the GWCCA website.
More must-know info about the Georgia World Congress Center:
- Its first exhibition hall ever was for the Bobbin Show/American Apparel Manufacturers Association in 1976.
- During the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games GWCC hosted seven Olympic sporting events and made a home for the International Broadcast Center.
- In 2008, a tornado ripped downtown Atlanta and hit all three buildings of the Georgia World Congress Center, the Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park. Thousands of people were on campus but no one was hurt and all areas were open again within 42 days.
For more information:
Georgia World Congress Center Authority
285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW
www.gwcca.org/gwcc/
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