CNN Center in Atlanta Georgia - Essay Example

The CNN Center is not alone in this character, being surrounded by the Centennial Olympic Park, Georgia World Congress Center, Georgia Dome, Philips Arena, SciTrek, the Civic Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Contemporary Art Center and the Fox Theatre making Atlanta a destination for tourists and ideal for holding international conferences. The Downtown Atlanta, now a neighbor hood full of life where the CNN Center is located, was once a crime-ridden locality frequented as a workspace during the day, but a place where even the local populace feared to tread after the dark.

Jon Waterhouse in his article “Pufnstuf and Witchiepoo, too” tells us the story of ‘The Omni International Complex’ which was setup in 1972 by Maurice Alpert and Tom Cousins of Alpert Investment Corp and Cousins Properties respectively, to economically boost this area, with shops, multi-screen movie theatre, restaurants and boutiques and an ice-skating rink in its atrium to attract people along with the usual official spaces. In 1976 an indoor amusement park named “The World of Sid Marty Krofft” to further the same purpose, which failed however and the park shut down only six months from its opening.

Accounting for the failure of such an innovative venture, Executive Vice President of the Omni International, Sal De Pace declared “… the whole Omni complex itself was eight years before its time, instead of opening in 1976, we should've opened in 1984 or '85”. It may be said that an intervention to change the situation of such a locality could not have been successful alone and without timely support from the government. Later however similar endeavors were successful and the locality was transformed into the recreational and commercial hub of the city.

The total no of residents grew from 2 million to 4 million between 1980 and 2000 The New Georgia Encyclopedia gives us an interesting account of the historical changes that shaped Atlanta’s economy and its image today. The changing demographics of Atlanta between 1980 and 2000 have influenced its development in many ways. The city experienced a growth of 2 million people, which was accompanied by a boost in the commercial and corporate sectors. As the economy developed political leaders were able to enliven the ‘Atlanta Spirit’ in the citizens which helped them heighten their ideals for the future of the city.

This period experienced an explosion in the economy relating to the tourism and convention industries in the city. Cafe’s, bars and shopping complexes were promoted, sport facilities created, existing corporate sector started opening up to public providing entertainment Coca-Cola museum and the CNN center studio tour. In the context with the progression of Atlanta, the downtown opened up its spaces for expanding all that could help put Atlanta out there with the other big cities of the world.

Atlanta ranked 3rd in Convention business in 1972, with more than 3 million people attending conventions here, which was assisted by the expansion of centers like Civic Center, Georgia World Congress Center and Merchandise and Apparel Mart and resulted in the promotion of local high end business like CNN. These activities together with administrative measures turned the downtown area from a crime-ridden and gloomy part of the city to a hustling bustling and attractive city center which is now a business and tourist magnet.

It was in the late 1980’