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B M & T ••• March/April 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 53 AREA GUIDES G E O R G I A MEETING & TRAVELING IN "THE PEACHTREE STATE" BY CLETUS RAMSEY Planners organizing meetings in the Peach State's group-friendly locales can sweeten itineraries with functions at one of the state's many culturally diverse sites, which wonderfully represent a var- ied and seemingly endless list of options. With a major transportation hub in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, you'll have easy access to the Atlanta Metro area and throughout Georgia. • • ATLANTA • • It's easy to fly into Atlanta and within that same hour, journey into the city's walkable convention and entertainment district without renting a car. World-class attractions, award-winning restaurants and a variety of hotels at every price point are just steps away from Atlanta's numer- ous convention facilities. And top-notch transportation makes it effortless to explore the charming neighborhoods that surround them. The Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) is the first U.S. convention cen- ter to achieve GBAC STAR accreditation, further bolstering the convention campus' commitment to the wellbeing of all visi- tors. Its unique campus is the world's largest LEED Gold certified convention, sports and entertainment complexes, consisting of the convention center, the 21-acre Centennial Olympic Park and the certified LEED Platinum retractable-roof Mercedes-Benz Stadium, both of which feature flexible event space for groups of all sizes. GWCC features 1.4 million sq. ft. of prime exhibit space, 106 meeting rooms, three fixed-seat auditoriums and two grand ballrooms. Another option, the Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart offers flexibility for any size meeting or convention, boasting up to 100,000 sq. ft. of contiguous space. It is connected to the 1,100-room Westin Peachtree Plaza hotel and within walking distance of more than 8,000 additional hotel rooms in the heart of downtown Atlanta. More than 10,000 rooms housed in 24 hotels within the convention and enter- tainment district make it easy for atten- dees to walk from their hotel right into the meeting. Seventy percent of these rooms are in six hotels — Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center, Sheraton Atlanta and The Westin Peachtree Plaza — providing planners with the room blocks and event space that sizable meetings require. Midtown and Buckhead meeting districts also offer a variety of top hotels for more in-house meeting options. Since Metro Atlanta boasts more than 90,000 hotel rooms, there is no shortage of hotel offerings at a variety of price points. In addition, Atlanta has a growing selection of bou- tique and luxury hotels. In the early 1960s, Atlanta became the cultural catalyst for the civil rights move- ment. Activists quickly found their spiritual center within the Sweet Auburn district, making it home to much of the civil rights history. Today, Atlanta is the only city in the nation where you can view two Nobel Peace Prizes – one located in the King Center and the other in the Carter Center. Be sure to call Monica Green, SMERF market sales manager at the Atlanta CVB, for assistance in Planning your meeting in Atlanta. Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta Internat- ional Airport, just eight miles from the downtown district, is the busiest and most efficient airport in the world and, offering nonstop service to more than 150 domestic and nearly 70 international destinations. • • MACON • • Macon, Georgia's historic undertones harmonize for any family vacation and set • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Hilton Atlanta 1,249 Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center 1,059 AC Hotel by Marriott Atlanta Downtown 250 Atlanta Airport Marriott 641 Atlanta Marriott Marquis 1,663 Westin Peachtree Plaza 1.100 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Georgia World Conference Center Total Exhibit Space 1.4 million sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 106 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? VAtlanta CVB – (877) ATLANTA www.atlantameetings.com Atlanta Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce – (770) 374-6226 Monica Green GWCCBuildingCwithtrees