Hotlanta. ATL. The A. Whatever you used to call Atlanta, Georgia, you can now start calling it “The best place to host a sports event or tournament.” It doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, but you’ll get used to it.
The ATL Airport District, which is (no shock) the area surrounding the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is chock-full of top-notch sporting facilities that are ready, willing and eminently able to host your next sporting event. But beyond that, it’s also a bustling urban area that boasts hotels, restaurants, breweries, shops and activities that sporting participants and their families will love.
The District is close to the world’s busiest airport (so you know it’s easy to get to) and is only 10 miles from downtown Atlanta (so you know it’s fun and convenient). And with an average of 217 days of sunshine each year and a high temperature of 72 degrees, you can bet on a beautiful, comfortable stay.
Whatever sports event you’re hosting — volleyball, tennis, soccer, cycling, cheerleading, etc. — the District can accommodate you. And if you’re worried about space, don’t be: The District has more than 8,000 world-class hotel rooms to house you, your participants and as many spectators as you can draw.
The ATL Airport District offers fun for everyone … no, seriously
What do you like to do for fun? Wait — before you answer, we’ll just tell you that whatever you like to do, you can do it in or around the ATL Airport District. Except maybe snowshoeing. It’s usually really warm there.
With museums, pro sports games, historic downtowns, trendy neighborhoods and, yep, World of Coca-Cola, the District and its surrounding area offer something for everyone.
If museums are up your alley, head over to the Delta Flight Museum (the Delta Airlines headquarters are close by) or visit the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Craving some more high-octane activity? Check out the Porsche Experience Center, which offers a driving school and test track.
As for the food … prepare your palate for a treat — actually, many treats. It’s not just the traditional food of the South, though the District offers plenty of that, ranging from traditional comfort food to gourmet dishes with modern twists. It’s also the trendy, renowned chef-led restaurants in Atlanta that will have your mouth watering and your family well-fed.
And World of Coca-Cola? Well, it has multiple theaters, a bottling tour, a store and a tasting room that lets you sample more than 100 different Coca-Cola beverages from around the world. Cool.
Let us connect you with ATL Airport District
Kristin Schneider
Sales Manager
Phone: 404-334-7508
X-Factors
- Home to second-largest convention center in GA, the GICC
- Georgia International Convention Center (GICC), has 150,000 square feet of exhibit space
- Over 8,000 world-class hotel rooms
- Just 10 miles to downtown Atlanta and popular attractions
- A FREE, 2-minute ride aboard the ATL SkyTrain takes you directly to the GICC’s doorstep
- Named by Atlanta Magazine’s “Best Places to Call Home”
- Located in a top 5 US market for conventions, trade shows and meetings
- Fourth-largest urban historic district in Georgia
- 850 properties listed on the National Register of Historic Homes
- Home to Woodward Academy, the largest independent private school in the US
- Average of 217 days of sunshine each year
- 72 degrees F. (22 degrees C.) average high temperature
Planner Perspective
SkillsUSA has been working with the GICC and Marriott hotels for over seven years now. The facilities are convenient, nicely kept and always meet our needs. The staff on each property go above and beyond at every task. Each year we are greeted by familiar faces that know our event and most times, they think and act before we can even make the ask. Year after year they are working to make sure that everything is to our liking and they are always assisting us in making our event even better than the year before. I would highly recommend the GICC and surrounding Marriott hotels to anyone looking to host a top notch event!
– Ashley Brown, Executive Director, SkillsUSA Georgia
GICC is a world class facility and perfectly sized for our needs. The staff goes out of their way to help ensure that we have a successful event. Its location is easily accessible to all who travel to our events via auto, and with its connection to Hartsfield it is beyond exceptional to anyone traveling by air.
– Michael Fletcher, A5 Volleyball, Club Director
Facilities overview
Georgia International Convention Center
Sports: Volleyball, wrestling, cheerleading, weightlifting
Georgia’s newest and second largest convention center, the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta can provide everything you need for your indoor event. With 400,000 square feet of flexible space, the GICC is certainly large enough to accommodate big sporting events. And with a full-service staff, including professionals to help with electrical, engineering and audio/visual needs, the center has the manpower and experience to ensure your event runs smoothly. The GICC is also second to none in convenience: It offers parking aplenty; on-site catering; mass transit options, including a shuttle that runs directly from the airport; and two on-site hotels.
South Fulton Tennis Center
Sports: Tennis
If you want grass courts, go to Wimbledon. But if you’re looking to host an event on outdoor hard or clay courts, choose the South Fulton Tennis Center in College Park. With 20 hard courts and four clay courts, the center can accommodate large tournaments and events, and is certified by the U.S. Tennis Association as a location for competitions. After extensive renovations, the center reopened in 2014 boasting resurfaced courts, a new pro shop and juice bar, and upgraded court lighting. The resurfaced parking lot can accommodate your event’s attendees, and the new pavilion can keep them shaded and cool as they watch participants volleying.
Georgia Sports Park
Sports: Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, rugby
This facility used to be called Georgia Soccer Park but because it can host more than just soccer events, a suitable name change was in the offing. And, boy, can it host an event. The location has six international size professional-quality, sand-amended natural grass fields with fast water drainage and a large root zone, and there are plans to build 10 more fields on the site in the future. Plenty of hotels and restaurants are nearby. The park is easy to get to and only charges $1 per day for parking.
John D. Milner Athletic Complex
Sports: Baseball, softball, cheerleading, football, soccer
It’s got four baseball fields, a football field, batting cages, covered dugouts, concessions, a press box, restrooms and field lighting — basically, everything except a partridge in a pear tree. The John D. Milner Athletic Complex in East Point, located conveniently close to both major roads and public transportation, can host your outdoor sports event with ease, and it has enough amenities to keep everyone happy. There is even a large playground space for young spectators who can’t quite sit through nine innings. Baseball fields are varying sizes to accommodate different ages, and concessions with restrooms keep everyone comfortable.
Dick Lane Velodrome
Sports: Cycling
Inspired by the Munich Olympics in 1972, a group of residents and officials decided that they needed a top-notch professional cycling facility. Enter the Dick Lane Velodrome in East Point. The facility has hosted numerous competitions and events, including state championships, collegiate meets and pro series. The track is one-fifth of a mile and is banked at 36 degrees. It is the only velodrome in the world that has a green space containing a large oak tree and a creek running through the infield. With concessions, free parking and a picnic area, the velodrome has everything you need to put on a flawless cycling event.
Delta Flight Museum
Who wouldn’t want to host an event in a museum that boasts multiple full-sized airplanes, a flight simulator and a fully lit Lockheed cockpit? The Delta Flight Museum is, as you may have guessed, a fully functioning aviation museum. But with its 68,000 square feet of space and its on-site catering and amenities, it is also capable of hosting a wide array of events. The museum offers a Jet Age Hangar that is capable of seating 1,200 guests, as well as smaller courtyard, theater and conference room spaces that can accommodate varying numbers of participants and spectators.
How do I get to the ATL Airport District?
Since this area is called the Airport District, you can guess what the most convenient method of travel is. But if you’re more of the driving type, don’t fret—it’s easy to get to by vehicle, too.
By Car: The ATL Airport District is easily accessed on major highways and interstates, including I-75, I-85, I-20 and I-285. Just point the wheel toward Atlanta and you’ll be there in no time.
By Air: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world’s busiest airport, so you should have no trouble finding a flight that brings you directly to the ATL Airport District. In fact, 80 percent of the U.S. population lives within a two-hour flight of Atlanta. From the airport, there are Greyhound buses, shuttles and rental cars that can get you where you want to go.
