The groundbreaking ceremony for a highly anticipated sports and entertainment facility has officially taken place in Atlanta.
Centennial Yards Company announced a partnership with Cosm, an immersive entertainment company headquartered in California, in July.
The collaboration will create a 6,500-square-meter venue that will feature live sports, music, “immersive art experiences” and a 65-meter-diameter 12K+ LED dome on all three floors of the facility.
Cosm, which currently has two locations in Los Angeles and Dallas, says its technology bridges virtual and physical worlds by combining cutting-edge visuals with crowd participation and “upscale food and beverage service.”
It will also feature programs such as Cirque du Soleil’s “O” and sports content from partnerships with ESPN, the NBA, NBC Sports and the UFC.
“Atlanta is a passionate sports city with a proud history of hosting the world’s biggest events,” said Jeb Terry, CEO and president of Cosm, in a press release.
“Cosm at Centennial Yards is the perfect complement to State Farm Arena, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the Atlanta Convention Center, helping to make Centennial Yards the sports and entertainment capital of the South. We are thrilled to partner with CIM Group to make Atlanta our third location and bring shared reality to the East Coast.”
The entertainment center is the first official venue for Centennial Yards, a 20-acre urban renewal project that, according to its website, “will include leading businesses, retail outlets, a world-class entertainment district and thousands of new homes.”
“With the existing world-class sports venues and the addition of Cosm, we believe Centennial Yards will become the center of entertainment in Atlanta,” said Brian McGowan, president of Centennial Yards, in a press release.
Construction of the district, which includes a 19-story boutique hotel and a 19-story residential tower, is scheduled to begin later this year.
Centennial Yards will be located adjacent to Atlanta’s well-known landmarks State Farm Arena, Mercedes Benz Stadium and Georgia World Congress Center, and within walking distance to tourist attractions The World of Coca-Cola and Georgia Aquarium.
McGowan says that while there is hope that Centennial Yards will revitalize downtown Atlanta, feedback from existing local businesses and community members is critical to the project’s development.
“As an active member of various neighborhood associations and NPUS, we listen to the wants and needs of residents, business owners and local government,” the company president told WABE in July. “We meet regularly with members of the City Council to get feedback and participate in their efforts as best we can.”
Official opening dates for Cosm and Centennial Yards have yet to be announced, but McGowan says Centennial Yards will feature 30,000 square feet of retail space, a brand-new hotel, two residential buildings and a brewery that will be open to the public by the time of the World Cup in Atlanta in the summer of 2026.
McGowan says the company will always emphasize quality over quantity in its construction process.
“It’s important to remember that we are building Centennial Yards for the residents and visitors of Atlanta to enjoy for decades to come.”
Meimei Xu contributed to this report.
