Centennial Olympic Park is a 21 acre (85,000 m²) public park located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The park was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) as part of the infrastructure improvements for the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics. ACOG's chief executive, Billy Payne , conceived it as both a central gathering location for visitors and spectators during the Olympics, and as a lasting legacy for the city.

The park is located adjacent to and managed by the Georgia World Congress Center. It is bounded by Marietta Street to the west, Baker Street to the north and Centennial Olympic Park Drive to the east and south. Andrew Young International Drive runs through the middle of the park, named for former Atlanta mayor and U.N. ambassador Andrew Young. The area was previously dilapidated buildings, sitting among many modern ones immediately around it.

A key feature of the park is the Fountain of Rings interactive fountain which features computer-controlled lights and jets of water synchronized with music played from speakers in light towers surrounding the fountain. The fountain forms a splash pad that was designed for children to frolic in, as well as for concert goers and joggers to cool off in on hot summer days. The waterplay area consists of 251 jets that shoot 12 to 35 feet (4 to 10 m) in the air, and also creates a beautiful water sculpture that's essentially the front yard of the nearby museum. Additionally, a nearby hotel has rooms that face the fountain, and recommends businessmen/women try splashing through the fountain. As an important formal architectural landmark that is also a fun and playful space, it is very similar to Dundas Square in Toronto where ground nozzles spray water upwards at the heart of the city.

The fountain area is surrounded by flags representing the host countries of each Summer Olympics preceding the 1996 games, and columns reminiscent of ancient Greece. There are several pieces of sculpture scattered through the park including a statue of Pierre de Coubertin, father of the modern Olympic movement. A small amphitheatre is located at the southern end of the park.

During the Olympics, the park contained many commercial exhibits, hosted entertainment and presentations of medal winners, and was a hotbed for pin trading . The celebrations in the park were marred by the July 27th bombing which killed two people and injured over one hundred others. Security at the park and at all sporting venues was subsequently raised to include bag searches, and the now-omnipresent magnetometer.

Centennial Olympic Park now plays host to thousands of visitors a year and hosts several events including a summer popular music concert series (On the Bricks ) as well as an annual Independence Day concert and fireworks display. Portions of the park are available for rental for private events.

The park was paid for in part by the donations of thousands of individuals who bought bricks, engraved with the short message of their choice and laid as pavers throughout the park. The contribution for each brick was $35. The message was allowed 15 characters on each of two lines. The finished bricks were laid in alternating light (tan) and dark (brick red) groups. Many contributors ordered replica bricks to keep for themselves as souvenirs.

The park has become a catalyst for new development in Atlanta's downtown. The new World of Coca-Cola museum and the Georgia Aquarium are being built just north of the park and Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta opened its doors on March 1, 2004 on a corner adjacent to the park. Existing significant attractions or developments surrounding the park include The Georgia World Congress Center, the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Atlanta Apparel Mart , the Omni Hotel , and The Tabernacle (formerly a House of Blues location during the games).

External links

• Centennial Park official site
• Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association's park page