Images: Centennial Yards’ next phase to include ‘immersive dome’ Josh Green Mon, 07/22/2024 - 10:43 As part of its next growth spurt, the massive redevelopment of Atlanta’s Gulch has officially landed a cutting-edge entertainment concept that project leaders are calling downtown’s next marquee attraction.
Centennial Yards Company has signed a long-term lease with immersive technology, entertainment, and media company Cosm to create a 70,000-square-foot, three-level venue like metro Atlanta hasn’t seen before at the doorstep of Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena.
The Centennial Yards location will mark the third for Cosm and the first in the eastern U.S., following similar venues at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles and Grandscape in The Colony in Texas, north of downtown Dallas. The company uses a technology called Shared Reality to take visitors “beyond the front row” for major sporting contests, live performances, art shows, and other events, alongside a food-and-beverage program described as “elevated.”
Central to the Cosm experience at Centennial Yards will be an 87-foot diameter, 12K+ LED dome. The venue is being designed by architecture firm Gensler, which also designed the Signia by Hilton tower over The Benz, Atlanta’s tallest new hotel in four decades. Project officials say the Atlanta venue will expand on the foundational design of those in California and Texas while incorporating character that reflects Centennial Yards and the city at large.
Courtesy of Cosm
How the entertainment district is expected to meet Centennial Olympic Park Drive, near State Farm Arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company
Cosm is the first confirmed tenant at Centennial Yards’ Sports and Entertainment District, which has broken ground in hopes of being open in time for FIFA World Cup matches in Atlanta, beginning in June 2026. Spread across 7.5 acres, the roughly 470,000-square-foot component is expected to include a 230-room, flagship hotel adjacent to the Atlanta Hawks’ arena and a large plaza. A two-story retail building and music venue are also in the plans.
The estimated $5 billion, mixed-use project’s broader goal is to transform 50 acres around the chasm the Gulch has been for generations into a vibrant, walkable area for visitors and residents. Centennial Yards’ first two towers—the 292-key Anthem hotel, and a 304-apartment building, both 19 stories—are climbing up from the Gulch now.
In coming months, according to Centennial Yards officials, Atlantans can expect to see two additional cranes erected over the area for construction of the entertainment and sports district, as site excavation and foundation installation continues. A ramp into the Gulch and a corner of the CNN parking deck will soon be demolished, according to developers.
How the next Centennial Yards phase is expected to meet Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (left), with active rail lines separating it from the Anthem hotel tower (back left) and The Benz. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company
Courtesy of Cosm
Cosm’s timeline for opening in Atlanta—and its schedule of events when doors do open—has yet to be determined, according to project officials. (For a preview of the venue’s capabilities, see these clips for Cosm Creator artist Nancy Baker Cahill’s SEEK, a recent Copa America match, and a live UFC bout.)
Cosm has inked official partnerships with ESPN, the NBA, NBC Sports, TNT Sports, FOX Sports, the UFC, and others. Beyond live sports, the venue’s programming will include Cirque du Soleil’s production “O” and what are described as immersive art experiences from Cosm Studios Creator Program members.
Centennial Yards Company president Brian McGowan said construction in the Gulch is already proving “a historic, even emotional sight” for Atlantans who thought they’d never see that section of downtown revitalized.
“With existing, world-class sports venues and the addition of Cosm, Centennial Yards will become the center of gravity for entertainment in Atlanta, connecting people of all ages with an incredible combination of sporting events, music, bars, restaurants, and retail,” McGowan predicted in a prepared statement. “This is a big step forward for downtown Atlanta, and the surrounding areas are feeling the positive impact.”
Find more context and fresh renderings in the gallery above.
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How the next Centennial Yards phase is expected to meet Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (left), with active rail lines separating it from the Anthem hotel tower (back left) and The Benz. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company
Planned look of a plaza area at Centennial Yards’ entertainment district. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company
How the entertainment district is expected to meet Centennial Olympic Park Drive, near State Farm Arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company
Main entry point to the entertainment district along Centennial Olympic Park Drive. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company
Plans for the Cosm venue’s exterior, at left. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company
Courtesy of Cosm
Courtesy of Cosm
Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company
Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company
Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company
Subtitle Cosm concept is first signed tenant for under-construction, 8-acre entertainment district in Gulch
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