ATLANTA, GA – Centennial Yards Company announced the groundbreaking of Centennial Yards, one of the largest and most ambitious city-center developments in the United States. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens joined Atlanta Hawks owner Tony Ressler, CIM Group Co-Founder and Principal Richard Ressler, Grant Hill, Vice Chair of Atlanta Hawks, and Michael Russell, CEO of H.J. Russell and Company, to celebrate the start of new construction at Centennial Yards. The $5 billion 50-acre development is located at the site where Atlanta was founded, and is expected to contain 8 million square feet at full completion, with 4 million square feet of new residential buildings and 4 million square feet of commercial buildings, including new office, retail, restaurants, and hotels.
Construction commenced today on the first two ground-up high-rise buildings, an 18-story full-service boutique hotel named Anthem, and an 18-story residential tower, located adjacent to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena. Both towers, designed by award-winning Atlanta-based architecture firms Goode Van Slyke Architects (GVSA) and TVS Architecture + Design, are slated to be complete in 2025. Mayor Dickens and the development team were joined by Steve Koonin, CEO of Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, John Hope Bryant, entrepreneur and founder of Operation Hope, Steve Smith, NBA Champion and NBA TV studio analyst, and Ambassador Andrew Young.
“This is a historic day for Centennial Yards, CIM Group, our partners, and for Atlanta, and we are delighted that the project is taking such a major step forward, only a year after securing our development agreement with the city,” said Centennial Yards Company President Brian McGowan. “Centennial Yards is one of the most ambitious developments in the country and today’s groundbreaking on the first ground-up towers not only marks an extraordinary day in Atlantahistory but also the celebration of our shared vision for a vibrant Downtown coming to life.”
Centennial Yards’ commitment to the City of Atlanta will ensure that the new live-work-play neighborhood will be built by and for Atlantans. The overall development delivers: 20% affordable housing for 99 years. 8% goal of minority and female owned business participation in the project including design, development and property management. 25% of entry-level construction jobs at Centennial Yards — and 10% of all construction jobs — are targeted for workers from around Downtown Atlanta, with hundreds of jobs for the 2 buildings breaking ground.
“With the development of Centennial Yards, we have an opportunity to further revitalize Downtown while bridging the gap between the east and westsides of our city,” said Mayor Andre Dickens. “This project is uniquely Atlanta—bringing the public, private and non-profit sectors together to dream big and execute a plan in a thoughtful and deliberate manner.”
“We are one step closer to creating an incredible experience for our fans, and a world-class new neighborhood for all Atlantans to live, work, and play,” said Grant Hill, Vice Chair of the Atlanta Hawks. “I’m proud to be part of the group led by Tony Ressler that is supporting the project’s work to provide affordable housing for the Atlanta community and empower minority- and women-led businesses to grow. Together, we have committed millions of equity dollars as well as our focus, energy, time and resources to make Centennial Yards and Downtown Atlanta a model for other cities.”
With an overall site plan designed by a global team led by world-renowned architecture firms Foster + Partners and Perkins&Will, Centennial Yards is a $5 billion mixed-use destination in the Southeast’s biggest, most influential market. The 50-acre site, formerly known as “The Gulch,” is expected to offer 8 million square feet of world-class new commercial and residential space comprised of 4 million square feet of dynamic retail, entertainment, modern office, and hotel, and 4 million square feet of new residential, as well as a vibrant public realm that will provide outdoor gathering spaces to all Atlantans and visitors of Centennial Yards.
Anthem, an 18-story full-service boutique hotel, will feature spacious guest rooms averaging over 400 square feet, pool deck with bar and event room with capacity for large events, 8,000+ square-foot ballroom with views overlooking Centennial Yards, and a rooftop restaurant and bar with views overlooking Downtown Atlanta. Nearby, an 18-story amenity-rich residential tower will offer apartments ranging from studios to 3 bedrooms, with interior design by TVS Architecture + Design. In addition to the residential offering, the building will feature a pool with event lawn and grilling stations, on-site co-working space, dog run, fitness center with state-of-the-art Technogym equipment, and multiple residential lounges.
Located in the Southeast’s home to a thriving film and TV production community that has led to Atlanta’s nickname as the “Hollywood of the South” and expanding corporate campuses from tech giants like Microsoft and Google, Centennial Yards will link surrounding historic neighborhoods that have been disconnected by industrial infrastructure for decades. Anchored by the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium—home to the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, and bordered by multiple MARTA heavy rail stations, Centennial Yards will fill a literal hole in the heart of the city. Drawing nearly 18 million yearly visitors, Downtown Atlanta is also home to major attractions including the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and Georgia World Congress Center, one of the country’s top convention centers. Centennial Yards is also expected to be the center of gravity for experiencing the recently announced 2026 FIFA World Cup in Atlanta.