Georgia World Congress Center public-safety team outlines staffing, mutual aid and planning needs ahead of Club Cup and FIFA events

Representatives of the Georgia World Congress Center Department of Public Safety briefed the Georgia House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee on the department’s staffing, mutual‑aid arrangements and contingency planning for several high‑profile events including this year’s Club Cup matches and the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

The briefing focused on the department’s current capabilities — including 22 authorized sworn officers, a civilian security division, contract security, an emergency management office and an explosive‑ordnance‑disposal K‑9 team — and on how those resources will scale for events that bring tens of thousands of visitors to the downtown Atlanta campus.

“Georgia World Congress Center Department of Public Safety was codified … we are state officers,” said the chief of police (name not specified), describing the unit as a fully certified state police department that trains through Georgia POST and carries firearms. “We have over 3,000,000 people who come to our campus every year … we’re about the fifth biggest city in the state of Georgia when that happens.”

Committee members were shown that the campus handles more than 60 major events annually and that a single peak operation (stadium event plus FanFest and supporting activities) can produce a “city‑scale” security and traffic management problem. The department described three divisions — sworn police, civilian security and contract security — plus an emergency management office that operates a campus emergency operations center with extensive camera coverage.

Paul Grucci, identified as a vice president with the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, described mutual‑aid partnerships and federal support used at recent events: “The TSA helped us out considerably with College Football Hall of Fame … US Customs and Border Patrol … screened every single vehicle … with state of the art x‑ray machines.” He also noted cooperation from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Georgia State Patrol, Atlanta Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, university police and other partners.

Officials said staffing needs vary by event and SEER rating, a special events assessment scale discussed at the briefing. Club Cup matches scheduled for this summer were described as SEER 3 events, enabling a higher level of contingency assets. The FIFA World Cup in 2026 was described as a much larger operational pull: officials said FIFA has asked for a 30‑day continuous footprint for FanFest activities at Centennial Olympic Park, which would require sustained staffing and support. “FIFA would like for us to do it 30 days straight,” the chief of police said. The staff estimated a sustained requirement “in proximity of 60 police and probably a 50 security … per day” for the FanFest footprint if FIFA’s full request is adopted.

Staff emphasized planning and uncertainty: FIFA had not yet provided final timetables, team movements or detailed site requests, and presenters said they continue to press FIFA for specifics while developing scaled daily plans so costs and resource needs can be calculated. “We have multiple plans in place … if this were to occur, how do we manage it?” the chief said.

Committee members asked about transit and street‑level safety at MARTA stations and surrounding neighborhoods. Presenters described a monthly major‑event traffic team that includes city traffic engineers, ADOT and MARTA planners; they said Atlanta Police Zone 5 and other partners regularly deploy foot patrols and tactical resources as needed. When members raised concerns about interpreter capacity and language barriers for international fans, presenters said they are coordinating internationally and will review European venue plans for crowd management and translation strategies.

Members also asked how mutual aid and off‑duty compensation are handled. Presenters said many state agency personnel are reassigned as part of routine duty for major events; when mutual aid or agency reassignment is not available, the Congress Center uses a large off‑duty pool (the presenters said approximately 600 off‑duty units are available) and contract security. For large past events, officials said, the state provided significant surge support: presenters cited the Super Bowl as a historic example that required “close to 300 officers just on our campus” during a 16‑hour operational period and said other major operations have seen hundreds of mutual‑aid personnel support the campus.

Committee discussion touched on funding. A committee member reported that the Appropriations Subcommittee had allocated $7 million “toward public safety and infrastructure” for large events, including FIFA support; presenters said earmarked funds and prior legislative sessions have placed additional sums in reserve for event readiness. Presenters said planning assumptions include baseline funding for expected needs plus contingency cushions for unforeseen incidents such as protests.

Members closed by thanking the presenters and noting prior positive experiences at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium and the Congress Center. Presenters asked for continued interagency cooperation as plans for Club Cup and FIFA are finalized.

The committee did not take formal action on the presentation; members heard the briefing and asked questions.