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Expo Authority and World Congress Center outline capital repairs, HVAC and electrical master-plan requests ahead of big events
Summary
Officials from the Georgia Expo Authority and World Congress Center told the Appropriations subcommittee they used prior appropriations for roofs and HVAC, reported record fair attendance, and requested new capital funding and a master plan for electrical-system upgrades ahead of FIFA-related events and planned facility projects.
Representatives from the Georgia Expo Authority and the World Congress Center briefed the Appropriations Subcommittee on facility repairs, operational funding and capital priorities tied to major events and multi-year projects.
Georgia Expo Authority staff said the recent fair drew a record audience of more than 612,000 visitors and produced preliminary revenue up about 8% while expenses rose about 10%. The authority noted the annual $900,000 state appropriation funds roughly two-thirds of its ongoing operations and thanked the committee for past one-time funding used for roof repairs, CC security systems and other upgrades. The authority described an upcoming $21 million barn-and-arena project for youth livestock exhibitors and said prior FY20/FY21 appropriations have remaining balances earmarked for restroom and Miller-Murphy-Howard building improvements.
At the World Congress Center, a speaker reported the center supports 15,000 jobs, $221 million in tax revenues and about $1.9 billion in annual economic impact. The center is finishing a multiyear roof-replacement program (estimated $52 million) and has prioritized electrical-system master planning for FY27 to replace aging distribution panels, transformers and controls. "It's now time to ... seek some money to reinvest in those" electrical systems, the presenter said, calling a master plan the first step before replacement.
Why it matters: both venues host statewide events (fairs, trade shows, FIFA FanFest) that drive tourism and local revenue. The center highlighted coordination with Centennial Yards investments and said FIFA-related FanFest planning will require heightened attention to public safety and utility capacity.
Next steps: officials said they would return with detailed capital budgets as design work advances and as countries and match schedules for FIFA events become clear.
