Philips
Arena
Atlanta's shiny
new palace for basketball, hockey and major concerts.
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1
Philips Dr
Atlanta, GA 30303
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Phone
(404) 878-3000
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Cross
streets
International Boulevard and Magnum Street |
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The
Arena
Part of Ted Turner's entertainment empire, this downtown jewel
hosts the Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Atlanta Thrashers (NHL) and
concerts of the moment ('N Sync, Ricky Martin). Key to the
revitalization of intown's urban core, Philips was selected as
Atlanta's Best New Building by both our editors and readers in
2000.
Comfort Factor
This place is posh. Culinary options galore, high-tech
interactive exhibits and nifty flat-screen TVs crowd the
concourse. Nearly 100 luxury suites occupy an entire side of
the arena; express versions of upscale Atlanta restaurants
feed the big spenders.
See For Yourself
You don't need to go to the game--Philips is open whenever the
adjoining CNN Center is. For an insider's look, take a
one-hour tour that includes the press areas and locker rooms. |
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Earthlink
Live
All kinds
of music fans find a groove by this intimate Midtown stage.
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1374
W Peachtree St
Atlanta, GA 30309-2904
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Phone
(404) 885-1163
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The
Scene
It's not as glorious as the Tabernacle or hip as
Variety Playhouse, but this historical theater is
where you want to see your favorite band. Newly
renovated, the former Center Stage scores high on what
matters: diverse talent, crystal-clear sound and an
intimate set-up, with the stage in close view of every
seat. The nightclub-like lobby goes for ritz Liberace-style
and finishes with an easy-going atmosphere: just
follow the gilded mirrors and chandeliers to a row of
cozy nooks with tables and cushy chairs. Who knew
major corporate bucks could pull off such class?
The Music
A curious mix of artists keeps the walls shaking on
West Peachtree. In a single month, you could see Etta
James, The Donnas, Psychedelic Furs, Fatboy Slim and
Little Feat. The club that witnessed Santana, B.B.
King, Duran Duran and Crosby, Stills and Nash during
the 70s and 80s works hard to preserve its rep for
musical diversity. |
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Turner
Field
Posh
confines--and a few very cheap seats--make the home of the
Braves one of the majors' best ballparks.
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755
Hank Aaron Dr SE
Atlanta, GA 30315-1121
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Phone
(404) 577-9100 or (404) 522-7630
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Cross
streets
Abernathy Street |
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The
Venue
The plush, classic stadium made just for baseball is
nicknamed "The Ted" and sports a giant
30-by-38 foot video screen, a Braves museum and kids'
entertainment areas. Other amenities include an
enormous fireworks-spewing Coke bottle made of
baseball paraphernalia and the blessed left-field
sprinklers for those steamy summer afternoons. A wide
variety of food--from the standby foot-long hot dog to
the obscure conewich, a barbecue sandwich in breadcone--is
available to break the bank. At 19-by-22 inches, the
seats aren't bad for a big-league park.
The Experience
Three hours before game time, skyline seats go on sale
for $1. The center field bar, a bona fide meat market,
is a hot spot for bored spectators. And there's no
spectacle in Atlanta that equals 49,714 Braves fans
chanting while raising and lowering red foam tomahawks
in synchronicity. |
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Atlanta
Motor Speedway
Atlanta
hits the stock car racing fast track with this world-class
facility.
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1500
Hwy 41
Hampton, GA 30260
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Phone
(770) 946-4211
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Beyond
The Track
Dixie, Talladega, Daytona and Charlotte are the
obvious stars on the stock car racing scene. However,
if operators at the Atlanta Motor Speedway keep up the
good work, Hampton, Georgia, will have to be added to
the list. The ultra-modern facility offers over 870
acres of racetrack, motocross circuits, go-kart
courses and tourist attractions. In addition, AMS also
includes a nine-story structure that houses an upscale
condominium community, complete with a workout
facility, swimming pool and tennis courts.
On The Track
Is the Atlanta Motor Speedway truly NASCAR's fastest
track? Just ask Tony Stewart. Hitting the corners at
speeds approaching 150 mph, Stewart won the MBNA
America 500 on March 10. Stewart and his pedal-pushing
counterparts will return to AMS for more racing
thrills and spills October 25-27 for the season-ending
NAPA 500. |
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Georgia
World Congress Center
Unless
you're in town for a trade show, you'll probably miss it.
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285
International Blvd
Atlanta, GA 30313-1513
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Phone
(404) 223-4200
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What's
There
The Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta
is one of the country's premier convention facilities.
It boasts a 33,000-square-foot ballroom, a 1,740-seat
auditorium, eight exhibit halls (about 950,000 square
feet of space) and dozens of meeting rooms. You could
rent it out, invite 80,000 or more of your closest
friends, and have one heck of a party.
Who Uses It
Meeting and convention planners rent this place for
that sort of thing all the time--some in monstrous
proportions. The Super Show, before moving to Las
Vegas in 1999, used to draw thousands of people for
the largest sporting goods trade show in the world,
occupying all 2.5 million square feet. Remember that
for your next fiesta. |
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Sanford
Football Stadium
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University
of Georgia Campus
Athens, GA
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Publicly,
most college football fans in Atlanta procalim
their allegiance to the Ramblin' Wreck from
Georgia Tech, the city's amateur gridiron
heroes. Secretly, the Georgia Bulldogs, who
play in nearby Athens, draw a solid contingent
of Atlantans who cheer incognito, then drive
home in shameful satisfaction.
Cavernous Sanford Stadium, directly behind the
Tate Student Center, hosts the Bulldog
football team. On game day, the perenially
sold-out events witness the influx of 86,000
fans, an audience significantly larger than
the entire population of Athens itself.
Sanford rocks from kickoff to final horn, as
rabid spectators unleash torrents of praise
for the home team, and invective for the
invaders. For several hours, sleepy Athens--in
northern Georgia--seems to come alive with all
the sportive glory of its Hellenic namesake. A
stunning insult to the hometown Tech team,
many Atlantans never fail to miss the show.
Let us never speak of this again. |
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