 Atlanta—Meetings and events in Georgia may not have gone underwater, but more of them can soon be next to underwater. The Georgia Aquarium broke ground in October on a building improvement project that will expand its renowned meeting and event space from 550,000 square feet to 580,000 square feet, which amounts to reinvesting more than $13 million in the facility.
The renovation will focus on the Oceans Ballroom, the centrepiece of the Georgia Aquarium’s meeting/event space and one of the most popular and sought-after event locations in Atlanta, hosting more than 700 events in 2005, its first year of operation. The project includes a 7,000-square-foot expansion to the Ocean Ballroom’s pre-function space, creating an elegant entrance from Ivan Allen Boulevard to the ballroom. Guests of Oceans Ballroom are treated to spectacular views into the whale shark and beluga whale habitats and exquisite cuisine by Wolfgang Puck Catering.
"Although we have not yet been open for a full calendar year, we are undertaking an extraordinary improvement project to benefit the animals, our members and special events guests in the Oceans Ballroom," said Jeff Swanagan, Executive Director of the Georgia Aquarium. "Atlanta has embraced us with open arms. This improvement project has been made possible due to the overwhelming and continued support from the community."
Swanagan explained that the improvements will be made with minimal disturbance to guests and animals.  Other improvements to the meeting space include expansion and upgrades of green rooms, coat checks and meeting/conference rooms as well as improvements to the animal exhibit facilities. The Georgia Aquarium, which opened on November 23, 2005, offers a variety of well-planned meeting and event spaces and can comfortably host everything from intimate receptions to large events for up to 10,000 guests. The Georgia Aquarium—one of the largest aquariums in the world—is home to more than 100,000 aquatic animals. |
