ATLANTA — Thirty years after the 1996 Summer Olympics and the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, the leader behind Atlanta’s successful Olympic bid says the Games helped transform the city into a destination for major international sporting events.
Billy Payne, former president of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, said the success of the 1996 Olympics laid the foundation for decades of growth, including Atlanta’s role as one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“I was just overwhelmed with happiness the way the entire Atlanta community handled it,” Payne said. “I just couldn’t have been prouder. I think we provided an opportunity within the United States that honestly, you know the world really didn’t know existed up until that point in time.”
Payne said Atlanta’s future depends on leaders who continue to champion the city and invest in the infrastructure needed to host world-class events.
“Southern hospitality, I found out conclusively, is something that is very real and very tangible,” Payne said.
Atlanta is set to host Super Bowl 62 on Feb. 13, 2028. The city last hosted the Super Bowl in 2019, when Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to their sixth Super Bowl title with a 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.