CNN Center, Atlanta, Georgia

We also visited the CNN Center. This is actually where CNN News is transmitted. They also have CNN in New York, and other stations around the world. They wouldn't let us take pictures on the tour because they said it would break copyright laws. I'm not quite sure how they would be, but they made you turn off telephones and cameras and any other electronic devices. Actually, though, the tour was pretty interesting. All of the places that you go to in Atlanta your have to go through metal detectors and have your purse searched. They also gave us a tag to attach to us and I guess it could make you feel really important if you are 10 years old.

One of the most widely known things about Atlanta is that it is the home of CNN. The story is somewhat interesting. Back in the MId 1970's Ted Turner bought a small struggling television station. It was so bad that ot would periodically just go off the air. It was located in downtown Atlanta next to Centennial Olympic PArk at 190 Mareitta Street NW.

Directly conected to the CNN center is Phillips Arena, home of the Atlantic Thrasher of the National Hockey League and the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball League. It originally opened in 1976 as the Omni Complex, a development of Cousins Properties, Inc. The complex was unsuccessful until CNN moved in in 1987.

Originally the complex offered office space to various business tenants as well as consulates over the years. The main floor featured the largest indoor ice skating rink in Georgia as well as resturants, video arcades, and a multi-screen movie theatre.

The theater was replaced to put in a new news room for CNN during renovations. The ice rink was filled in and a mosaic of a map of the world replaced it, with brass markers indicating the locations of CNN bureaus around the world.

In 1976 Sid and MArty Kroft built an indoor park called The World of Sid and Marty Kroft. It was the first indoor theme park. It opened in 1976 and closed within six months.


The CNN Center houses a major hotel--an Omni Hotels franchise--owned by Ted Turner Broadcasting (now Time-Warner) and a large atrium food court that attracts local business employees, tourists, event attendees from the Phillips Arena, the Georgia Dome Conference attendees, and attendees from the World Congress Center.

The atrium esculator that is used to transport visitors on the CNN tour has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest free-standing (supported only at the ends) esculator in the world. It took about 15 minutes to get to the top. During the tour you get to see the newsrooms and anchors of CNN (we saw Chad Meyers, the weatherman), CNN International and CNN in Espanol.

Stors and restuarants in teh CNN Center include Arby's, Chick-fil-a, China Breeze, Dunkin' Donuts, Gorins Sandwichs, Great Wraps, Starbucks, Taco Mac, Dantanna's Downtown, McCormick and Schmicks Seafood Restaurant, Nelda's Hair Salon, Peachtree News Stand, Taco Bell, Tokoyo Express, The Turner Store, Waldenbooks, Wendy's and several others.

I even got to have my picture taken sitting at the CNN news desk.

Been THERE, done THAT, bought the T-shirt AND the hat.