New World of Coke

[Guest donaltopablo]

I was just down at the Olympic Park this weekend. Definitely going to town on the Aquarium (as you can see from the pictures at the bottom of the thread. Lot more people on the streets and definitely a few more resturants and attractions have already appeared. However, still a lack of places for every day life... few bars or pool halls or regular entertainment spots, despite a lot of residential units. I had trouble even finding a pack of cigarettes when I ran out without having to buy them from a hotel gift shop. Still, far better than it was. Still a lot of surface parking lots to build over. Hopefully in another 5 years we will see most of that disappear and we will get some new mid range resturants (something that is lacking around the park) and daily life features.

Surprises on menu in Coke museum

The company's new attraction will be more interactive, theatrical

By MARIA SAPORTA

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 06/22/04

The new and refreshed World of Coca-Cola museum coming to Centennial Olympic Park will be more interactive, offer more rotating exhibits and be nearly double the size of the present attraction next to Underground Atlanta.

The new World of Coke, expected to open near the end of 2006 or early 2007, will face downtown's other upcoming tourist attraction, the Georgia Aquarium. Both will overlook a gardenlike plaza with a lake.

Coke, for the first time since the attraction was announced about two years ago, publicly shared details Tuesday of the museum's design and site plan. While the Atlanta-based soft drink giant won't divulge the price tag, it shared its vision of a museum it hopes will connect the world's most famous brand with the community.

There will be "a surprise around every corner," promised Jack Rouse, exhibit designer for the new World of Coke. Rouse worked on the Henry Ford Museum, Legoland and the National Underground Railroad.

Coke believes the surprises Rouse noted will help attract 1.2 million to 1.5 million visitors a year. The current museum, which opened in 1990, draws about 750,000 to 800,000 a year.

The museum is expected to provide another boost to the redevelopment of downtown Atlanta, particularly the area surrounding Centennial Olympic Park. Along with the aquarium, which is to open in the fall of 2005, there are plans for a $50 million, 14-story office building that will house Southern Co.'s headquarters, two 35-story condo towers and a $50 million residential complex.

"With the new World of Coke, the Georgia Aquarium and the children's museum, we are building a critical mass of tourist destinations," said Spurgeon Richardson, president of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau. "There's a great opportunity in the next two to three years to make downtown Atlanta a great tourist destination, and that's what we've been lacking

[wolfdawg54]

That is pretty cool! A company sponsored "amusement park"!! I can't wait to visit.

[Chachi]

That is pretty cool! A company sponsored "amusement park"!! I can't wait to visit.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I hope that the new World of Coca-Cola is different from the "old" World of Coca-Cola near Underground Atlanta. I recently went to the old WOCC and it is basically an advertisement for Coca-Cola that you pay to see. The only really neat thing is the area where you can try different Coke products from all over the world. I hope the new WOCC gets a little more revealing about Coke, its marketing all over the world, etc. But, since Coke is such a secretive company, I doubt they will deal with any issues of any real interest.

I'm not asking for a Coke Smithsonian Museum, but they could elevate it from the sterile and boring exhibit they have now.

[Spartan]

Interesting. I'm hoping to visit the old one soon. Does anyone have any more recent construciton photos?

What is to become of the current WOCC site?

[Chachi]

Interesting. I'm hoping to visit the old one soon. Does anyone have any more recent construciton photos?

What is to become of the current WOCC site?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It'll be recycled, like all of Coke's products.