When Were the Olympics in Atlanta? A Local’s Guide to the 1996 Games 🏅

The Olympic Games were held in Atlanta from July 19 to August 4, 1996. These were the 1996 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad.

If you live in Atlanta, visit often, or are just curious about the city’s history, the 1996 Olympics are a major turning point in how modern Atlanta looks, moves, and feels. Here’s what you need to know—and how you can still see the legacy of the Games all around town today.

Key Facts: Atlanta’s 1996 Olympics at a Glance

What Happened in Atlanta During the 1996 Olympics?

From mid-July to early August 1996, Atlanta became the center of the sports world. Thousands of athletes from around the globe competed in events hosted across the metro area.

Major highlights included:

• Opening and Closing Ceremonies
  Held at Centennial Olympic Stadium (built specifically for the Games) on Atlanta’s south side, near where the former Turner Field and now Center Parc Stadium stand.

• Downtown transformation
  The Games drove the creation of Centennial Olympic Park and helped accelerate development in and around Downtown and Midtown.

• Citywide venues
  Events took place in and around:

  • Downtown & Midtown Atlanta
  • Georgia Tech campus
  • Georgia State University facilities
  • Nearby cities like Decatur, Stone Mountain, and Athens

For Atlantans, the Games meant packed streets, global visitors, major construction projects, and long-term changes to infrastructure that are still visible today.

Where Can You See Olympic History in Atlanta Today?

Even though the Olympics took place in 1996, you can still easily find physical reminders of the Games across the city.

Centennial Olympic Park

Location:
Centennial Olympic Park
265 Park Ave W NW
Atlanta, GA 30313

Built as a central gathering spot during the Games, Centennial Olympic Park remains one of the most recognizable Olympic legacies in Atlanta.

Key features to look for:

• Fountain of Rings – Interactive fountain shaped like the Olympic rings, especially popular with kids in warm weather.
• Commemorative bricks and plaques – Many inscribed pavers and markers reference the 1996 Games, sponsors, and volunteers.
• Event space – The park continues to host concerts, festivals, and community events, much as it did during Olympic time.

If you’re visiting Atlanta and want one place that captures the Olympic spirit, this is where to start.

Former Olympic Stadium Area (Turner Field / Center Parc Stadium)

The main Olympic stadium was originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium for track and field events and the opening/closing ceremonies.

After the Games:

• It was converted into Turner Field, long-time home of the Atlanta Braves.
• It has since been converted again into Center Parc Stadium, now used primarily by Georgia State University football.

Location:
Center Parc Stadium (Georgia State University)
755 Hank Aaron Dr SE
Atlanta, GA 30315

Around the stadium area, you may notice:

• Signage and historical markers referencing the Olympics.
• The shape and layout that hint at its Olympic-track origins.

If you’re an Atlanta resident, this area shows how the city repurposed a massive Olympic facility for long-term use.

Georgia Tech and Other Campus Venues

Several local universities played major roles in 1996:

• Georgia Tech (Midtown Atlanta)
  Hosted competitions and served as the Olympic Village, housing athletes and officials. Many Atlantans today walk past facilities that were upgraded or built with the Games in mind.

• Georgia State University & Local Colleges
  Used some sports and training facilities during the Olympics and Paralympics.

Walking around campus areas—especially at Georgia Tech—you may find:

• Buildings and sports complexes with plaques noting “Atlanta 1996”
• Upgraded athletic venues that trace back to Olympic-era investment

Stone Mountain Park and Other Regional Sites

The Olympic presence extended beyond the city core:

• Stone Mountain Park (east of Atlanta) hosted certain Olympic events.
  Visitors today may still find references to 1996 competitions and Olympic use of the park’s facilities.

• Lake Lanier (north of Atlanta) hosted rowing and canoeing–related events, leaving behind upgraded lakeside sports facilities.

While these spots are outside central Atlanta, they’re part of the broader Atlanta 1996 Olympic footprint.

How Did the 1996 Olympics Change Atlanta?

For locals, the more important question often isn’t “when were the Olympics in Atlanta?” but “how did the Olympics change Atlanta?”

Some of the most visible changes include:

1. New and Improved Public Spaces

• Centennial Olympic Park turned former industrial and parking areas into a major green space.
• Downtown became more walkable and tourist-friendly, supporting nearby attractions like:
  • Georgia World Congress Center
  • CNN Center area
  • What is now the vicinity of State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium

2. Transportation and Infrastructure

The Games pushed Atlanta to:

• Upgrade some roads and interchanges
• Improve Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport facilities
• Better organize MARTA usage and regional transit planning around big events

Residents who lived here in the mid-90s often recall:

• New signage
• Traffic pattern changes
• Expanded hospitality and hotel options

3. Long-Term Sports and Event Hosting Reputation

Having hosted the Olympics, Atlanta strengthened its role as a major event city. Since then, the city has regularly hosted:

• National championship games
• Major conventions and festivals
• Professional sports all-star games

For visitors, that means Atlanta is well-practiced at handling big crowds and international guests—skills first sharpened on a global scale in 1996.

What About the Paralympics in Atlanta?

In addition to the Olympics, Atlanta also hosted the 1996 Paralympic Games, which took place from August 15 to August 25, 1996.

Many of the same venues—stadiums, arenas, and housing—were reused, and the city’s focus expanded to adaptive sports and accessibility. This helped shape longer-term conversations in Atlanta about inclusive design and access for people with disabilities.

If You Want to Explore Atlanta’s Olympic History Today

Here are practical ways to experience the Atlanta 1996 legacy as a resident or visitor:

1. Walk through Centennial Olympic Park

   • Look for the Fountain of Rings, monument areas, and interpretive signs.
   • Stroll the park and the surrounding tourist district for visible references to the Games.

2. Visit the area around Center Parc Stadium

   • Notice the stadium’s shape and nearby markers that tie back to its origins as Centennial Olympic Stadium.
   • Explore the surrounding Summerhill neighborhood, which has been undergoing revitalization connected in part to past and current stadium use.

3. Tour university campuses that hosted events

   • Georgia Tech in particular offers a view of how Olympic Village life integrated into a modern urban campus.

4. Explore regional sites tied to 1996 events

   • If you’re venturing beyond the city, Stone Mountain Park and the Lake Lanier area show how Olympic sports touched the wider metro region.

Quick Answer Recap

• When were the Olympics in Atlanta?
  The 1996 Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, Georgia, from July 19 to August 4, 1996.

• Where can you see the impact today?
  Most notably at Centennial Olympic Park, the former Olympic Stadium area (now Center Parc Stadium), and venues across Downtown, Midtown, and local campuses.

For anyone living in or visiting Atlanta, the 1996 Olympics are not just a date in history—they’re woven into the city’s parks, stadiums, streets, and skyline that you see every day.