CNN Center

Aerial view of the CNN Center

The CNN Center is located in Atlanta, Georgia

The CNN Center is the world headquarters of the Cable News Network (CNN). The main newsrooms and studios for several of CNN's news channels are located in the building. The facility's commercial office space is occupied entirely by CNN and its parent company, Turner Broadcasting System, a division of Time Warner.

Location

It is located downtown in Atlanta, Georgia next to Centennial Olympic Park at 190 Marietta Street, although its official postal address is 1 CNN Center.

The CNN Center is directly connected to the Philips Arena, home to the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA.

Early years

The CNN Center opened in 1976 as the Omni International complex, which was a development by Cousins Properties Inc. that was unsuccessful until CNN moved its headquarters there in 1987 from its Midtown Atlanta site (old home of the Progressive Club on 1050 Techwood Drive and home to Turner Broadcasting System).^[1]

The facility originally offered office space to various business tenants, as well as consulates over the years. The main floor featured an indoor ice skating rink, as well as a small number of restaurants, a Gold Mine video arcade, and a multi-screen movie theater. For years, the theater offered showings of Gone with the Wind, Ted Turner's favorite movie. The theater was replaced during renovations to put in a new newsroom for CNN's website operations. The ice skating rink was filled in and a mosaic map of the world replaced it (featuring brass markers indicating the locations of CNN bureaus around the world). More famously Sid and Marty Krofft built an indoor amusement park called The World of Sid and Marty Krofft, inspired by the creations of the popular children's television producers. The park was the first indoor theme park and opened in 1976, it closed within six months.

When CNN networks moved in in 1987, CNN Headline News (now known as HLN) was the first network to broadcast a show from it at 3.00 ET with its program # 96,115. Their sister channel started live programming at 6.00 ET of that day.

March 14, 2008 damage

Main article: 2008 Atlanta tornado outbreak

Debris from tornado in front of CNN Center

At around 9:30 p.m. on March 14, 2008, a EF-2 ^[2] tornado passed through downtown Atlanta, damaging the CNN Center and leaving water and dust in the upper floors. The ceiling of the atrium was also damaged, causing water to pour in and partially flood the food court. CNN's library was damaged, although it is unknown at the moment how much of its archives were damaged.^[3] Numerous injuries and widespread damage were reported overall. The Omni Hotel, attached to the CNN Center, was evacuated as a precaution, and more than 400 rooms had to be emptied of occupancy for two weeks.

Modern features

The CNN Center also houses a major hotel (an Omni Hotels franchise owned by Turner Broadcasting, now Time Warner) and a large atrium food court frequented by local business employees, tourists, event goers from Philips Arena and the Georgia Dome, and conference attendees from the Georgia World Congress Center. CNN's multi-channel output to the world is broadcast on large screens around the center. Studio tours are available and include demonstrations of the technologies such as Chroma key as well as visits to viewing galleries overlooking the newsrooms and anchors of CNN, CNN International, HLN, In Session , and CNN en Español.

The atrium escalator that is used to transport visitors on the CNN tour has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest freestanding (supported only at the ends) escalator in the world.

MARTA rail service is provided to the CNN Center at the Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center station.

On April 3, 2007, a man shot and killed a woman before being shot by a security guard inside the CNN Center.^[4]

List of stores and restaurants open to the public

• Arby's
• Chick-fil-A
• Wendy's
• China Breeze
• Dantanna's Downtown
• Dunkin' Donuts
• TJ's Sandwiches
• Great Wraps
• McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants
• Moe's Southwest Grill
• Nelda's Hair Salon
• Peachtree News Stand
• Starbucks
• Taco Bell
• Taco Mac
• Tokyo Express
• Cartoon Network Store
• Braves Clubhouse Store
• CNN Store
• The Turner Store
• It's About Atlanta
• The Corner Bookstore

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  Interior view

• 

  Inside CNN Studio Tour check-in.

References

1. ^ http://www.atlantatimemachine.com/misc/techwd1.htm
2. ^ Tornado trashes Atlanta - CNN.com
3. ^ Rescuers search for Atlanta tornado victims - CNN.com
4. ^ Gunman kills woman at CNN Center - CNN.com

External links

Atlanta portal

• CNN.com website
• CNN Center Studio Tour website
• Omni Hotel at CNN Center
• The Turner Store
• It's About Atlanta Souvenirs and Sundries

Coordinates: 33°45′29″N 84°23′41″W / 33.757934°N 84.394811°W / 33.757934; -84.394811