Food hall to open in former CNN Center in Downtown
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Rendering of the CTR Food Works. Photo: Courtesy of CP Group
The project that will transform the space formerly known as the CNN Center will open in May.
Why it matters: CP Group's makeover of the 1.2-million-square-foot complex dubbed The Center will open a month before the World Cup kicks off in Atlanta, and it could be a major activity hub during the city's eight matches.
The latest: Visitors will have 12 dining options to explore in the 24,000-square-foot CTR Food Works, which will be housed in the renovated atrium and include the largest bar in the city, CP Group said in a press release.
- Some of the restaurants that will open include Fuzzy's, La Tropical, Mimi Taqueria and Dessert Box.
- The eateries and the bar are expected to open before the World Cup arrives in Atlanta, CP Group said.
Zoom in: The Center's signature restaurant will be Mastro's Ocean Club, an upscale steakhouse and seafood spot on the ground floor.
- It's expected to open by midyear, CP Group said.
What they're saying: Chris Eachus, founding partner for CP Group, said in a statement The Center's reopening will connect "one of Atlanta's landmarks with the people and energy of Downtown."
- "This moment marks a shift in this project from vision to a lived experience," Eachus said.
Catch up quick: CP Group, which calls itself the largest owner of commercial properties in Atlanta, purchased the complex in 2021.
- CNN, located there since 1987, moved its Atlanta staff from the downtown hub back to its original Midtown campus in 2023.
Flashback: Opened in 1976 as the Omni International Complex, the property was home for six months to The World of Sid and Marty Krofft, a doomed attempt at creating the country's first indoor amusement park.
- After CNN claimed the space, the complex — and by extension the city — became a domestic and international news production hub.
By the numbers: CP Group pumped $50 million into exterior changes and another $15 million toward atrium renovations that are still in progress.
The big picture: The Center's announcement comes as another major project blocks away, the $5 billion Centennial Yards redevelopment, recently announced its own slate of new tenants on the 50-acre site, including Busy Bee Cafe, The Irish Exit, Cosm, Shake Shack, Live Nation and Khao Thai Isan.
- Hotel Phoenix and The Mitchell, a 302-unit luxury apartment building, are also up and running.