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GWCCA Celebrates Major Construction Milestone at Topping Off Ceremony for Signia by Hilton Atlanta

Signia by Hilton Atlanta Exterior - Rendering
Signia by Hilton Atlanta
976‑room hotel overlooking Mercedes‑Benz Stadium is set to open in January 2024

ATLANTA – Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA), the largest combined convention, sports, and entertainment campus in North America, along with global hospitality company Hilton (NYSE: HLT) and multinational project development and construction company Skanska, celebrated a major construction milestone today with the ceremonial topping off of the 976-room Signia by Hilton Atlanta.

Frank Poe, executive director, GWCCA, Gary Steffen, global category head, Full-Service Brands, Hilton, Scott Cannon, executive vice president and general manager of Skanska Georgia and South Carolina Operations, and Theonie Alicandro, chief operating officer and general counsel, Drew Company, spoke to a crowd of GWCCA team members, Hilton representatives, construction workers, community members, elected officials, and media to celebrate the key construction milestone.

Owned by GWCCA and managed by Hilton Management Services, Signia by Hilton Atlanta is the city’s largest downtown ground-up hotel development project in 40 years. The 453-foot high hotel built on the repurposed foundation of the Georgia Dome will connect to the Georgia World Congress Center when it opens in January 2024. The publicly-owned property has created nearly a thousand new employment opportunities during its construction and will support nearly a thousand new jobs delivering millions in direct economic benefits and additional tax revenues to the state and the city during its operation.

“We are thrilled to officially top off Signia by Hilton Atlanta and celebrate the accomplishments of all who have worked together for the past decade to reach this important milestone,” said Frank Poe, executive director, GWCCA. “I applaud the efforts of GWCCA, as well as our partners at Hilton, Drew, Gensler, SG Contracting and Skanska for this incredible undertaking that has already transformed the skyline of downtown Atlanta. The topping off of Signia by Hilton Atlanta brings GWCCA one step closer to realizing our vision of an interconnected Championship Campus establishing a package of facilities unrivaled in North America.”

Incorporating feedback from meeting professionals, guests, owners, and developers, Signia by Hilton was created to solve for critical gaps in the industry and infuses sophisticated travel and premium experiences into every aspect of the stay for business and leisure guests.  Located in highly sought-after urban and resort destinations, Signia by Hilton delivers an exceptional hotel experience to all guests through unparalleled, dynamic meeting and events capabilities, world-class design, signature food and beverage experiences and premium wellness offerings.  When it opens next year, guests and locals alike will enjoy Signia by Hilton Atlanta’s eight signature food and beverage experiences, including three restaurants and three bars, as well as world-class amenities, including a spa, beauty bar and fitness center with yoga stations, Peloton bikes and more. Whether hosting a corporate event, board meeting, gala or wedding, Signia by Hilton Atlanta will offer more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space, including the largest hotel ballroom in Georgia, an outdoor event deck and an outdoor event lawn, as well as three boardrooms.

“As the first newly built Signia by Hilton property, this is an incredible milestone for Hilton and we are delighted to celebrate this occasion with our partners,” said Gary Steffen, global category head, Full-Service Brands, Hilton. “Whether booking a stay when visiting Atlanta for a convention, or stopping by Signia by Hilton Atlanta for dinner and a cocktail before a sporting event, we’re looking forward to welcoming guests and the community early next year and showcasing our reliable, friendly hospitality at a destination that is sure to become an Atlanta icon.”

Boston-based Drew Company is the developer for the 1.25 million square foot property with Gensler as the architect and a joint venture between Skanska and SG Contracting as the general contractor. More than 1 million hours have been worked to date on a site that routinely sees 600-plus workers on site at peak. The 42-story hotel contains 5,000-plus truckloads of concrete and features 302,728 square feet of glass.

“The men and women on this project have invested more than a million hours with no lost time incidents to achieve this pinnacle of construction on the world’s first newly-built Signia by Hilton property,” said Scott Cannon, executive vice president and general manager of Skanska’s Georgia and South Carolina Operations. “It’s been more than two decades since Atlanta has seen this type of build and we’re proud to collaborate with the many partners helping to redefine Atlanta’s skyline.”

For more information about Signia by Hilton Atlanta, including construction updates, please visit the live construction webcams or signiabyhiltonatlanta.com.

Media Contact

Randy LiebermanGWCCArlieberman@gwcc.com
Laura FordHiltonlaura.ford@hilton.com

About Hilton

Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising more than 7,500 properties and nearly 1.2 million rooms, in 126 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World’s Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for seven consecutive years. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 180 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube


About Signia by Hilton

Signia by Hilton is a portfolio of premier hotels that infuses sophisticated travel and premium experiences into every aspect of the guest stay. Each Signia by Hilton hotel offers unparalleled meetings and events capabilities with world-class design, signature food and beverage experiences, and premium wellness offerings, all backed by the Hilton name and award-winning Hilton Honors program. Learn more about Signia by Hilton at stories.hilton.com/signia


About Georgia World Congress Center Authority

Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA), a key driver for Georgia’s economy, is the largest combined convention, sports, and entertainment campus in North America. Established in 1971, the GWCCA campus includes Georgia World Congress Center, Centennial Olympic Park, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. To learn more about the No. 1 convention, sports, and entertainment destination in the world, visit www.gwcca.org or follow GWCCA on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.


About Skanska

Skanska uses knowledge & foresight to shape the way people live, work, and connect. More than 135 years in the making, Skanska is one of the world’s largest development and construction companies. It operates in select markets throughout the Nordics, Europe and the United States. Skanska in the U.S. is headquartered in New York City with 29 offices around the country. In 2022, construction in the U.S. generated $6.9 billion in revenue, and as a developer in the U.S., Skanska has invested a total of $3.5 billion in commercial and multi-family projects. Together with their customers and the collective expertise of their 6,500 teammates in the U.S. and 28,000 globally, Skanska creates innovative and sustainable solutions that support healthy living beyond our lifetime. 


About Drew Company

For 35 years, Drew Company has been boldly transforming properties, neighborhoods and the cities in which it operates with a diverse portfolio of visionary commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate projects. Headquartered in Boston, Mass., Drew Company is a privately held, real estate development, management and consulting firm which oversees a broad range of ventures spanning real estate, hospitality, technology and entrepreneurial investment. Perhaps best known for its effective and collaborative approach in managing complex public-private partnerships, Drew Company has developed and operates hospitality venues, convention and exhibition centers, luxury high-rise residential properties, entertainment facilities and global trade centers worldwide. Drew Company has been involved in the development of over ten million square feet of commercial space since 1982. Learn more at drewcompany.com.