GWCC hotel moving closer to reality

The Georgia World Congress Center Authority is moving closer to the construction of an 800-room hotel on its campus.

In an update on the project Tuesday, the state agency said it will begin negotiations with Boston-based Drew Company to develop the lodging, which may carry the Fairmont or InterContinental Hotels Group flags.

If constructed, the hotel will be built on a portion of land currently home to the Georgia Dome. The Dome will be torn down after construction of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the new home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, is completed in 2017.

The authority says its needs the hotel to keep pace with other convention facilities around the country that are building lodging of their own.

Drew Company is one of four developers who made the final cut to build the hotel. While Drew received the authority’s blessing Tuesday as the “apparent awardee” or preferred developer, the agency is reserving the right to consider the other finalists should the GWCC and Drew not agree on terms.

The other candidates are Matthews Southwest of Lewisville, Texas, and Atlanta-based Capella and Legacy/Stormont Hospitality.

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