The planned Center for Civil and Human Rights could soon receive its biggest boost —- as much as $40 million toward construction costs from Atlanta City Hall.

The Atlanta Development Authority board is scheduled today to vote on recommending whether the City Council approves the funds for the project.

Construction costs for the center are estimated at $125 million. Center officials are considering an offer from Coca-Cola to build the facility on 2.5 acres in downtown Atlanta, near Centennial Olympic Park.

Authority officials estimate the center will generate about $50 million in tax revenue to the city and state and an estimated $1.3 billion to Atlanta's economy over the next 10 years.

Hospitality leaders tout the center as the latest example of what could make the city —- long considered a great place to live but not to visit —- a tourism destination. Paired with such attractions as the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola and a possible museum dedicated to health, the civil and human rights center would help create a critical mass of attractions.

"What you are seeing is this sort of museum central downtown," said Tim Mescon, who becomes president of Columbus State University in August.

"To me that's what we are creating. We are late in the game, but it can be transformational."

Hospitality leaders, estimating Atlanta's tourism industry at about $11.4 billion, said a civil and human rights center will pay for itself as an economic driver and job creator.

"One of the things that it will do is generate jobs and revenue," said Mark Newton, program director of the hotel, restaurant, tourism management program at Gwinnett Tech. "It also will benefit the convention industry by giving people who come here more to do. One of the goals of the tourism industry is to get people to stay in Atlanta longer, and this will help that."

Critics have questioned the commitment of any city funds for such projects as City Hall grapples with budget problems. Mayor Shirley Franklin last week announced she was laying off 78 city employees, eliminating 112 vacant positions and closing Fire Station 7 in the city's West End to help fill a budget gap.

Authority officials noted city funds for the center are solely designated to projects in a section of downtown Atlanta called the Westside Tax Allocation District. The city cannot use any of the money to pay for city services or employee salaries.

Doug Shipman, the center's executive director, insisted Wednesday the facility will help Atlanta's economy.

"We are excited that it's going to create jobs," he said. "It's going to help the city of Atlanta."