RIP, original World of Coca-Cola
This story was originally published by Axios, also owned by Cox Enterprises.
The original World of Coca-Cola pavilion, the Downtown Atlanta tourist attraction where countless field trippers tried to mix up stomach-turning concoctions of soda brands from around the world, is no more.
Why it matters: The building — actually a collection of three 54-foot cubes, according to a 1990 AJC architectural review — had sat mostly vacant for nearly 20 years as a quirky afterthought before being demolished on Thursday afternoon with little fanfare surrounding it.
Zoom in: Opened in 1990, the three-story $15 million museum near Underground Atlanta was one of the metro region’s biggest draws.
- In addition to more than 100 years of memorabilia and artifacts from the homegrown company’s history, the attraction had a replica of an old soda fountain counter and room where visitors could sample Coca-Cola products from around the world.
State of play: In 2002, the company announced it would relocate. Five years later, Coca-Cola opened the current museum in Centennial Olympic Park.
- The state later purchased the Downtown property, which was once considered for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, according to the AJC.
What’s next: The state plans to build a nearly $400 million update to Georgia’s Capitol Hill that include new legislative offices across the street.
- It is unclear how this property will play a role, if any, in that vision.
We’ve reached out to the Georgia Building Authority, State Properties Commission and Gov. Brian Kemp’s office to learn more about the demolition and future plans.
