Atlanta, GA
We full? What Atlanta hotel bookings for World Cup look like.
A new report says Atlanta is faring better than most other host cities. About half the city’s hotels in the survey say booking pace is in line with or ahead of expectations.
About 213,000 hotels in downtown, like the Moxy Atlanta Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead are booked for during the approximately 30 days of matches during this summer’s World Cup, according to the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
Hotel bookings for the World Cup this summer are looking soft among host cities, but a new report suggests Atlanta is outperforming most of its U.S. peers.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association surveyed hoteliers across the 11 U.S. markets that will host World Cup matches. In its report, the AHLA broadly said the “anticipated economic lift may fall short of expectations,” with 80% of survey respondents saying that hotel bookings are tracking below initial forecasts.
htiw htiw saw lacipyt gnidnert rieht eht eht naht yevrus dias stnednopser ecap ro ro fo fo fo enin enil si ni tsoh gniraf ,snoitatcepxe dnamed s’ytic .seitic gnikoob retteb daeha evoba a enuJ .yluJ tuB atnaltA tuobA %05
htiw lliw lliw emoclew ot eht eht naht reccos tes .lanifimes yalp no htnom .sehctam sehctam hctam ssel si gnidulcni ni ni tsoh labolg tsrif ,tneve thgie gnirud ,yawa dna osla a a dlroW ehT ocixeM enuJ puC seitiC adanaC atnaltA atnaltA .51
nevird“ saw maet gnorts ”.secruos dias troper ylegral letoh deifisrevid dnamed dnamed ytivitcennoc ,spmac yb esab dna ria ehT s’atnaltA ALHA — naht stluser detsop eno ytic retteb ylnO .imaiM atnaltA
ylevitagen“ hcihw lacipyt gniliart eht eht eht eht reccos .syas dias stnednopser troper ecap ro fo fo tsom ,tekram ti si si si ”detcapmi letoh tsoh snoitatcepxe smialc latipac gnikoob woleb dna a ,iruossiM sasnaK sasnaK enuJ .yluJ s’ytiC ,ytiC ,aciremA tsomlA %09
deifilpma“ hcihw hcihw asiv ”.ytniatrecnu levart eht hcus reccos dias moor troper desaeler detum seussi lanoitanretni gnidulcni ni letoh evah gninrevog lacitilopoeg .dnamed ,snrecnoc seitic setic redaorb gnikoob ydob ,skcolb sreirrab sa dna osla ssorca .S.U ehT tI AFIF ,atnaltA
raw stekcit eht egrus .gniraos gnidnes enalp fo ,elihwnaem ni ni sah leuf detaerc ,stsoc tsoc a ehT ,narI
The American Hotel & Lodging Association recently released a report that compared the hotel booking expectations across the 11 U.S. World Cup host cities. (Courtesy of AHLA)
eht eht taht gninnaps dias smoor won ,sehctam .stekram letoh stsoh gnirud ,nwotnwod syad dekoob era yletamixorppa dna dlroW srotisiV ehT nwotdiM puC noitnevnoC uaeruB daehkcuB atnaltA atnaltA 03 000,312 ;pma& sgnihT“ er’yehT“ ew levart .rehtegot ot ot ot ”,stekcit kniht rieht rieht eht eht gnitrats gnitrats gnitrats ”.flehs ees dias smoor tnecer yllaer tnediserp elpoep ,seitinutroppo ffo fo kool .weivretni ni letoh gnitteg gnimoc emoc ta era era era dna dna a mailliW ,etaP I OEC ,BVCA
How many Atlanta hotel rooms are booked for World Cup?
wodniw lacipyt stekcit gniht eht taht taht naht retrohs .dias ,dias detluser desaeler .sesahp ecap fo egral si si ni ni letoh eh sah sah sah rof ,stneve ,sgnikoob gnikoob detceffa a tahT etaP enO AFIF
s’tI“ AFIF“ uoy ,tey levart ot ot ,stekcit stekcit yeht rieht taht taht llits llits os os .dias ”,snalp elpoep deifiton deen ekam tsuj si t’nevah evah gniog teg ”.ecneirepxe gnitubirtsid tnereffid neeb era dna a etaP
nehw saw ot eht eht taht emos gniees dias smoor denruter mrofreptuo rehto tekram ssel ti si ni letoh letoh eh ytic seitic sgnikoob dekoob seveileb esuaceb detceffa .ecnavda dlroW etaP AFIF puC atnaltA eht ,sredlohekats ,ffats nosrepsekops tes .dias smoor moor ylsuoiverp snoitazinagro lanoitarepo no .srebmun aidem sti ti letoh letoh dah rof tneve werd ,resolc sgnikoob desab ecnadnetta edisa sa dna detsujda a AFIF tuB
saw ot eht emos rellams ereves ,dias smoor denruter egatnecrep fo ton gninaem .tekram ni tcapmi letoh ,seitic kcab sa sa a ehT etaP AFIF atnaltA
The West Peachtree Plaza hotel in downtown Atlanta is among the many hotels benefiting from the World Cup in town this summer. (Courtesy of Westin Peachtree Plaza)
htiw ,levart ot ot eht eht eht taht dias gnidnopser gniyalp no gnitekram lanoitanretni gnidulcni ni ni sdniwdaeh t’nevah morf desucof setairtapxe stroffe seirtnuoc ,erofeb neeb gnitcartta dna osla dlroW edreV .natsikebzU .S.U eH puC epaC atnaltA ,BVCA
eW“ ot esoht ereht .dias noissap fo tol si gniog ”,snaf gnitcepxe eb era tsgnoma a etaP
toN“ ew ew ”,asiv ot ot esoht eht taht taht llits tovip no deen gnitekram ,yllanoitanretni ni yvaeh eh teg sklof sucof t’nod gniod did tub t’nera era dna osla ydaerla .dedda seitivitca a a detinU setatS ,srotisiv eht naht .dias smoor ssel lanoitanretni ni letoh eh dekoob era fO ,atnaltA %02
ruO“ s’tI“ srotisiv ot ot eseht .dias ydaer si taerg gniog rof ”.ecneirepxe ”,emoc ytic eb lla yletulosba a etaP
sraey .srotisiv ot sdnasuoht eht eht eht eht eht gnitrops ecnis fo fo s’ti si ni sderdnuh evah rof tneve detamitse yrtnuoc ytic gnirb tseggib detiawa dna ssorca dlroW cipmylO sreiletoH semaG roF .puC lainnetneC ,atnaltA 6991
tey raw rednu yletamitlu levart levart eht eht eht .noitautis ton hcum erom s’ti lanoitanretni ni tcapmi noitargimmi woh denethgieh sah yllaicepse tnemecrofne cimonoce .dnamed dluoc raelc gnignellahc ,gnirb dima detceffa a dlroW pmurT tnediserP elddiM ,tsaE dlanoD puC tuB dnoyeB
lliw“ htiw stekcit esoht eht eht eht eht detroper gnihcaer .yecirp no tsom sehctam tsael egats-puorg rof rof lanif evisnepxe ”,reve tneve larutluc tsepaehc eb gnigareva ta era dna osla dlroW stekciT ehT yadnoM tsimonocE puC 002$ .000,2$ eht ylhguor troper fo noillim ni ni tcapmi evah detamitse cimonoce dluoc na a dlroW ehT orteM .aigroeG puC rebmahC atnaltA 4202 005$
Mercedes-Benz Stadium — pictured decorated for the College Football Playoff championship game in January 2025 — will host eight World Cup games this summer. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2025)
htiw elohw ohw ot .stekcit yeht ereht eht ygolonhcet dias ,noiger redivorp elpoep fi evah rof tcepxe stneve yllaicepse t’nod tsoob era a dlroW sucinarG sevitucexE puC
… sihT“ htiw hctaw yrt ot ot ot eht eht taht taht taht lufsseccus ”,ygetarts sevres smees dias tnediser tnediser yllaer yllaer seitrap seitrap rehto ,snoitazinagro fo fo gnitekram reganam lacol esufni gnidulcni aedi tsoh tsoh lareneg ecneirepxe noisivid noitanitsed gnitaerc ynapmoc .seitic eb dna dna lla a a dlroW .S.U sucinarG ,snoitanitseD puC ,eocsoB atnaltA madA
lliw hctaw tuohguorht eht eht etals derettacs dennalp seitrap rehto fo .ortem si si gnidulcni gnitsoh evah ,stneve ,strecnoc seitic .snoitarbelec ta era dna dna dna a etatS ,kraP cipmylO nI lavitseF mraF naF AFIF rutaceD lainnetneC ,atnaltA atnaltA anerA gnomA
uoY“ eW“ tnaw ot ot ot tekcit eht eht erus .dias stnediser trap fo ekam ereh evah evah evah leef ”,ecneirepxe ”.tnemeticxe t’nod a a a dlroW etaP puC eht eht taht mret-trohs dias slatner fo ni stsoh .semag gnirud syad ytic dekoob era yletamixorppa tuoba dlroW puC atnaltA atnaltA BVCA 000,05 03
htiw hcihw skcart naht mret-trohs dias slatner noiger smroftalp erom ortem ortem .sgnitsil ,egral si laudividni gnidulcni sah morf morf mrif mrif atad dna ssorca ,obrV ehT aidepxE ,moc.gnikooB .atnaltA scitylanA ,bnbriA ,ANDriA 000,02
.raey hcihw pu emit eht wohs emas ycnapucco ortem sehctam tsal si egats-puorg morf rof atad ta atnaltA ANDriA ,%13 %62
raey pu gnidnert eht eht ycnapucco sdoohrobhgien raen .sehctam tsal si ni .rehgih egats-puorg morf rof rof ,elpmaxe retnecipe nwotnwod era dna tuoba dlroW ,muidatS zneB-sedecreM ellivscinahceM lliH roF ,puC yrrebeltsaC saerA %001
I“ raey er’ew owt ot esoht siht kniht eht ees dias setar fo ycnapucco ”shtnom yllufgninaem ni rehgih gniog gnitsacerof rof scimonoce gnirud rotcerid dna dlroW ,rehgallaG ,puC marB .ANDriA Why are Atlanta’s hotel bookings outperforming other World Cup cities?
What could be the economic impact?
How many short-term rentals are booked?
Amy Wenk is the consumer brands reporter for the AJC.
ATLANTA – The Atlanta City Council approved a resolution requesting a comprehensive study to evaluate switching Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport security operations from federal workers to private contractors.
The decision launches a formal assessment of the world’s busiest airport joining the federal Screening Partnership Program.
Atlanta airport private security evaluation
What we know:
The Atlanta City Council voted 11-1 to direct the Department of Aviation to commission an independent feasibility study within 90 days. The study will analyze converting current Transportation Security Administration operations to a private screening model.
This federal program allows airports to use private contractors who must still meet federal security standards under federal oversight. The proposal comes after a February-March federal funding lapse caused 34 to 36 percent of local TSA officers to miss work, leading to multi-hour wait times and canceled flights.
Aviation funding and consultant selection
What we don’t know:
It remains unclear which independent third-party consultant will be chosen to conduct the data-driven analysis.
During the council meeting, officials noted it is still an open question whether the Department of Aviation has already set aside specific dollars or identified a shortlist of experts to pull the report together.
Historical Screening Partnership Program metrics
By the numbers:
- 100 million: The minimum number of travelers processed annually at the world’s busiest airport.
- 20 to 22: The number of U.S. airports currently participating in the private contractor screening program, including San Francisco and Kansas City.
- 140 million to 240 million: The estimated range of dollars that TSA screening operations currently cost at the Atlanta airport each year.
Category X airport operational realities
The backstory:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is classified as a Category X public facility, representing the highest risk tier in the nation. No Category X airport has ever fully transitioned from federal screeners to a private model under the program.
Proponents point out that participating private airports avoided major disruptions during federal funding shutdowns because contractor payrolls rely on pre-existing federal contract obligations rather than annual congressional appropriations.
Local labor and political debate
The other side:
Councilmember Kelsey Bond voted against the resolution, citing deep concerns from local voters about the privatization of public sector jobs. Bond stated that privatization efforts align with controversial federal political agendas aimed at defunding public systems.
Bond argued that local leaders have a responsibility to stand back and defend the public sector and the union employees working at the facility.
Airport passenger lines and grandmothers
What they’re saying:
“This feasibility study is only asking about what it would look like if we can better serve grandmothers standing in line all day long because our federal government can’t get their act together to keep our TSA workers employed,” Councilmember Byron D. Amos said.
Amos emphasized that the legislation protects local workers by giving current TSA employees the first right of refusal to transition into the contractor roles if a change is ever made.
Super Bowl and major events timeline
What’s next:
The Department of Aviation has a 90-day window to deliver the final study, which places the evaluation period directly after FIFA World Cup events and during peak planning for the Super Bowl.
Once the report is complete, the findings will be presented in a public session so the city council can determine whether to apply for the federal program, run a limited pilot program or maintain the current federal system.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Atlanta City Council Resolution ELMS No. 40196, which outlines the official parameters and legislative elements of the airport security request, as well as official video and audio records from the Atlanta City Council legislative session where members debated and voted on the proposal.
‘Back to the Future’-inspired DeLorean among the entrants at this weekend’s event in Atlanta.
Razorfly Studios has been bringing its replica of Doc Brown’s “Back to the Future” time machine DeLorean to MomoCon for years. (Courtesy of MomoCon)
When Mark Zoran drives one of his replica cars, it’s not uncommon for fellow drivers to gawk at him.
Sometimes people ask for photos. Once, while he was driving outside of Atlanta, another driver stopped beside him to take a photograph of his car.
kcaB“ ruoy htiw nehw ot eht eht eht taht taht yrotirret lagel-teerts egnarts emos tes derotser ,elpoep ffo fo yam skool ekil tsuj ti ti si rof leef semoc rac emac noitnetta dna a elihW ”.erutuF naeroLeD
enO“ s’tI“ flesruoy ruoy uoy uoy ,wodniw nwot ot hguorht siht sgniht eht ”,laerrus erots redluohs ees .dias revo fo fo tsetaen kool dnik si ni cinoci eh mlif gnivird ”.rac eb ta dna dna a
”sremrofsnarT“ ohw ,oot ot .meht laerrus ees ,srehto morf rof tcepxe gnivird t’nod edisgnola s’tI eebelbmuB Mark Zoran poses with one of the replica cars he built through his North Carolina-based company Razorfly Studios. (Courtesy of MomoCon)
kcaB“ — — depparw htiw lliw lliw lliw s’keew oediv selcihev ot siht meht eht eht snoitarotser acilper ralupop no fo agnam ,sahsati .semag .semag morf lavitsef erutaef yalpsid scimoc gnitarbelec srac rac eb eb ta tra dnuora ,emina ,emina ,noitamina dna dna dna na gnoma s’naroZ owT ehT esacwohS ,noComoM esenapaJ ”erutuF naF naeroLeD raC atnaltA 05
htiw nehw detrats ecnis esacwohs derotser tuo tsuj sih sah nworg rac naroZ ehT .naeroLeD ,5102 3891
sraey dekrow htiw ohw saw eht taht dekraps porp noissap trap ledom .senizagam detseretni yrtsudni ni ni ni ni sih sih s’eh evah sah rof derutaef ,rehtaf emutsoc ynapmoc .srac srac yb tub tliub neeb neeb dna syawla naroZ ,soidutS ylfrozaR htroN siH desab-aniloraC 52
,gnuoy dluow dluow saw saw drawot ot ereht eht eht setsat .acilper raluger eno no fo eivom yfidom sledom ledom kool ekil denael ti fi sih eh eh eh ,dnif mlif t’ndluoc .srac ,srac rac yub dliub desab dna dna a naroZ nehW tuB
sraey gnikrow yhw koot ot ot emit os dezilaer porp tcejorp nwo ton ,enihcam ti ni sih mih eh eh tsrif .hsinif wef ,ngised dluoc dliub hcatta a a elihW tahT ?naeroLeD 
s’enyaW“ ,sremrofsnarT“ ehT“ cissaruJ“ dekrow lliw hcihw llew ,selcihev ,neht eht noitarotser no fo fo gnidulcni ni s’eh morf morf deyalpsid srac rac eb tnemtrossa sa sa sa dna na a a ”.dlroW rekabedutS rekabedutS ecniS ”kraP lanoitaN ,muesuM teppuM ”,eivoM eizzoF s’raeB 1591
”,namtaB“ ?pu eht eht .dias no morf naroZ kroW txeN leahciM del-notaeK elibomtaB 9891
ehT“ erehw tahw ev’ew ew elcihev epyt ot gnikat sekat pets trats .dias daor ylno eno fo ton ,eivom gniyfidom deifidom edam ”,lagel ekoj ,ti ti ti ti si si evah rehtruf rof od yzarc yletelpmoc niatrec tub tub dna osla a a a naroZ
ot siht gnitrats ecnis wohs noitarotser noissap rehto .snoitacifidom noitacifidom denioj t’nsi ni ni sih rof tsrif stsaisuhtne srac rac yb neeb ta dna enola naroZ noComoM s’eH tuB .5102 MomoCon’s Fan Car Showcase sees dozens of itasha cars — vehicles that have been wrapped in art from anime, manga and video games. (Courtesy of MomoCon)
er’eW“ ohw ew rieht eht eht luos .dias tup elpoep fo fo tol gnikool gnikool otni traeh evah rof rof ,tfarc ”,tseb tseb era dna dna a naroZ
— erew selcihev desu owt taht sekat noitces noitces acilper seivom ahsati ni rof rof rof seirogetac .srac srac era snoitacilppa dna dna yllautca a a naroZ erehT
sparw htiw suoirav eht tnediser gnitniap ,gnivil rettal otni ybboh sih eh eh morf rof sllaf .syojne seod .yrogetac srac tub evitomotua sa tra emina a a htroN rehcsteM rehcsteM eoJ aniloraC
Joe Metscher will bring his Subaru Forester itasha to MomoCon that features a character from “Kantai Collection” on it. (Courtesy of Joe Metscher)
iatnaK“ s’raey depparw htiw htiw pot ot ot siht eht eht taht taht ffonips .edis tneserper der detniap no no yrucrem kool ekil deripsni deripsni s’eh eh yarg emag esohc retcarahc yb gnignirb .mottob pihselttab tra edacra .emina dna a a a a a urabuS ezakamihS ,noComoM esenapaJ s’tI eH retseroF ”,noitcelloC tA
ytnaP“ htiw owt eht taht knip morf serutaef sretcarahc gnirb thgirb .emina osla a gnikcotS remmuH ll’eH ”tlebretraG ;pma& Joe Metscher’s bright pink Hummer features characters from the anime “Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt.” (Courtesy of Joe Metscher)
htiw lliw yllausu ot emit rieht eht eht eht eht eht dneps dias elpoep strap dekcap tuo ytinutroppo eno sreffo fo fo detseretni .tseretni ni ,ybboh sih mih gnah puorg morf sdneirf etirovaf .ecneirepxe gnifeirbed sdworc noitnevnoc nommoc gnittahc tahc yawa ta ta dna dna dna na tuoba a ,esacwohS noComoM s’rehcsteM eH naF raC
m’I“ parw er’ew su ot ot ot yeht eseht rieht rieht os .dias thgir snoitseuq elpoep elpoep yap nwo enilno fo fo won wen detavitom detavitom em edam dnik ,ti ti ti ni eh yppah gnivig teg tnorf .drawrof ,seye od .ecnahc ”,srac nac ksa dna dna lla tuoba a ehT s’tI
Joe Metscher’s dirt bike features Twin Turbo from the anime “Umamusume.” (Courtesy of Joe Metscher)
,raey elihw yllausu rieht eht eht seirots gnihtemos ,esacwohs elpoep tuo gnikool sih s’eh gniraeh eh evah sevig rof syojne hcae tnereffid .srac dnuora dna naroZ gniruD s’rotceriD eciohC ,drawA
oT“ .raey ,raey hcihw selcihev selcihev ot ot eseht eseht eseht rieht rieht eht eht taht taht taht knus emos ees ees ees emas .dias tup elpoep elpoep fo fo wen ,em evol evol gniwonk si otni ”,sruoh ereh evah ,syug rof yreve yreve noitacided sseltnuoc srac gnieb gnieb ta ,gnizama lla elba elba naroZ ,noComoM I I
— — ohw hcihw ot s’ereht ,ereht eht eht gnorts llits llits emos wohs ees .dias dias gnisir elpoep tuo fo fo wen srevol si tseretni gniripsni detcapmi sah gnirenrag ,leuf morf etipsed yletinifed tfarc stsoc rac esab seednetta a naroZ naroZ s’tI s’erehT“ dnA“ ruoy uoy uoy uoy nehw tahw tahw yaw ”,tnaw yrev eht taht taht .dias gnidrawer tup fo tol dnik tsuj tsuj s’ti s’ti ”.ti .ti ti si otni otni depleh seog elahxe yltcaxe enoyreve enod nac tsitra dna dna dna dna gnola lla erimda a rehcsteM tuB
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htiw ot .stekcit eht .nosrep rep .m.p .m.p .m.p esacwohs-rac-naf/moc.nocomom si dedulcni 7-.m.a 5-.m.a gnuoY .yadsruhT .yadnuS .esacwohS esacwohS ,WN s’noComoM noComoM lanoitanretnI .yadrutaS-yadirF naF naF raC raC .dvlB .atnaltA werdnA sseccA 582 8-2 01 01 58.121$-99.36$
Olivia Wakim is a reporter on the lifestyle team. She joined the AJC as an intern in 2023 after graduating from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree. While in school, she reported for The Red & Black, Grady Newsource and the Marietta Daily Journal.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Detectives are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred Sunday afternoon in Stone Mountain.
Around 2 p.m., DeKalb police officers responded to the area of Martins Crossing and Hemingway Road after receiving reports of a person shot, authorities said.
When officers arrived, they found a victim who had been shot. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives are still working to determine what led up to the incident, officials said.
Return to Atlanta News First for updates.
Copyright 2026 WANF. All rights reserved.
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