The demolition of the former site of the World of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta, Georgia, began Friday (June 14) to convert the property into a parking lot.
From Museum Building to Parking Lot
In an email to the Associated Press Friday (June 14), Georgia Building Authority deputy executive director Gerald Pilgrim said that the state government bought the original museum opened in 1990, in time for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, from Coca-Cola in 2005 for $1 million.
Axios reported that the building served as the state's most visited indoor attraction for 17 years before it sat vacant for another 17.
Pilgrim explained that state officials decided to demolish the building to make way for parking spaces, as existing surface parking for the Georgia Capitol complex will be taken up by construction equipment needed to build a new legislative office building.
Pilgrim added that August 1 is the anticipated completion date for the $1.3 million demolition project.
Lawmakers agreed this year to spend $392 million to build the new building and renovate the 1889 Capitol building. Both projects are set to begin soon and are targeted for completion in 2026.
The Fizz Continues in New Site
Luckily for those who still want to experience the iconic fizz, the museum relocated to Atlanta's Central Olympic Park in 2007.
The Georgia Aquarium, the College Football Hall of Fame, and State Farm Arena are a few of the attractions surrounding the beverage giant's new museum in the city's tourism district.
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