One of the downtown Atlanta’s most influential agencies, which oversees Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the Georgia World Congress Center campus, will soon have new top leadership.
The Georgia World Congress Center Authority board selected Kevin Duvall as its next CEO during its Tuesday meeting. Duvall, the authority’s chief operating officer since 2009, will assume the CEO role on Sept. 16. He will succeed Frank Poe, who has helmed the authority since 2010 and will retire by the end of the year.
In addition to its namesake conference center and the stadium, GWCCA oversees Centennial Olympic Park, the Signia by Hilton Atlanta hotel and several expansive parking lots in downtown. Outside Atlanta, the authority operates the Savannah Convention Center, which is undergoing an expansion to accommodate larger events.
Duvall said in a news release that he’s honored to lead the state-run authority, which is pursuing multiple potentially transformative developments.
“Together, we will continue to drive innovation, deliver compelling guest experiences and create lasting value for our stakeholders as part of GWCCA’s strategic vision for a connected campus that … positions Atlanta as a leading destination for entertainment and leisure activities,” he said.
Duvall’s selection was first reported by the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
Several large developments are underway downtown, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium is set to host eight matches during the 2026 World Cup. A $5 billion redevelopment project of the Gulch to be known as Centennial Yards is underway, with several towers under construction. And South Downtown’s sprawling portfolio of century-old buildings are gaining momentum under new management.
In May, GWCCA unveiled a new master plan consisting of more than $1 billion in potential projects, including green space, mixed-use development and pedestrian infrastructure. It’s an early concept plan that doesn’t have financing in place, but Poe said at the time that GWCCA wants to keep up with downtown’s fast-changing development landscape.
“We don’t want to be chasing after it,” Poe said in May of oncoming downtown development. “We want to be part of the conversation and forward-looking with the property we control.”
In June, GWCCA selected the development team behind The Battery in Cobb County to build an entertainment district on the 11-acre lawn known as the Home Depot Backyard. No budget was set for the project, and the development’s scope was estimated to span 250,000 square feet.
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