Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games | 28 Years of Celebration

On September 18, 1990, the city of Atlanta was chosen by the International Olympic Committee, ahead of Athens, Belgrade, Manchester, Melbourne and Toronto. The IOC cited Atlanta’s infrastructure and facilities.

Young and Payne wanted to present the city as a reformed South, living up to the nickname “the city too busy to hate.”

About $1.7 billion was spent to prepare the city and ensure security. Adjusted for inflation, that would be half of what was spent on the 2016 Rio Games. Many venues were privately funded for use during the Olympics and were redeveloped after the Games.

Atlanta Olympic Venues

Centennial Olympic Stadium, later called Turner Field and now Center Parc Stadium, was built next to Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. It was the first stadium the world would see in Atlanta, as it hosted the opening ceremony.

In addition to these two stadiums, the now-defunct Georgia Dome played a vital role in hosting games, as did the Omni Coliseum.

Nearly every sporting venue in metropolitan Atlanta was put to use, including those on the campuses of Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College and Morris Brown College. Those that were not hosting official events were used as practice and training grounds.

The Georgia World Congress Center was also in high demand for everything from fencing to judo to wrestling to table tennis.

Atlanta Beach, Georgia International Horse Park, Lake Lanier, Stone Mountain and Wolf Creek also hosted competitions.

Football was played in stadiums all over the East Coast.

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The Olympic athletes’ dormitories were built on the Georgia Tech campus and later converted into student housing.

Centennial Olympic Park was also created, rising from the ashes of a brownfield site in the spirit of Atlanta’s seal, a phoenix born from fire.

Opening ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Games

As the sun began to set over the city of Atlanta on the night of July 17, 1996, a countdown appeared on the giant screen at Centennial Olympic Stadium, showing the century-long history of the Games as the clock ticked down to the start of the Opening Ceremony.

More than 10,000 athletes from around the world, 85,600 participants and an estimated 3.5 billion people around the world came together for a lavish and dynamic display of American culture and history, and a tribute to the Olympic spirit of sportsmanship and unity.

The “Star-Spangled Banner,” performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Centennial Choir, set the tone for the evening.

A series of performances highlighted the rich tapestry of American history, including Native American dances, a tribute to the American South with a mix of spiritual hymns and blues, and a celebration of Hollywood with classic film compositions.

The parade of nations broke a new record with the participation of 197 nations, each dressed in their national colours and waving their flags with pride.

Global superstar Celine Dion captivated the world with her rendition of “The Power of the Dream,” which became an inspiring anthem for the Games.

The evening concluded with a surprise appearance by boxing legend and Olympic gold medalist Muhammad Ali, who, despite his Parkinson’s disease, lit the Olympic cauldron, creating a poignant and unforgettable Olympic moment.

The Games of the XXVI Olympiad

American athletes provided some of the most unforgettable moments of these Games. The U.S. women’s gymnastics team, affectionately known as “The Magnificent Seven,” won its first-ever team gold medal. The image of an injured Kerri Strug heroically landing on a vault before collapsing in pain offered a story of tenacity and team spirit that would be told for generations.

Athletics has always had an influence on the Olympic imagination, and Michael Johnson’s lightning speed left a memorable mark. Johnson won gold in both the 200m and 400m, setting a world record in the former, his iconic gold shoes flashing down the track. His trademark upright running style and overwhelming dominance crowned him the undisputed sprint king of his era.

American swimmers were not left out in their performances. Amy Van Dyken became the first American woman to win four gold medals at a single Olympic Games, highlighting the prowess of American athletes in the pool.

In team sports, the United States men’s basketball team, known as “Dream Team III,” continued to dominate the courts. Featuring NBA stars like Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Scottie Pippen, they had no trouble winning the gold medal, a symbol of the country’s basketball supremacy.

The United States won 101 of the 467 medals awarded, including 44 golds, a third more than Russia, which won 63 overall and 26 golds.

The Centennial Olympic Park Attack

As the Games concluded on the sixth day of events, athletes and visitors gathered at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. During the Games, the park served as a World’s Fair, public square, and concert venue.

On Thursday, July 27, 1996, thousands of visitors enjoyed a lively evening. At approximately 1:20 a.m., a homemade bomb containing nails and screws as a shell exploded in the park, causing chaos and terror. The explosion killed one person, a 44-year-old woman named Alice Hawthorne. A photographer also died of a heart attack while running to cover the aftermath of the explosion. More than 100 other people were injured by the bomb.

Before the explosion, a security guard named Richard Jewell discovered the suspicious backpack containing the bomb and alerted the police. The quick action of Jewell and other law enforcement officials helped evacuate the area, likely saving many lives. Initially hailed as a hero, Jewell was later considered a suspect by the FBI. He was eventually cleared, but not before intense scrutiny and public pressure took a toll on his life.

Jewell continued to work in law enforcement in various agencies across north Georgia until his death in 2007. He was 44. A monument was erected and dedicated in November 2021 in the same park, where he is now recognized for saving lives through his early warning.

It was not until 1997 that the real perpetrator of the bombings, Eric Robert Rudolph, carried out further attacks, leading to his capture. Rudolph, who had an anti-government stance, had intended the attacks as a protest against abortion and the “global socialism” represented by the Olympics. He was captured in 2003 after five years on the run. In 2005, Rudolph pleaded guilty to the Centennial Olympic Park bombing and other attacks, and was sentenced to multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole.

The event alone cast a shadow over the Games, but helped other host countries of future Olympic Games prepare for security.

Closing ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics

On the evening of August 4, 1996, the world came together again to celebrate the closing of the Atlanta Games.

Titled “Atlanta’s Love Affair with the World,” the closing ceremony combined traditional elements of an Olympic final with unique touches celebrating the character and heritage of the host city. The ceremony began with a moving moment of silence in tribute to the victims of the Centennial Olympic Park attack.

The athletes mingled in a non-traditional and relaxed manner, signifying the end of competition and the beginning of celebration.

Entertainment included a variety of musical performances that showcased the diversity and history of American music. Artists like Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan and Trisha Yearwood took to the stage, delivering exciting performances that captivated the audience. Another highlight was the powerful rendition of the Olympic anthem by soprano Jessye Norman, which brought a classical feel to the ceremony.

One of the most memorable moments was the tribute to modern dance, where renowned choreographer Judith Jamison presented “Happening,” a vibrant piece performed by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The performance was a nod to the fine arts and the importance of cultural expression, which resonated well with the Olympic ethos.

The centerpiece of the ceremony was the official handover of the Olympic flag, during which Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell passed the Olympic flag to then-IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, who in turn passed it to the Mayor of Sydney, Australia, the host city of the 2000 Summer Olympics.

The ceremony ended poignantly with the extinguishing of the Olympic flame, a symbolic act that marked the official end of the Games.

Celine Dion performed “The Power of the Dream,” the theme song of the 1996 Olympics, again as the flames died down and the stadium emptied.