Two years after breaking ground, both of Centennial Yards' first high-rise projects now stand at full height over Atlanta's former Gulch, directly across from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The second to top out has also been renamed: the 292-room hotel previously called Anthem is now Hotel Phoenix, a nod to the mythical bird that doubles as a city symbol.
Following a topping-out ceremony Wednesday, Centennial Yards Company said the focus for the hotel's 500-plus-member construction team shifts to interiors, with a goal of opening in summer 2025. Its sibling tower, the 304-unit Mitchell, topped out in August. Both buildings stand 18 stories, wedged between the stadium and active railroad tracks below.
The program inside is aimed at events as much as overnight stays. Plans call for 15 suites and penthouses with private balconies and what officials describe as panoramic city views, plus 15,000 square feet of flexible event space — 8,000 of that a ballroom. Dining includes a rooftop restaurant with a private elevator entrance, a lobby coffee bar, and an all-day restaurant and bar. Outside there will be an event lawn, a fitness center, and a resort-style pool with private cabanas.
The design leans on the site's own history. Reclaimed wood, stone finishes, and polished metals are meant to echo Atlanta's industrial roots, given the building sits near the city's birthplace at the terminus of the Western & Atlantic Railway. The architecture, per the project description, “showcases parallel and intersecting lines that are reminiscent of historic railway tracks.”
The renaming is not subtle, and Centennial Yards president Brian McGowan leaned into it. “Just as Atlanta once rose from the ashes of a fire, symbolizing renewal and growth, Centennial Yards is also emerging from its past,” he said in a prepared statement. “After many years of being underused, we look forward to contributing to the lively Atlanta that everyone in this city deserves.”
Whether the metaphor lands is a matter of taste. The more concrete point is that the Gulch, a sunken expanse of rail beds and surface parking for the better part of a century, now has two 18-story buildings standing on it with opening dates attached.
Original reporting by Josh Green for Urbanize Atlanta, published December 2024.
