The Center — the downtown Atlanta development occupying the former CNN Center — will soon host The Looking Glass, a massive Alice in Wonderland-themed dining and entertainment destination. The venue comes from Amp Up1 Hospitality, the team behind west Midtown's Your 3rd Spot.
The Looking Glass has signed a lease to begin construction in the former CNN Studios space after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a projected spring 2027 opening. The multilevel venue will occupy 38,000 square feet overlooking Centennial Olympic Park, designed for more than 1,000 guests and expected to create approximately 200 jobs.
The experience will feature carnival-style games, a Hall of Illusions with immersive art, nine-pin bowling inspired by traditional European play, and custom tabletop games developed specifically for the brand. The Curiosity Quest — a venuewide scavenger hunt — will let participants "work through different chapters of the story in their own way, uncovering different aspects of the world as they explore" while solving mysteries and finding clues.
The restaurant component will serve lunch and dinner with small plates and pastries including lemon pepper shrimp, spicy tuna crispy rice, beignets, brown butter tea cake, and raspberry rose macarons.
The Looking Glass joins other incoming tenants at The CTR, including Mastro's Ocean Club and CTR Food Works.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
