It wasn’t the distinctive and some might say obnoxious drone of a vuvuzela, but the spirit was all the same.
The Atlanta World Cup Host Committee, which is comprised of Georgia and Atlanta elected officials and business leaders, rang the New York Stock Exchange’s opening bell Monday to celebrate the World Cup’s arrival in 100 days. Atlanta will host eight matches, including a semifinal, which is anticipated to place the city on its largest global stage since the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.
The group included Gov. Brian Kemp, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and members of both the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Georgia Department of Economic Development — all sporting multicolored soccer scarves. A delegation of more than 100 board members and business leaders also attended, responding to the bell ring with an “A-T-L” chant.
“We are a global city, so to ring the bell and signal the start of the economy on Monday morning is exciting,” Katie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, told NYSE Live after markets opened. “And it’s a great way to show we’re ready for the World Cup.”
Spain, the world’s top-ranked team, will grace Atlanta with its presence at least twice. The other six confirmed teams are Morocco, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Cabo Verde and Haiti, mostly lower-ranking squads.
Credit: Courtesy of Metro Atlanta Chamber
Credit: Courtesy of Metro Atlanta Chamber
The cachet and stakes at play of hosting the world’s most-watched tournament isn’t lost on Atlanta and Georgia leadership, Dickens said.
“A lot is going into preparation over the last two years,” he told NYSE Live. “We’re ready to showcase Atlanta to the world.”
Dickens, a Democrat, stood alongside Kemp, a Republican, with the placement intended to show the world that political differences have been put aside to roll out the red carpet for soccer fans and international dignitaries this summer.
“Public safety, economic development and sports cuts across all political lines,” Kemp told NYSE Live, joining Dickens in calling these types of events a “team sport.”
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