Changes at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport

The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Intl. Airport is having a busy summer.

As part of its $6 billion capital improvement project, the airport plans to build a consolidated rental car (CONRAC) facility that officials said they believe will more efficiently pair people and rental cars. The 67.5-acre facility will be on the west side of Interstate 85 across from the airport. All rental car companies and operations will be located at the site.

Passengers will reach the CONRAC area by riding a new Automated People Mover, which also will have a stop at the Georgia Intl. Convention Center. The GICC stop will be within steps of College Park's Gateway Center, a 475,000 square foot complex of offices, retail space and two new hotels with more than 815 hotel rooms.

The car rental facility and the people mover will be completed in early 2009, according to airport officials.

The APM will be able to transport more than 10,000 passengers per hour the 1.6-miles from airport terminals to the CONRAC station.

“The addition of CONRAC and the Automated People Mover is huge, not only for the GICC, but also for our clients and guests,” said Hugh Austin, executive director of the GICC. “A direct link to the Hartsfield-Jackson (airport) will virtually eliminate ground transportation costs associated with getting attendees to and from the convention center.”

The GICC also will embark on its own marketing campaign, highlighting the CONRAC and the people mover to meeting and convention planners.

“We believe this connection to the world's busiest airport, with its quick access to a state-of-the-art rental car facility and the addition of world-class accommodations on the GICC campus, is the perfect formula to open us up to new markets around the world,” Austin said. “We couldn't be more pleased.”

But, that's not all. On July 31, the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau reopened its airport visitors' center in the baggage claim area between the North and South terminals. According to the ACVB, the visitors' center was upgraded to reflect the Atlanta brand. Also added were six flat-screen televisions, displaying information about events and vacation packages, promoting www.Atlanta.com and welcoming convention and tradeshow visitors.

“The increased presence and upgraded technology at the new visitors' center will help us engage more travelers to explore Atlanta,” said Spurgeon Richardson, ACVB president and CEO. “The busiest airport in the world presents a lot of opportunity to capture potential visitors, all translating into economic impact for our city.”