The Center Prepares for May Reopening as Downtown Atlanta's Common Ground

CP Group Advances Leasing and Activation Plans at the Iconic Landmark with New Restaurants, Culture, Entertainment, and Everyday Gathering Spaces

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CP Group, the owner-operator and value-add commercial real estate firm, today announced a project update for The Center (The CTR). The reimagined former CNN Center will reopen in 2026 as downtown Atlanta’s newest gathering space and common ground: A globally recognized landmark that once felt closed off as a single-tenant project will now be transformed into an open, welcoming destination for locals and visitors.

“This moment marks a shift in this project from vision to a lived experience,” said Chris Eachus, Founding Partner at CP Group. “For decades, this building functioned as a fortress. With the building opening back up to the city, we are reconnecting one of Atlanta’s landmarks with the people and energy of downtown — allowing it to become something Atlantans can truly claim as their own, and bringing it back as a destination that’s welcoming, useful, and designed for every day, all-day use.”

The announcement includes major leasing milestones as the landmark approaches its 50^th anniversary, marking a defining moment in its evolution and setting the stage for a new era of public use, culture, and daily activity.

At a Glance: What’s New at The CTR in 2026

12-Concept Dining Destination Launches

A fully reimagined central atrium reopens as the beating heart of the property, anchored by CTR Food Works’ 24,000-square-foot, eat-and-gather destination featuring 12 dining destinations including the soon-to-be largest bar in the city. The dining destination will become the new center of gravity of the landmark atrium, as well as the broader district connections to State Farm Arena, the Georgia World Congress Center, the Omni Hotel, and Centennial Olympic Park.

CTR Food Works will be led by Robert Montwaid, creator of Chattahoochee Food Works in Atlanta and Gansevoort Market in New York. Montwaid has executed a long-term lease and will curate, operate and create an exciting new destination for sports fans, conventioneers, tourists, and locals alike. The restaurants and full-service bar are expected to open in time for the FIFA World Cup.

Confirmed restaurant concepts include:

• Full-service CTR bar, the largest in the city
• La Tropical (Latin kitchen)
• Fuzzy’s (seafood)
• Patty & Frank’s (burgers and hot dogs)
• Mimi Taqueria (Mexican)
• Flora D’Italia (Italian, pizza-forward)
• Dessert Box (bakery)

Premier Restaurant Anchor Announced

Following celebrated success in Manhattan, Newport Beach, and Miami, Mastro’s Ocean Club is now planting its flag at The CTR to serve as a signature dining anchor in an 8,200-square-foot ground-floor space. This new downtown landmark will pair the brand’s world-renowned reputation for top-tier steaks and fresh seafood with its signature high-energy atmosphere, providing an elevated culinary destination for locals and global visitors, with a projected opening in mid-2026.

Major Construction Milestone Reached

The initial $50M investment in exterior renovations and new arrival experience is complete, with CTR Culture art installations and an additional $15M in atrium work nearing completion ahead of the May re-opening.

Arts & Cultural Programming Expands

CTR Culture, The CTR's arts and culture platform, is actively underway and continues to expand its public art, cultural programming, and experiential activations, now including brand placements and activation opportunities ahead of downtown’s time on the global stage. The arts-driven initiative is part of a greater collaboration between CP Group and The CTR alongside ASHA Advisory, a community-focused arts and culture advisory led by Neda Abghari, and Bem Joiner, co-founder and Cultural Curator of Atlanta Influences Everything. CTR Culture recently concluded its CTR Culture Media Placement Grants program, which leveraged The CTR’s three new digital LED signs, each spanning 12 stories on the building’s exterior, to provide local creators with unprecedented access to high-profile ad space outside The CTR’s main entryways and exposure to thousands of daily passersby.

2026 Global Events Readiness

As Atlanta prepares for the FIFA World Cup 2026^TM, The CTR will serve as home base for ATL House, the Atlanta Host Committee's private headquarters and event space in collaboration with the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and is already serving as the official FIFA World Cup 2026 Atlanta Volunteer Headquarters, awarded by the Atlanta World Cup Host Committee (AWCHC). The Center serves as the base of operations for the local volunteers who are actively working to make the Atlanta FIFA World Cup 2026™ a success.

Hines has collaborated with and represented CP Group in all retail transactions and continues to lead retail leasing and advise on components of the project's redevelopment strategy.

From Fortress to Common Ground

CNN’s departure left a palpable hole in downtown Atlanta, as an icon that once anchored the neighborhood went quiet. CP Group recognized the moment as more than a vacancy, but an opportunity. Through a city-scale conversion, CP Group is reimagining the former CNN Center as The CTR, an always-on, vibrant destination built for locals first, powered by culture, and designed for all-day experiences that encourage Atlantans to come downtown, stay longer, and come back more often.

Leasing and Partnership Inquires

To inquire about a tour, leasing availability, production studio space, event and pop-up activations and more, please reach out to Starr Cumming or Nick Garzia with Hines. For office leasing, contact CBRE’s Nicole Goldsmith or Jeff Keppen. For CTR Culture brand placements, partnership, and activation opportunities, contact Neda Abghari.

About The CTR

Formerly known as The CNN Center, The CTR is a reimagined mixed-use destination in downtown Atlanta, reopened to the city as an always-on place for food, culture, work, and community connection. Through a city-scale conversion, The CTR is transforming a familiar landmark into downtown’s common ground, built for locals first and designed for all-day experiences. To stay connected, sign up for The Center’s email newsletter at TheCenterAtlanta.com

About CP Group

Founded in 1986, CP Group is a vertically integrated commercial real estate firm and value-add investor with deep market knowledge across the Sunbelt a current portfolio of approximately $4 billion. With long-standing roots in Atlanta and a nearly 9-million-square-foot local portfolio that includes Piedmont Center and Bank of America Plaza, CP Group has acquired, repositioned, and operated more than 176 office and mixed-use properties totaling over 64 million square feet, valued at $8 billion+. CP Group delivers experience–driven environments that support tenant retention and maximize long-term asset value, with offices in Atlanta, Boca Raton, Denver, Jacksonville, Miami, and Washington, D.C. Learn more at CPGcre.com.

About CTR Food Works

CTR Food Works is a large-scale culinary marketplace and social destination in downtown Atlanta, operated under Gansevoort Companies. Designed to serve as a central gathering place within one of the city's most prominent mixed-use environments, CTR Food Works brings together chef-driven dining concepts, elevated beverage programming, and experience-led hospitality design. Gansevoort Companies, led by founder Robert Montwaid, specializes in partnering with owners to activate and reposition urban properties through high-performing food halls and destination-driven hospitality concepts. The company portfolio includes Chattahoochee Food Works in Atlanta, Georgia and Vela Park Food Works in Decatur, Georgia.

About Hines

Hines is a leading global real estate investment manager that owns and operates $91.8 billion¹ of assets across property types (includes both the global Hines organization and RIA AUM as of 6/30/25) and on behalf of a diverse group of institutional and private wealth clients. Every day, its 4,600 employees in 30 countries draw on Hines’ 68-year history to build the world forward by investing in, developing, and managing some of the world’s best real estate. To learn more, visit www.hines.com and follow @Hines on social media.