BRAVES CITY

Atlanta is the capital and largest city of the state of Georgia. Atlanta was founded in 1837 as the end of the Western & Atlantic railroad line. Atlanta has a population of 420,000. Among Atlanta's nicknames is "the phoenix city", as its rise from the ashes of the Civil War resembles that of a mythical phoenix. It is also called the "New York of the South". Due to its focus on commerce and role as birthplace to civil rights leaders, Atlanta is often referred to as "the city too busy to hate". Locals sometimes affectionately call the city "Hotlanta". Today the fast-growing city remains a transportation hub, not just for the country but also for the world. The city of Atlanta operates the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of two airports considered the busiest in the world. Direct flights to Europe, South America, and Asia have made metro Atlanta easily accessible to the more than 1,000 international businesses that operate here and the more than 50 countries that have representation in the city through consulates, trade offices, and chambers of commerce. The city has emerged as a banking center and is the world headquarters for 13 Fortune 500 companies. As the state capital, Atlanta is also the site of most of Georgia's state government, including the Georgia General Assembly and the residence of the governor of Georgia in Buck head. It is also home to Georgia Public Broadcasting headquarters and Peach net. For more than four decades Atlanta has been linked to the civil rights movement. Civil Rights leaders moved forward, they were the visionaries who saw a new south, a new Atlanta. They believed in peace. They made monumental sacrifices for that peace. And because of them Atlanta became a fast-pace modern city which opened its doors to the 1996 Olympics. Several major national and international companies are headquartered in Atlanta or its nearby suburbs, including United Parcel Service in Sandy Springs and home-grown Home Depot. Newell Rubbermaid has recently moved to the area as well. The city is a major cable television programming source; the CNN Center headquarters of the Cable News Network is in Atlanta, where it was founded, and The Weather Channel broadcasts from just outside of town. Several Businesses that were founded or have made Atlanta their headquarters; CNN, Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, Earthlink, Cingular Wireless, Georgia-Pacific, Home Depot, Southern Company, SunTrust Bank, UPS, The Weather Channel, World Airways and Newell-Rubbermaid. Ford Motor Company has a plant here, assembling the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. Atlanta is also the location of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in the city, and his boyhood home on Auburn Avenue in the Sweet Auburn district is preserved by the National Park Service as a National Historic Site. Meetings with other civil rights leaders, including Hosea Williams and current Congressman John Lewis, often happened at Paschal's, a diner and motor inn which was a favorite for "colored" people, banned from "white" restaurants in an era of racial segregation and intolerance. King's final resting place is in the tomb at the center of the reflecting pool at the King Center. Atlanta is often described as a 'city of neighborhoods' each having its own distinct personality. Atlanta was the host city for the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics. Atlanta is host to different professional Sports franchises; Major League Baseball: Atlanta Braves, National Football League: Atlanta Falcons, Basketball, National Basketball Association: Atlanta Hawks, National Hockey League: Atlanta Thrashers.