Coronavirus: GA World Congress Center Could Turn Into Hospital

ATLANTA, GA — State officials are discussing transforming the Georgia World Congress Center into an emergency medical facility in case Atlanta hospitals become overwhelmed with coronavirus patients.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution filed an open record request to obtain emails from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. WSB partnered with the AJC on this investigative assignment.

According to March 23 emails between senior GEMA officials, including director Homer Bryson, the state has discussed creating three 200-bed medical facilities for coronavirus patients, one being the Georgia World Congress Center.

The other two possible locations would be the Savannah Convention Center and an unnamed site in Macon.

Site prep such as providing power, heating and air conditioning would come from The Army Corps of Engineers. FEMA would handle the emergency equipment for the facility, reports the news station.

About 70 percent of the facility would be for intensive care patients.

“We are prepared and ready to assist when called upon,” a spokeswoman for the Georgia World Congress Center tells the AJC.

The plan hasn’t been activated yet, but the city has taken action in some areas. Piedmont Atlanta Hospital will open earlier than planned.

Also, the movie industry is stepping up to help. According to WSB, more than a 100,000 Georgians work in film and TV production. With the coronavirus pandemic, the industry has halted all shooting projects. Many who build sets are now using their skills to help build hospital rooms.