Metro Atlanta Chamber history

1900: A lack of paved roads and underequipped public schools led the Chamber to secure a $3M bond from the city that funded improvements in water and sewage systems, Grady Hospital and public schools.

In 1908, the Chamber raised $1.5 million dollars for sewage disposal, water works, and the creation of Grady Hospital, a crematory, and new public schools.

In partnership with the City Council, the Chamber encouraged the city to purchase Candler Field in the 1920s.

1925: The Chamber launched its first advertising campaign, called Forward Atlanta, led by Ivan Allen Sr., president of the Chamber, which attracted more than 750 companies to Atlanta, bringing over $30M and tens of thousands of jobs to the area.

1930: The Chamber aided in the expansion of Atlanta that included a $40M project to create an interstate highway system.

1952: The Chamber was integral to an 81-square-mile expansion of city limits.

1970: The Chamber led efforts to attract foreign business, expand international airport routes and recruit industries in technology, manufacturing and research, adding more than 25,000 jobs annually.

In an effort to improve transportation, the Chamber raised money to construct the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) in 1975,.

1980: The Chamber helped advance efforts to make Atlanta the “sports capital of the world” by establishing the Atlanta Sports Council.

1988: When Atlanta hosted the Democratic National Convention, the Chamber partnered with the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Georgia Department of Industry and Trade to maximize the region’s visibility.

1990: Now known as the “Metro Atlanta Chamber,” the organization played an important role in a pivotal time of growth and recruitment of companies in Atlanta, including Fortune 500 headquarters such as Georgia-Pacific, General Electric, Newell Rubbermaid and UPS.

Also during this period, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce helped put Atlanta on the international stage by providing seed money for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games bid.

2014: The Atlanta Science Festival was founded in 2014 by Emory University, Georgia Tech and the Chamber.

2016: The year marked the passage of legislation to fund $2.7B for More MARTA. The Chamber also led the fight to defeat religious exemption legislation.

2017: The Chamber began the year in contemporary new offices at 191 Peachtree Tower and unveiled its new brand, including a new logo and website.