ATLANTA — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is gearing up to celebrate a big birthday - 100 years.
The city began the airport’s centennial celebration with a pep rally on Tuesday, honoring its past and looking to its future.
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All of the living former Atlanta mayors gathered to celebrate the anniversary.
The theme, “From racetrack to runways: A century in flight,” honors the airport’s humble beginnings from an abandoned racetrack to its current status as the world’s busiest airport.
“It’s a century in the making, a story of grit, greatness, and global impact,” Jan Lennon, Executive Deputy General Manager of the airport said.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens paid tribute to the two former mayors the airport is named after, William Hartsfield who was instrumental in the airport’s early development, and Maynard Jackson, who helped expand and modernize it.
“Our airport moves this entire region and indeed this entire state forward, creating opportunities and creating long legacies and connecting Atlanta to the entire world,” Dickens said.
Leaders also highlighted the airport’s huge economic impact.
“With over 63,000 employees and a $66 billion dollar impact on the metro region every year,” Rep. Nikema Williams said.
The airport isn’t finished growing either. There are upgrades and construction planned for the next decade.
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