Construction begins on the 70,000-sq.-ft. Cosm dome in Atlanta's Centennial Yards, set to be a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue using planetarium technology. The venue, signed by Live Nation, aims to open by the 2026 World Cup, creating a vibrant entertainment district.
Cosm rendering
Cosm signed a lease summer 2024 to be the centerpiece of the entertainment district at Centennial Yards.
In the shadows of Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena, a new steel structure is rising, one that is expected to be an anchor of downtown Atlanta's Centennial Yards.
It will soon house a new sports and entertainment venue called Cosm, a 70,000-sq.-ft. dome that uses the same technology as planetariums to create an immersive sports viewing experience.
City leaders and executives from Cosm, the Centennial Yards development, and the NBA's Atlanta Hawks celebrated the start of the venue's construction on May 15, 2025, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
But instead of a groundbreaking ceremony, since the $5 billion Centennial Yards live-work-play community is well under way, officials had a "steel rising" ceremony.
Behind where the event was held, the cranes that are now ubiquitous in a part of downtown Atlanta often referred to as "The Gulch" moved construction materials. Metal clangs echoed across the area, at times nearly drowning out the remarks of the officials on hand for the ceremony.
From the top of the parking deck across from State Farm Arena, Jeb Terry, Cosm's president and CEO, waved at a three-story steel structure behind him, pointing it out as not just steel being lifted but as a sign of growth for the city.
"The A is rising," he told the assembled guests. "There's so much energy and excitement around this district and development, it's tangible. You feel it."
After the scheduled remarks at the project site, officials and Cosm employees signed a 3-ft. by-1-ft.-6-in. steel plate that will be one of the anchors in the foundation for Cosm's dome.
The ceremony capped off a week of big momentum for Centennial Yards. Earlier, project executives announced that music industry giant Live Nation will run a 5,300-seat concert venue in the district.
Centerpiece of Atlanta's Entertainment District
Founded by a planetarium technology company, Cosm signed a lease in summer 2024 to be the centerpiece of the entertainment district at Centennial Yards, the redevelopment of some 50 acres of rail lines and parking lots between the Five Points MARTA Station and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
With current locations in Los Angeles and Dallas, Cosm's main attraction is an 87-ft. diameter LED dome to project sports stars on a cosmic scale.
The Southern California location also features seven bars, an on-site kitchen, a rooftop patio and several lounges and viewing halls that boast their own fleet of screens. Cosm staff periodically visit seats to take drink and food orders.
The Atlanta site will have some city-specific offerings, like sweet tea and lemon pepper wings, Terry promised during the recent ceremony.
In an interview with the Journal-Constitution, he declined to disclose the estimated cost of the venue's construction but said once it is complete, the company will hire hundreds of people.
Brian McGowan, CEO of Centennial Yards, said Cosm was the first big lease signed in the district, which made it "a lot easier to sell for other potential users after we had this lease signed."
Live Nation committing to a space in the development is an affirmation of the original vision, McGowan added, which is to create a sports and entertainment district that is among the best in the world.
While the concert venue will not be completed in time for international soccer's World Cup in the summer of 2026, Terry and McGowan said they are working toward having Cosm operating by the time the world descends on Atlanta for the more than month-long tournament.
"I think our collective goal is to be ready for the World Cup," Terry said. "We feel good about the progress. I think we're in a good spot."
Several other components within Centennial Yards also will be ready before Atlanta's World Cup matches, according to the Journal-Constitution, including a 19-story apartment building and the 292-room Hotel Phoenix with dining options and an expansive "fan zone" that can hold between 3,000 to 4,000 people.
According to McGowan, Centennial Yards is working "feverishly" to finish the Cosm component by 2026, which includes hiring a team to operate the fan zone.
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