ATLANTA · DOWNTOWN · KNOW THE TERRITORY
Downtown Atlanta Sports & Event District
Two big venues, one shared Downtown starting point. Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena sit in the Georgia World Congress Center area, with SEC District MARTA serving both. Learn the landmarks once, then use your venue’s instructions for the final approach. That leaves more attention for the game you came to see.
Put the four landmarks together
This is a factual relationship guide, not a scaled map or a walking route. The official campus map supplies the geography; the notes explain what it means for your day.
Stadium + Backyard
Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the Home Depot Backyard occupy the stadium side of the campus. The Backyard lies between the stadium and the convention-center buildings on the GWCCA map. Your stadium gate, lot or permitted tailgate still needs its own event instructions.
Arena + SEC District
State Farm Arena sits beside the convention-center campus. SEC District station serves the arena and the wider stadium area on the Blue/Green rail corridor. The arena and stadium are separate destinations with separate entry points.
GWCC + Centennial Olympic Park
The convention-center buildings sit beside the two-venue area, while Centennial Olympic Park is across the campus’s east-side streets. An address around the park puts you in the wider district, not at an event gate.
Check SEC District station information
Map edition: October 2025. Use it for stable relationships, then check current access, construction, event perimeters and staff instructions. The map is hosted by GWCCA; it is not reproduced here.
Choose the venue before the meeting point
“Meet by the stadium” is a weak group plan in a two-venue district. Agree on the venue, a named entrance or public meeting point, and what happens if phones stop being useful. Match that place to the entry instructions on everyone’s ticket.
Which event owns your arrival?
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Use the stadium branch for Falcons, Atlanta United and stadium-event details. SEC District is its preferred MARTA stop; Vine City is another named option.
State Farm Arena
Use arena-specific entry and arrival instructions for a Hawks game or another arena event. Don’t borrow the stadium’s gate or rideshare routine.
MARTA: a transfer is different from an entrance
SEC District is on the Blue/Green corridor. If your trip begins on Red/Gold, Five Points is the central rail-transfer point. Build the trip from your real hotel or starting station, and check the route in both directions.
Five Points construction makes it important to separate an internal train transfer from entering or leaving at street level. Current street access, train service and elevator availability are separate checks. Don’t plan a step-free journey from an old station diagram.
Check current service and elevator alerts
Open MARTA’s current system map (PDF, about 3.7 MB)
Walking between events: use the campus, respect the perimeter
The map explains why these venues belong to one Downtown district. It does not promise an open shortcut through the GWCC, a park, a deck or a ticketed area. Plan the actual public approach for your date and needs, using each operator’s current directions. Follow crossings, signs and staff guidance when the event footprint changes.
If your group needs a step-free route or assistance, confirm the whole chain: station or drop-off, venue entrance, security and the return. The shortest line on a map is not a verified accessible route.
Compare the stadium’s parking and transit plan
Two events can share the district and still compete for your time
Check both calendars before reserving a meal, a parking space or a second ticket. A stadium crowd, arena event and convention activity can overlap around the same streets and stations. Account for leaving the first venue, finding the next entrance and clearing security again. Nearby is helpful; it is not a guarantee that both full events fit.
For a two-event day, work backward from the second event’s entry goal. Leave a margin for an uncertain finish and crowd release. If the plan only works by leaving the first game before a result you care about, choose separate days.
Check the stadium event calendar
Check the arena event calendar
Give Downtown a little breathing room
This district lets you connect the setting with the event: the park, convention campus, stadium and arena make the place legible before the ticket scan. Pick one pregame priority, then give yourself time to notice the host city rather than racing through it. Wear your colors; arrive with a plan.
A Downtown base may help a stadium-and-arena trip. Compare the exact accommodation-to-venue journey before booking, especially if the same visit also includes Truist Park in the separate Cumberland territory.
Choose a base for the whole Atlanta trip
Before you set out
Official map, venue and transport sources checked October 5, 2026. The relationship guide does not certify walking times, a step-free route, current crowd conditions or access through any building. Recheck event timing, street access, service and your return before travel.