Georgia International Horse Park
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The Georgia International Horse Park is located in Conyers, Georgia, 30 miles (50 km) east of Atlanta.
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[edit] History
Due to the growth of Rockdale County, Georgia in the late 1980's, the county was looking to expand its wastewater treatment system, but they were having to find alternative uses to strict environmental regulations on the local, state, and federal levels. The City of Conyers, Georgia found 1139 acres of land on Georgia State Route 138 north of Interstate 20 that would have been suitable for land application.
Both the City Manager and the County Council were in the process of finding other uses for this land other than land application when Atlanta was awarded the 1996 Summer Olympics on September 18, 1990. This led to a change in plans from a city park to the development of the land that would later become the Georgia International Horse Park. As a result, an equestrian task force was developed to have the park developed, under cooperation with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG).
The proposed site was visited on August 7, 1991 with details about the land, the proposed facilities, and their post-Olympic usage. The Georgia International Horse Park became reality when it was approved by ACOG on October 21, 1991.
[edit] The Centennial Olympic Games
During the 1996 Summer Olympics, which ran from July 19 to August 4, over 600,000 people visited the track to witness events in Equestrian and Mountain Biking. Many of the spectators enjoyed both the Georgia International Horse Park and the city of Conyers itself.
[edit] Post Olympics Legacy
After the 1996 Summer Olympics, the area around the Georgia International Horse Park experienced growth surrounding the facility. This growth including several residential developments, the movement of First Baptist Church of Conyers from downtown Conyers in late 2000, and the horse park into a facility for many conferences, including the East Altanta Metro Church conference in September 2001 that included members of the Billy Graham Crusade.
Georgia Perimeter College plans on constructing a facility by 2008 as well. Negotiations between the city of Conyers and Georgia Perimeter College building a facility failed. The college is in the process of constructing a facility in neighboring Newton County, Georgia.
[edit] Trivia
- Kateřina Neumannová, gold medalist at the 2006 Winter Olympics in the women's 30 km freestyle mass start cross country skiing event, competed in the Women's Mountain Biking competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Michael Matz, trainer of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, earned a silver in Team Show Jumping at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
