Say goodbye to the Gulch and hello to Centennial Yards

ATLANTA — The area known as the Gulch is set to be transformed from a giant empty spot in the middle of downtown Atlanta and

Channel 2's Dave Huddleston was the only Atlanta reporter to meet with the developer of the project Tuesday, which will now be know as Centennial Yards.

[READ: City Council passes plan to redevelop 'The Gulch' in downtown Atlanta]

Devon McCorkle told Huddleston that the name reflects the area’s rich history of the Olympics and the rail yards that built this city.

"We wanted a name that was authentic," McCorkle said. “One that would make clear where the project was located and also honor the history of the site."

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The site has about 2,300 feet of frontage along Centennial Olympic Park Drive in downtown. The 40-acre property will soon be filled with housing, hotels retail and office space.

"2020 is going to be the start of those initial phases of infrastructural improvements," McCorkle told Huddleston.

[READ: Atlanta takes one step closer to $5 billion development in The Gulch]

The developer said his company, CIM, already has started the project. The company is renovating the old railroad headquarters on Ted Turner Drive into apartments.

McCorkle said they will build on top of the Gulch parking lot and create a green space, bars and restaurants that people can visit before and after a game at State Farm Arena or Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The current open-air tailgating area will go away when Centennial Yards is done.

[VIDEO: City and APS hold closed-door meetings over Gulch deal]

"I think it will be replaced by an exciting offering for fans to enjoy before and after, with what we're offering between the open space and the food and beverage," McCorkle said.

McCorkle told Huddleston that one of the reasons for the name change now is because of a big retail convention in Las Vegas next week. They plan to roll out the name and renderings to future tenants.

Cox Media Group