Three local business leaders will be honored at the joint 2026 annual luncheon meeting of Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) on March 11 at the Georgia Aquarium.
Every year, CAP/ADID pays tribute to people and institutions that have had a major impact on Downtown.
The prestigious Dan & Tally Sweat Award will be given to Billy Payne, the attorney who led the efforts to bring the 1996 Summer Olympic Games to Atlanta. The award was named after the late Dan Sweat, a longtime president of CAP, and his widow, Tally Sweat.
The Atlanta Sports Council and its president, Dan Corso, will receive the Marcus Downtown Economic Impact Award.
And the Warner Bros. Discovery Community Leadership Award will go to Dorthey Hurst, the head of marketing and communications for the Atlanta Municipal Market.
Central Atlanta Progress is honoring William Porter “Billy” Payne for being the driving force behind bringing the 1996 Olympic Games to Atlanta, which helped transform Downtown. Most notably, Payne was instrumental in the creation of Centennial Olympic Park, which sparked major investment in that part of Downtown.
Payne became the first person in modern Olympic history to lead a host city’s organizing effort from initial idea and bid to Closing Ceremony, a period that spanned a full decade, from 1987 to 1997.
After serving as president and CEO of the Atlanta 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, Payne joined NationsBank as vice chairman. He also held positions as vice chairman of PTEK Holdings, Inc. and vice chairman of WebMD during that time.
More recently, Payne served as the sixth chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament from 2006 to 2017 – overseeing transformative initiatives to grow the game of golf.
From July 2000 to February 2013, Payne was managing director of Gleacher & Co., a New York investment firm.
Today, he serves as chairman of Centennial Holding Corporation, LLC, a company he founded with his son Porter. The firm specializes in the acquisition and management of multi-family properties. Payne and his wife Martha have two children, 10 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
The Atlanta Sports Council is designed to promote Atlanta as a top choice for national and global sporting events. Formed in 1985 under the name Sports 2000, the Atlanta Sports Council has attracted sporting events to the city and the region.
The Council was created by the Metro Atlanta Chamber. It has since expanded its role over time to boost economic growth and drive awareness for Atlanta by bringing sports to the city and driving development of the region’s sports infrastructure, ensuring Atlanta is in a strong position to host national and international events.
In addition to the 1996 Summer Olympics, the Atlanta Sports Council has attracted Super Bowls XXVII in 1994, XXXIV in 2000 and LXII in 2019. Super Bowl LXII is on deck for 2028.
Other major sporting events the Council has brought to Atlanta include the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Final Four in 2002, 2007 and 2013. Atlanta is also expected to host the 2031 Final Four.
In 2018, Atlanta hosted the College Football Playoff National Championship. It has also hosted the 2020 NCAA Men’s Final Four, the 2024 COPA América, the 2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Southeast Regional and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Atlanta has been awarded eight games in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Dorthey Hurst is a community leader in Downtown Atlanta. When she is not running marketing and communications at the Municipal Market, she is spearheading community groups designed to help make Downtown Atlanta safer, more vibrant and welcoming.
Following a long career at AT&T, Hurst made community service her full-time job. She works and lives Downtown and has served in dozens of important roles aimed at making the area a better place.
She served as president of the Downtown Neighborhood Association. Then her interest turned to public safety and child advocacy, which led to her serving on the Atlanta Police Advisory Board. She also has been an advocate in the Child Advocate Special Appointed program.
Hurst has served on the Public Safety Commission and has worked on the Violence Reduction Advisory Board and the Mayor’s Anti Violence Council. She has chaired the Neighborhood Planning Unit-M Public Safety Committee and was appointed by the City Council to the Downtown Development Technology Advisory Group.
The Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration is open to the public. For sponsorships or tickets, contact Alex Bauer.
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