Atlanta Makes Long-Shot Bid for Trade Center

ATLANTA-It’s a long shot, even Gov. Sonny Perdue concedes, but Atlanta is competing against 10 other cities for the honor of hosting the secretariat of the 34-country Free Trade Area of the Americas. Perdue, Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin and a group of political and business leaders publicly unveiled the city’s bid plans this week.

The FTAA office would expedite trade among the region’s 800 million consumers. So far, only the US, Canada, Mexico, most Central American countries and Andean nations are supporting the FTAA.

The city is ready to offer the FTAA free land, buildings, infrastructure, equipment, discount Delta Air Lines tickets, low hotel room rates and space for 200 headquarters employees, Perdue says. Possible sites are Centennial Olympic Park, Atlantic Station, Carter Center and suburban College, Park, GA. The FTAA expects to pick a winner by summer or fall, local officials in a position to know tell GlobeSt.com.