Downtown's next hotel readies for pre-FIFA World Cup debut

Just a year after vertical construction began, the latest Atlanta hotel aiming to capitalize on 2026 FIFA World Cup hoopla is gearing up for its “energetic debut” in the heart of downtown’s tourism district, according to project officials. 

Now officially branded “Moxy Atlanta Downtown,” the Marriott hotel at 329 Marietta St. has installed its leadership and is finishing construction where a low-rise commercial building previously stood. 

Modified from initial designs, the 183-room lodge stands next to Hyatt Place Atlanta hotel in a location walkable in minutes to Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, Georgia World Congress Center, the College Football Hall of Fame, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, among other attractions.

Moxy reps tell Urbanize Atlanta the goal is to open the hotel in the first two months of 2026, but a concrete opening hasn’t been set. It’s being developed by Nexera Capital and Emerge Hospitality Group and will be operated by LBA Hospitality. 

Rates have yet to be posted on the property’s booking portal. Valet parking will cost $55 per day, and dogs are welcome for a $75 fee per stay. For the downtown property, a complimentary cocktail at Bar Moxy comes with each stay. 

According to building permits, the hotel stands 10 stories, a reduction of three stories from earlier plans with different designs, especially for base levels and the roof. Designs do call for a rooftop lounge, a bar at street level, a speakeasy, and several other gathering spaces around the property, per developers.  

Recent hires for the Moxy project include general manager Alfonce McKinney, a General Manager of the Year and Kimpton’s Rising Star award recipient, and director of sales Tinesha Franklin, an 11-year hotel sales veteran.

Marriott opened its other Atlanta Moxy hotel—a dual-branded fusion of Moxy and its European-inspired AC Hotel brand—on 14th Street in Midtown just before another impactful event: Atlanta's 2019 Super Bowl. 

The hotel giant bills the Moxy concept as more playful, stylish, and affordable than more upscale brands under its flag. More than 125 Moxy locations operate around the world. 

“Known for its vibrant social scene, bold design, and unapologetically fun approach to hospitality, Moxy is all about connection—and this dream team is ready to bring that experience to life in downtown Atlanta,” reads a recent project update. 

Moxy joins numerous hospitality ventures recently delivered or in the works within a quick walk of downtown’s signature park and stadiums. 

The Signia by Hilton project delivered almost 1,000 hotel rooms last year, marking Atlanta’s tallest new hotel in four decades. Fronting Centennial Olympic Park, the 22-story Margaritaville resort condo building by Wyndham Destinations opened in 2022 with 200 suites and two floors of retail near SkyView Atlanta.

Elsewhere, adaptive-reuse The Origin Hotel Atlanta, a Wyndham Hotels and Resorts property, debuted earlier this year. 

Centennial Yards expects to finish its 229-room Hotel Phoenix this year, with another 230-room lodge also fully under construction as part of that project’s entertainment and sports district. A smaller boutique hotel component is also gearing up to break ground late this year, where Centennial Yards meets the Castleberry Hill loft and arts district, officials confirmed to Urbanize Atlanta this past summer. 

Meanwhile, near the northeast edge of Centennial Olympic Park, a proposed Residence Inn by Marriott would rise 14 stories. And plans came to light early this year for a 381-room hotel that would include the Motto by Hilton brand at 524 West Peachtree St., where the 1920s Rosser Building was demolished several years ago.

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