Atlanta Legacy 96 moves forward with plan to relocate Olympic cauldron

ATLANTA - Mayor Andre Dickens and Summerhill neighbors are fighting a proposal to move the 1996 Olympic cauldron from its home on Capitol Avenue to Centennial Olympic Park.

Summerhill Olympic cauldron relocation plan

What we know:

The plan to move the 1996 Olympic Cauldron to Centennial Olympic Park, will proceed despite opposition from Mayor Andre Dickens and Summerhill community members, according to the organization in charge of the cauldron.

In a letter responding to Mayor Andre Dickens, Jeff Cravens, Atlanta Legacy 96 President, indicated they still plan to move it despite protests and the mayor's wishes. 

Atlanta leaders oppose landmark transfer

What they're saying:

"This is something that feels like a slap in the face," Cheron Pitchford, Summerhill Neighborhood Development Corp, said. "It's important to the community because, for one, it's a symbol of the sacrifice that took place in that area."

Cravens, who did not respond to Fox 5's request for comment, wrote in the letter to Dickens dated August 19 he believes Centennial Olympic Park is its proper home.

"We believe it critical to place the Cauldron, which had already been moved from its initial location, in Centennial Olympic Park, where it can be readily enjoyed, photographed, and shared by all of Atlanta and visitors for years to come," Jeff Cravens, Atlanta Legacy 96 President, said.

Atlanta's 1996 Centennial Olympics

The backstory:

Muhammad Ali lit the iconic cauldron in Summerhill during the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Situated along Capitol Avenue, the landmark serves as a prominent sight for drivers heading into downtown Atlanta.

The structure has stood in Summerhill for 30 years, though Cravens pointed out in his letter it was previously relocated from its initial Olympic site.

Summerhill and sports

Local perspective:

Summerhill residents and Mayor Dickens argue that the cauldron is deeply tied to the neighborhood's identity.

Pitchford stated that the structure has become a major symbol of what Summerhill has been able to achieve over the decades.

Mayor Dickens wrote that the decision "does not reflect the collaborative approach these communities deserve" and stated that the monument "should remain in the neighborhood it has called home for the past 30 years."

Pitchford expressed extreme disappointment, noting that community representatives have tried everything possible to sit down and hold a collaborative conversation regarding the decision.

Atlanta Legacy 96's plan

The other side:

Atlanta Legacy 96, the organization in charge of the cauldron, maintains that moving the landmark is necessary.

In a letter sent back to Mayor Dickens on Wednesday, Cravens stated that the organization's plans remain unchanged.

Cravens wrote that Centennial Olympic Park provides a central location where the cauldron can be shared with visitors and residents alike.

"The 1996 Olympic Games engaged more than 100,000 volunteers from across all of Atlanta, was the most broad-based, community-involved engagement and participation effort in the history of the Olympic Games," Cravens wrote. "It has served as a model for how our city has evolved. We believe this initiative and the eventual realization of our two goals, is an extension of that same spirit."

He added that crews need to take down the cauldron to properly restore it at some point anyway.

Olympic cauldron removal timeline unclear

What we don't know:

Although Cravens did not return several requests for additional comment, he indicated in the letter that the organization plans to preserve the iconic Olympic rings located above Capitol Avenue.

It remains unclear how soon crews will begin taking down the cauldron.