When the original WOC opened in 1990 it was never intended to be a profit center for The Coca-Cola Company. There was a nominal admission cost at $2.50 for adults with lower price tickets for seniors, kids and students. Schools with a reservation were admitted free and received a guided tour from trained and professional staff members. The prices in the “Trademart” store were under traditional retail pricing and most of the merchandise in the early 1990s was exclusive to the WOCC. Senior Executives at the Company wanted the WOCC to be a place where guests could visit, learn about the history of the product, see how Coca-Cola was enjoyed around the world and leave with a “fizzy good feeling” about the overall experience. It was fully expected that the operation would be a cost center to the company at around $4+ million per year.

The original expected attendance according to the attraction industry experts was around 250,000. During the first 9 years of operations the WOCC Atlanta averaged around 860,000 visitors topping the 1 million mark just one time. Internally the pavillion (never used the museum word) was viewed as a HUGE success and the showcase for the company and brand.

Companies including Disney, Harley Davidson, Guinness, Sony, McDonald’s and others sent marketing teams to observe the operation and how the brand, Coca-Cola, was being portrayed.

The overall objective was to make people happy, deliver more than what was expected and to offer an experience that was unique for the time.

The exhibits were cutting edge for the time. The WOCC featured the first large screen high-definition theater in the country. There were interactive touch screen displays featuring prototypes from IBM. Guests loved watching the old television commercials that were made during a simpler time of  life. The drinks from around the world were different and yes, “Beverly” became famous. The store sold something to one out of every three guests with an average transaction of over $6.00 per person.

The late 1990s brought a new team of experts from the GAP to “improve” upon what was working so well. Admission prices were increased along with the store merchandise. Visitors still came. There is only one former GAPPER still around.

The Company invested nearly $28 million to build the WOCC Las Vegas on one of the busiest streets in the world, Las Vegas Boulevard. The attraction was going to be bigger, better and more theatrical than Atlanta. Less that two years after opening the Company closed the doors to the attraction. The store remains open today and a restaurant occupies the leased space above.

The NEW WOCC is nice…it’s actually very “nice”. Now there is the Disney team running the show including the store. The parking deck of the new WOC actually cost more to build than the entire original WOC project.

So, what’s the real difference between the “original” WOCC and the new? The uniforms are new, many of the staff are new, the prices are new, the exhibits are new and the location is new. Other than that it is still an attraction about a “brand”, albeit a great one. It’s still a drink and the Company is a still a company in business to be profitable. It’s a marketing tool that in reality is a fabulous tool to immerse and capture the hearts and minds of consumers - new and existing. It’s not a “franchise” - it’s a carbonated soft drink…..cheers!