On May 9, the Gas South District officially opened the Preston C. Williams Gateway Park. The park was named to honor former Gwinnett County Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO, Preston Williams for his role in the Gas South District development and expansion.
The park features a trail that provides pedestrian access to the campus, including an elevated boardwalk over the wetlands that connect the Gas South Convention Center and Theatre to the corner of Sugarloaf Parkway and Satellite Boulevard.
Preston served as the head of the Convention and Visitors Bureau for 26 years. He stepped down from the CEO role in August 2021 after leading the Gas South District’s expansion which included a doubling of the convention space, renovations of existing spaces, and outdoor improvements throughout the campus. While a Westin Hotel being built by Concord Hospitality is still under construction, the park represents the last piece of the county’s work on the expansion.
The park will also eventually tie into Gwinnett County’s larger trails master plan, including the Loop Trail. It will also serve as an outdoor eco-classroom.
This project is an important milestone in improving the walkability to the Gas South District. Visitors staying at hotels across the intersection of Sugarloaf and Satellite will have an easier way to enter the campus for conventions, theater shows and concerts. The Sugarloaf CID is continuing our work on the network of trails that will tie into this new park and trail to create a more walkable and connected district.
