In February of 1987, William Porter "Billy" Payne was a young, relatively unknown, real estate attorney in Atlanta when he decided that he wanted to bring the Olympic Games to Atlanta.
For the next ten years, Payne, along with a group of friends known as the "Atlanta Nine," and Andrew Young astonishingly were awarded the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, then hosted the largest and most attended Olympic Games in history.
Your Friends Will Never Allow You To Fail is Billy Payne's first-person, inspiring behind-the-scenes account of how it happened.
- The unique and highly personal strategy to introduce the IOC members to Atlanta, culminating with IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch awarding the Games to Atlanta.
- Generating nearly $2 billion in revenue through innovative sponsorship, ticket sales, and television rights negotiations.
- Building a Fortune 100-sized company, along with a volunteer force of more than 50,000.
- Surviving the bombing at Centennial Olympic Park that threatened to end the dream.
- Leaving a physical and emotional legacy that has helped propel Atlanta into the 21st Century as a thriving, international city.
Billy Payne illustrates the importance of passionately pursuing your dreams through hard work, single-minded determination, sharing, and fueling that dream with your friends. Proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated charitable causes that represent Atlanta's Olympic Legacy.
William Porter "Billy" Payne achieved international recognition when he successfully led Atlanta's improbable bid for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. While articulating a compelling vision for the future of his city, Payne became the first person in modern Olympic history to lead a host-city's organizing effort from idea to bid, to Closing Ceremony, wire to wire for a full decade-from 1987 to 1997.Visionary leadership and a passionate commitment to volunteerism have distinguished Payne's entire career. Payne graduated from the University of Georgia after a distinguished football career. Payne served as Chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club, home of The Masters tournament, from 2006-2013, overseeing a period of expansion and international outreach. Payne has also served in many executive roles in the private sector, including Vice Chairman at NationsBank (now Bank of America, Vice Chairman of PTEK Holdings, Inc., and Vice Chairman of WebMD. Payne also co-founded Centennial Holding Corporation, LLC, with his son Porter.
