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96 Games: Birth of a dream

July 19 marks the 20th anniversary of the Atlanta welcomed the world for the beginning of the Centennial Olympic Games.

July 19 marks the 20th anniversary of the day Atlanta welcomed the world for the beginning of the Centennial Olympic Games.

The idea for the games in Atlanta came to Billy Payne one Sunday afternoon in 1986 on his way home from church.

“I was already becoming bored as a lawyer. I think I had a very successful career,” Payne said. “I was supporting my family quite well but, obviously, was not quite satisfied. So the time was right for me to chase a big idea.”

Payne would pursue it the next three years, and face many doubters.

“I thought they were crazy,” said Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus. “I thought that Billy Payne was nuts. I didn’t think there was a way in hell that they could ever do it.”

Payne himself had doubt about the odds of landing the gams.

“Millions to one. Just coming out of the blue – It just doesn’t happen,” Payne said. “You just don’t win the Olympics that easily.”

But his team made it happen.

“We pulled it off,” Payne said. “A lot of help but we pulled it off.”

Watch 11Alive's 'Remembering the 96 Olympics' special August 4 at 9PM!

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