The long-term impacts have benefitted Atlanta itself. Due to the games the number of hotel rooms in the city expanded to over 60,000. The Olympics gave Atlanta international name recognition with the city showing that it was capable of hosting such a major event and being the home of the busiest airport in the world, Atlanta has become a hub for conventions and sporting events. The city also experienced growth for the first time in many years as many young, urban professionals moved from the suburbs to city limits based on their experiences at the games, and the improvements made to the city in preparation. The population of the city increased dramatically from 3.5 million in 1996 to 5.5 million in 2011. According to the New Georgia Encyclopedia, the Games have generated at least 5.1 billion dollars for the city and state. Increased population, along with a recent recession, has led to a declining housing market and increased traffic concerns. Positive economic impacts remain in parts of Atlanta, however, some neighborhoods that were neglected during the Olympic preparation period, remain blighted.