American Tower Corporation Names J. Michael Gearon, Jr. President, American Tower International.

Business/Technology Editors

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 12, 2000

American Tower Corporation, "the Company", (NYSE:AMT) announced today that J. Michael Gearon, Jr. has been named President, American Tower International. Mr. Gearon has served as Executive Vice President and on the Company's Board of Directors since American Tower's acquisition of Gearon Communications in January 1998. In his new role, Mr. Gearon has responsibility for international operations, excluding Canadian operations which are managed by Canadian Tower, L.P. He will also continue to serve as a Director.

Steve Dodge, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Tower, said, "Michael is a tremendously talented executive with an affinity for both deal making and operations. He's a natural for this role. Our Mexican operations, about which we all are very excited, are the product of his efforts and the efforts of those around him. There is more that we'd like to get done internationally, and I'm delighted that Michael wants to lead the charge."

Michael Gearon said, "I am excited about the challenge of growing American Tower's business internationally. We have built an excellent foundation in our first international market, Mexico, and I feel there is enormous opportunity to create shareholder value in select international markets."

American Tower is the leading independent owner operator and developer of broadcast and wireless communications sites in North America. Giving effect to pending transactions, American Tower operates over 10,600 sites in the United States, Mexico and Canada, including approximately 300 broadcast tower sites. Of the 10,600 sites, approximately 9,400 are owned or leased towers and over 1,200 are managed and lease/sublease sites. Based in Boston, American Tower has regional hub offices in Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco and Mexico City. For more information about American Tower Corporation and ATC Teleports, please visit our web sites www.americantower.com and www.atcteleports.com.

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" concerning future expectations, plans or strategies that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The Company wishes to caution readers that certain factors may have affected the Company's actual results and could cause results for subsequent periods to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement made by or on behalf of the Company. Such factors include, but are not limited to (i) substantial capital requirements and leverage principally as a consequence of its ongoing acquisitions and construction activities, (ii) dependence on demand for wireless communications, use of satellites for internet data transmission, and implementation of digital television, (iii) the success of the Company's tower construction program and (iv) the successful operational integration of the Company's business acquisitions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events or circumstances.