Stadium deal could have Falcons back outside by 2017
Falcons owner Arthur Blank, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/DLedbetter@ajc.com)
The Falcons cleared a major hurdle today in their quest for a new outdoor stadium.
The Georgia World Congress Center Authority and the team have entered into one of those “memorandum of understanding” about the project.
Here is the stadium that Falcons provided to the AJC about the matter.
“The Georgia World Congress Center Authority commissioned and has received the results of the study performed by Populous regarding the potential for a new stadium on the Authority’s campus.
“The Authority has shared the report with us as part of our joint exploration of development options. The report addresses a number of topics that will be considered by the Authority and the Falcons as planning discussions move forward.
“We appreciate the Authority’s diligence in working through this process in a thorough and thoughtful manner. We continue to have open dialogue with the Authority on a range of topics and options, with the shared goal of working toward an agreement that is in the best interests of the community, our fans and all other stakeholders involved. At this point, no decisions have been made; therefore, we will have no further public comment at this time.”
Here is the news story on the stadium.
Check out the master plan, here.
Bundle up y’all, the Falcons could be back outside by the 2017 season.
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372 comments Add your comment
Cutty
February 22nd, 2011
7:13 pm
Gov. Deal unveils cuts to HOPE program —enough said!!!
Righteous
February 22nd, 2011
7:13 pm
@ sissies season tickets are still available so those 50 people can get tickets if they want them
Josh Valentine
February 22nd, 2011
7:15 pm
Owner Blank is just keeping up with the Jones’ There is nothing wrong with the Georgia Dome. There is no need for a new stadium. Aurthur just spent money remodeling The Georgia Dome and I like the look. The only bad thing, is the location. All in all, The Georgia Dome is fine.
Prediction
February 22nd, 2011
7:15 pm
And to all those complaining about the $700m price tag, read through the state of GA budget documents to see larger sums of waste that don’t produce anything. At least a stadium will result out of this effort.
JSS
February 22nd, 2011
7:19 pm
Result in what? $700 million is NOT final cost!
blazerdawg
February 22nd, 2011
7:20 pm
HFF- Atlanta is WAY ahead of Seattle and Charlotte in a number of measures (both with open air stadiums as well), and the GA Dome is not being torn down.
Atlanta will have a great Dome, and open air football stadium, and an exclusive for baseball stadium all within a short walk of the GAWCC and all of the downtown hotels.
I love the GA Dome, the sightlines are the best of any football stadium I have ever visitied, and the food is good; but an open air stadium with a view of the skyline will be a great experience and provide another entertainment/convention venue.
Super Bowl or not, all of these venues together will give Atlanta an unmatched hospitality infrastructure advantage.
Prediction
February 22nd, 2011
7:28 pm
Roadwork? That’s been going nonstop since economy tanked. I’m tired of sitting in traffic burning $3 gas because of these projects. I really like the ones they do at night that cost us twice the money. Great idea on more road projects.
JSS
February 22nd, 2011
7:31 pm
“will be a great experience and provide another entertainment/convention venue.”
For what? The MLS? That stadium only needs to seat 35,000… The use of life of the new stadium will be over the next time a World Cup hits North America… The day of the giant rock venue show is over! Or a rare occurring event to say the least! Turner Field a “short walk” from where? You folks won’t walk from the Art Center Marta to Atlantic Station!
buckhead benny
February 22nd, 2011
7:33 pm
I think its great as long as they keep the Georgia Dome around as well for SEC championship games and indoor events- I think it would just add mutiple venues for concerts, and events and atlanta is too nice weather of a city to have just a dome for football- then, with the dome you can keep the high school, ga state and basketball championship games there-
I think it is a smart move for the georgia world congress center-
Nate
February 22nd, 2011
7:34 pm
STUPID IDEA!!!!!! I love going to the Georgia Dome and relaxing while I cheer on the Falcons every home game and getting a outside stadium could lose season ticket holder and most definitely lose events for the city of Atlanta such as the Monster Truck Rally, Chick-Fil-A Bowl, SEC and ACC Basketball Tournaments, Battle of the Bands, etc. THAT’S A VERY DUMB IDEA
UGASlobberknocker
February 22nd, 2011
7:34 pm
I dont like the plan. It needs a retractable roof..otherwise, as the Ga Dome slowly ages, the events such as the SEC champ game could go elsewhere. So to prevent that from happening, the Dome will have to be renovated in the future anyway..so why not just spend that money for a retractable roof on the new one?
Cutty
February 22nd, 2011
7:35 pm
Just checked out the master plan. That is a long ass walk if you ride MARTA. A very long walk. 700,000,000 for an open air stadium? I thought that they only cost like 300-450 million.
j
February 22nd, 2011
7:37 pm
billionaires get welfare and no one complains. socialism at its finest.
Dawgdad (the Original)
February 22nd, 2011
7:38 pm
Shrink the stadium so you can charge more for tickets. Put it outside so you can charge more for suites that allow people to escape the elements. Who is getting it in the end here?
elainer7
February 22nd, 2011
7:39 pm
People are losing their homes, the unemployment rate is at an all
time high, gas prices are rising at an alarming rate and all we can think about is building a new stadium that we DONT need? I think our tax money can be put to much better use. And yes! I am a Falcons football fan.
UGASlobberknocker
February 22nd, 2011
7:40 pm
Another reason this plan stinks. I will promise there will be no more tailgating area than the old one..meaning unless you want to mingle with the homeless and the criminals, you have to take Marta. That is a huge hassle now when you leave as 60000 people try to cram down one tunnel..now this new stadium will add a half a mile walk??? whaaaat? Are we going to repeat the idiot decision of placing the Braves stadium too far from Marta?
This plan stinks.
Bullwinkle
February 22nd, 2011
7:41 pm
Question: Is Mr. Blanks (and his entourage) gonna sit out in the elements like the regular paying customers? Answer: Nope, he’ll be enjoying the game in his climate controlled luxury box/suite!!!
blazerdawg
February 22nd, 2011
7:43 pm
I have been to many retractable roof stadiums and the retractable roof stadiums are like auto T-tops and will go the way of the old circular multi-purpose stadiums. Phoenix probably has the best stadium of this type, and needs it because of the climate, but you never feel like you are at an outdoor event in one of those buildings, adn the future maintenance cost on those things will be enormous. Better to go all outdoor or all dome.
UGASlobberknocker
February 22nd, 2011
7:44 pm
Would all the shortsighted people who dont see the economic impact of something like this pls consider that before whining about unrelated social and financial problems? For example, elainer7, how do gas prices have anything to do with this decision?. Do you think the GWCC has a direct line to OPEC? Would not building this stadium help those who are being foreclosed upon? of course not..in fact it would cause lost jobs and more foreclosures.
I am dumber just for reading some of the idiotic posts above.
Thrashers_fan
February 22nd, 2011
7:44 pm
Hey, I got an idea…. Let’s move the football stadium farther away from the only public transportation subway that Atlanta has, take the roof off of it, and then force thousands of football fans to sit out in either horribly hot or frigid cold temperatures, rain or snow (depending on the time of year), and lose any opportunity that our city has to ever host a Super Bowl in the future, since you can’t put a roof over an open-air stadium.
Meanwhile, a beautiful domed stadium, already standing, could be renovated, given a retractable roof, have major enhancements to it to allow for the suite revenues that Blank is looking for, and save a lot of money, particularly tax-payer money. But, then again, that’s probably not the most logical option to millionaires who don’t have to worry about putting food on the table, and who’s only interest in going to a football game is so they can be seen and not be a fan.
I’m just saying….
pill
February 22nd, 2011
7:48 pm
From what I gather from the article it is all about Blank. It seems fans don’t matter, just so he gets what he wants. Fewer seats at higher price. What is that?! Money people in out of the rain. respecter of persons. Parking? Fans sit in cold, walk ther in cold, etc. The dome is perfect for the winning tteam and fans. But neither matters any more. Money and prestige. 700 million to build?! He must plan on getting a sweet deal because the fans are being fleece. Fans get less for more dollars. Want be going to any of those. Blank has shown his colors.
The Joker
February 22nd, 2011
7:49 pm
It is going to come down to how well the Falcons produce within the next few years….*IF* an open air stadium is built and the Falcons haven’t won a superbowl by than, then the Fans will NOT show up, if the Falcons are successful, then an open air stadium will not divide the fanbase(at least not by much)…its as simple as that.
Personally, I believe(also) that Football should be played in the elements, especially in a fairly decent football weather city… Some aren’t going to agree, that’s why we have blogs to discuss these things, I remember football at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium and to all of the people who have said that they have had horrible (weather) experiences at the stadium, you are correct; however, that’s everywhere! That is part of what makes Football fun!! The ELEMENTS!!! Not to mention the fact that the Falcons shared that stadium with the Braves, a team that we go and spend money on to sit in those blazing hot summer conditions in the A-town, so what’s the big deal?
And while on that topic, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium had features that were designed to accommodate Baseball in several aspects and it wasn’t the best place to watch Football, with a new, or retractable roof (preferred) the Falcons and other Football events will be more accommodating for the fans than Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was…..
Areas outside the city would be good, but think about the traffic withini communities, along the underdeveloped highways, etc. True, its like that now in some cases and its like that down in Hampton for the Nascar events, but public transportation is the key and it would be easier to accommodate fans without as many traffic tie-ups. I do however agree that there needs to be more tailgating space (a lot more) for fans.
In conclusion, in this State that is dominated by college football, we pay big bucks and travel far to attend college games that are played outdoors….in the ELEMENTS!!!! Why not for a Sunday afternoon Falcon game? The only difference is the day that it is played on….
People, this isn’t a basketball game, let’s all grow some n^ts and deal with the elements and (perhaps the high price it brings..lol )
WHL
February 22nd, 2011
7:50 pm
Open air or not, why make it even less accessible to MARTA? Seems like Doraville would be the ideal site.
Build It!
February 22nd, 2011
7:50 pm
$700 million is pocket change for a big time, state of the art stadium. Atlanta can easily afford this. Jerry Jones stadium cost a billion so Atlanta would be getting a good deal. The city can raise all this cash by issuing bonds, raising taxes on restaurants and hotels, car rental, etc. It can be paid for in 10 years easy. The city needs to pay up if they want to keep the falcons. Blank can take the team to a bunch of cities that want a franchise.
SteveK
February 22nd, 2011
7:52 pm
It should go in THE GULCH bound by COP Dr., MLK Dr., Spring St. and Wall St. It would have much better connections to other Downtown activities.
Bryan
February 22nd, 2011
7:53 pm
I have had season tickets for 13 years to the Falcons and if they build an open air stadium I will not renew my ticktes. To hot in the summer and to cold, to rainy in the winter. The dome sold out is the best.
missy
February 22nd, 2011
7:56 pm
If Blank can foot the bill then YES! If it means taxes go up then NO!
ATLol
February 22nd, 2011
7:56 pm
Sad. Horrible parking plan. I love the Dome except for the parking and traffic. So now we have a new plan that doesnt even begin to address those shortcomings, plus may not be as good as the Dome.
blazerdawg
February 22nd, 2011
7:56 pm
The new stadium is not just for Mr. Blank, although granted he is the greatest individual beneficiary.
Those big hotels downtown need to be filled. Atlanta keeps adding critical mass to downtown to everyone’s benefit (dining, transportation, construction, real estate).
Everyone complained when Georgia Dome was built. (too expensive, we have a stadium, why downtown, football indoors!) Building Georgia Dome was a great investment. (oddly, nobody seemed to complain about the Omni being replaced, but I loved that building)
Atlanta has made these investments to grow and stay ahead of the curve time and time again….seems like a continuation of that historically productive plan.
Also, regarding the location: the streetcar will run from the Marta North line to the pedestrian bridge, and do not think that GA Tech might not play in the new stadium in twenty years. Grant Field is right in the middle of some scarce and valuable real estate – all it will take is one outgoing president to make the move.
Angus
February 22nd, 2011
7:58 pm
I’m assuming with this much work already put into it, it’s a done deal.
MARTA (or lack thereof) is the one major red flag. I wonder how many folks currently take MARTA to the games, and how many still would once a one-mile walk becomes part of the journey. And then, how many additional, yet non-existent, parking spaces will be required.
I say it should be illegal to build something like this without direct, mass transit.
Oh well, I suppose Atlanta will never learn and will keep doing the same dumbsh*t over and over again.
ACE is right on
February 22nd, 2011
8:00 pm
Seriously! When is the last time an SEC team built a “new” stadium? Sure additions, renovations, etc. have taken place, but almost every freaking SEC team is in the same home they have been in for the past 50 to 100+ years; they pack in on average 10 to 20,000 more fans per game than Artie’s new playground; not a one is surrounded by 20,000+ parking spaces, yet everyone manages to find a spot to park and tailgating isn’t even comparable it is so much better; fan base is more loyal; and the program largely functions on donations from alumni and ticket sales! Granted they don’t ‘pay’ their players, but build a winning team, some history and tradition, and you don’t need a crappy new stadium that drains the tax base for the next 20 years! IF FALCON’S FANS WANT A NEW STADIUM, LET THEM AND ARTIE PAY FOR THE FREAKING THING THEMSELVES!!
Ben
February 22nd, 2011
8:02 pm
They can all do whatever they want, as long as the taxpayers don’t have to pay a dime for it.
Open air
February 22nd, 2011
8:02 pm
They build an outdoor stadium and I will buy season tickets.
Basketball is indoors, not football or baseball!
Matt Ryan Must Not Be In The Plans
February 22nd, 2011
8:10 pm
Apparently the Falcons are not considering Matt Ryan in their future plans. Heck, the guy already has a hard time throwing indoors. Can you imagine him trying to throw the ball against any type of outdoor climate. Yikes.
Arthur Blank is such an idiot! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Falcons will NEVER win a SB because Blank is too concern with his image. He should channel his energies towards bringing in a better a GM or top tier players to win.
Personally, I wish he would move the team out of the state so we can get an owner in here that has the football knowledge, confidence and savvy to build a winning organization. Its been 12 years running and Arthur has yet to win a conference title, but he wants the stars , the moon and a new stadium, before winning a superbowl . Go figure
Mel in Midtown
February 22nd, 2011
8:14 pm
Once again, Arthur Blank shows his complete lack of understanding even basic weather patterns. If he wants to build it our of his billions, let him build it. Then, he and his trophy wife can sit out there in December and freeze their a$$es off!
BTB
February 22nd, 2011
8:15 pm
I worry about all the crackheads that will be displaced from Ivan Allen Blvd because of this project
wayne
February 22nd, 2011
8:20 pm
I have had season tickets for 17 years, if and when the falcons move to an outdoor stadium that is when I won’t renew them. Better survey people who actually buy season tickets rather than the folks who like to comment but don’t buy the tickets. The dome is a great place to watch football games in any climate. It is also about as close to MARTA as could be. Just saying don’t screw up a good thing.
ATLol
February 22nd, 2011
8:22 pm
forget the Superbowl. The NFL used to want an indoor stadium for the Superbowl. That is no reason to make a bad choice.
Doraville – please please reconsider!
JSS
February 22nd, 2011
8:23 pm
blazerdawg
February 22nd, 2011
7:56 pm
“Everyone complained when Georgia Dome was built. (too expensive, we have a stadium, why downtown, football indoors!) Building Georgia Dome ”
Who? The only thing that people complained about was the “Backdoor deal” that was used to 1) Get the land from Norfolk-Southern 2) Tom Murphy and Zell Miller licking the boots of ransom for Rankin Smith Sr., and the 3) Parking!!!
@ Ben…
“They can all do whatever they want, as long as the taxpayers don’t have to pay a dime for it.”
Sorry, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority will be floating the “Industrial Bond note” on Wall Street to finance it… That is $1 billion dollars of debt against the credit rating of the State of Georgia! You, the citizens of Georgia, and I are going to be paying this… And before you nuts start crying the Hotel/Motel tax, that is just the payment source, not the guarantee to pay…
JSS
February 22nd, 2011
8:27 pm
ATLol
February 22nd, 2011
8:22 pm
“Doraville – please please reconsider!”
That land in Doraville is off the market and it can’t get DOT approval anyway!
Bob
February 22nd, 2011
8:38 pm
Like I have said before, if Blank wants a new playground, let him write that check out of that Orange Checkbook he has. If 1 penny of public funds are used for the Steroid Filled Thugs playground, we need to take an example from the Middle East and run some people out!!
Thank God we can do that with a ballot box!!!
Bovbby boy
February 22nd, 2011
8:56 pm
I too will no longer order season tickets in an outside stadium. I experienced the snow, the rain, the lightning at the old Fulton County stadium. I swore I would never pay to be miserable again. Although the playoff game made me pretty miserable. I would dare say 90% of the posters on this site that want an outdoor stadium do not have season tickets or maybe do not attend any games. I for one want Mr. Blank to poll his season ticket holders. Indoors out out and let us decide. We carry the freight anyhow. How about a vote of season ticket holders. I understand the outdoor stadium idea was McKay’s anyhow. He needs to go. He serves no useful purpose. If he likes the outdoors, go back to Tampa where he came from. LETS HEAR IT SEASON TICKET HOLDERS. A VOTE IS THE WAY TO DO IT.
P Rose
February 22nd, 2011
8:57 pm
I was a season holder in the 80s but not since. I will renew in 2017. Football is supposed to be played outdoors. Who cares if we never host another Super Bowl? New York, Boston, Philly, Chicago and Green Bay don’t host Super Bowls. They just play in them.
P Rose
February 22nd, 2011
8:58 pm
All roads lead to Atlanta. Building a stadium at spaghetti junction is a dumb idea.
allen981
February 22nd, 2011
9:08 pm
If they spend one dime of taxpayer money, they ought to go to jail.
If Arthur Blank wants a new stadium, pay for it, or else give the taxpayers a share of the increased value of his franchise.
Tony Smith
February 22nd, 2011
9:15 pm
I love football and I love the Falcons. But with teachers being furloughed, Hope scholarships being cut drastically, and pre-K being cut back, this is idiotic. The state of Georgia needs to get its priorities in order. If the Falcons want a new stadium, Arthur Blank can build it.
marty marty
February 22nd, 2011
9:15 pm
Let Arthur Blank pay for it himself. He will get all the riches, and we will get stuck with the bill. We are already paying for the $60 million plus interest that the GOP saddled Georgia with for 3 projects in Sonny Purdue’s county/town. I thought the cry from the GOP and TEA PARTY was NO NEW TAXES! Continuing the bond is the same as continuing the toll on GA 400.
Yet we cut services for the poor, send jobs overseas, cut teachers pay and furlow them, larger classes, cut the HOPE.
The NFL wants players to play 2 more regular season games (more injuries and concussions that kill players sooner or drive them to suicide) and they also want the players to take a pay cut to help the owners with the stadiums that owners want. God help us! Have we lost all sense of morality in this country?
Scholar
February 22nd, 2011
9:30 pm
This makes my blood boil!
Wait a second, I have no opinion on this.
False alarm. Carry on.
gjm
February 22nd, 2011
9:31 pm
Why is a state agency funded by state-wide taxpayers building the losers, AB and a bunch of over-paid punks, a new stadium? Let AB paying the first half and let the punk loser players fund the second half! The state of Georgia has a heck of a lot better football played on Friday nights under the lights and on Saturday’s by national championship college teams from Valdosta to Statesboro to Athens & North Ave. I ask to some, does a SEC Championship not count since it is played in doors? After too many years not wearing a helmet you might miss your own contradiction. The last reason New York is the center of the financial world is b/c it has the Jets, Giants via jersey, Knicks, Mets or Yankees! Silicon Valley does not have a pro team in anything. You don’t see Bill Gates on the jumbo screen in Seattle? Ivey League and MIT could care less about the sports teams. Heck even putting in the Buckhead hole would make more sense! Ugly truth is that pro sports teams are a losing deal for taxpayers nation-wide! Get a backbone and tell Blank NO!
No Mo
February 22nd, 2011
9:41 pm
$700 million outdoor stadium, 1 mile from marta, with bad weather? I wouldn’t even consider going to any games. But, rich developers will get millions in taxpayer money from land deals, contracts, etc. to build it anyway. Atl taxpayers will pay 100%, blank keeps 100% of the revenues!!!!!!!!! Nice.