The Big Game to get the Atlanta Falcons a new stadium

The Falcons Proposed New Stadium 
By Kristen T.



The Proposed Stadium

The proposal for the Atlanta Falcons’ new retractable roof stadium is outrageous. The Georgia Dome, the current home of Atlanta’s NFL team, is relatively new--being only twenty years old. While the current stadium does not have a retractable roof, it is in great condition, can hold 71,228 fans and has hosted numerous sporting events aside from being the home of the Falcons. The Georgia Dome held sporting events in the 1996 Olympic Games, two Super Bowls (1994 and 2000), NCAA Men’s Final Four Basketball, professional wrestling and bull riding. To imply that the building that hosted Olympic Games is no longer adequate for a mere average NFL team is preposterous.



The Georgia Dome

Atlanta has been deemed the worst sports town for fans- that is, our town is the least enthusiastic about our hometown sports. Arthur Blank, the owner of the Falcons, believed that the team's decent win record in the 2012 season would increase fan support enough that the public would be in favor of the proposed stadium. Unfortunately, after their NFC Championship loss to the 49’ers, the fans lost all interest in the Falcons, and the $948 million stadium again. In addition, with the economy in poor condition, as it is with educators taking furlough days, spending $500 million of state and city money on something that is unnecessary does not make a lot of sense.

Arthur Blank

Arthur Blank has approached Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed telling him and other officials that Los Angeles, one of the top media markets in the country, has made it clear they are interested in moving the falcons to southern California. While Arthur Blank is a suave businessman, this isn't the most effective negotiation tactic. While the move would cause Atlanta very little fan upset and monetary loss, it most certainly wouldn't cause $948 million of loss like a new stadium for a losing team would cost. 










A New Stadium: Good for Falcons―Great for Atlanta
By Tony R. B.

By now, most have heard that The Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) and the Atlanta Falcons have agreed to build a new retractable roof stadium, located on one of two potential sites on the Georgia World Congress Center campus. The proposed stadium will not only serve as home to the Atlanta Falcons―when the lease to the Georgia Dome expires in 2020―but also to other sports activities, conventions, and entertainment events. Notwithstanding the advantages of this effort, there is still plenty of opposition to the construction of a new multi-million dollar stadium, with disparate views on the matter ranging from concerns about community gentrification to baseless claims of increased cost to taxpayers. The inherent reality, however, is that a new stadium not only benefits the Falcons and their fans, but also the surrounding community as well as the state of Georgia.


An artist rendering of the new Atlanta Falcons

Stadium, featuring a retractable roof (2012)

First, the retractable roof stadium is a unique and eye-catching sports venue, providing a league-worthy game day experience for fans, and allows the team to remain competitive on the field for years to come. In addition, a new arena/stadium cements a long-term solution for the Falcons―pending the end of their lease at the Georgia Dome―and retains the successful partnership between the GWCCA and the Falcons in the years following (New Atlanta Stadium 2012-13). 

Second, the Atlanta Falcons, along with the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, have a history of investing in projects that enhance communities and improve the quality of life throughout the neighborhoods near the Georgia Dome as well as the proposed new stadium (New Atlanta Stadium 2012-13). Furthermore, The Falcons have publicly pledged to make significant monetary investments in these communities as a result of the new stadium. All of which underscores a long standing commitment by the franchise to enhance the surrounding Atlanta communities.

Two potenital sites on the GWCC campus under consideration

Finally, when the stadium is complete, the state of Georgia will own an asset that is one-third of its cost, and the Falcons will not only pay rent of $2.5 million per season, but public funding for the stadium’s construction will originate from an existing hotel-motel tax, which is paid by visitors―not local residents (Carasik 2012). In addition, there are significant economic benefits resulting from the project. For instance, over the three-year construction period, “this effort is estimated to add more than 4,500 new jobs to the state’s economy and generate more than $400 million in total economic [gain]” for Georgia. Furthermore, a new stadium helps to retain several events currently held at the Dome like the SEC Championship game, the Chick-fil-A Bowl, and the Bank of America Football Classic, which generate combined annual revenues of over $450 million dollars, and arguably benefits the state and its economy (New Atlanta Stadium 2012-13).

In brief, while opposition continues to exist for this project, at its core, a new stadium is unquestionably a tremendous economic and aesthetic benefit to the Falcons, the surrounding communities, and the overall economy, and represents a smart investment win for the team, the fans, all of Atlanta sports, and the state of Georgia.

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Sources

Carasik, Scott. “Atlanta Falcons Need a New Stadium for the Long Term.” Bleacher Report. December 2012. Web. 27 Jan. 2013. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1440200-atlanta-the-falcons-do-need-a-new-stadium-for-the-long-term-with-limited-psl     

New Atlanta Stadium. Atlanta Falcons. 2012-13. Web. 27. 2013. http://newatlantastadium.com/