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[xbhaskarx]

Would be better served as a soccer stadium.

Well, the Atlanta MLS team will be playing in this stadium too.

Not only will Atlanta United FC be playing at this stadium, but as of early July they already had over 21,000 season ticket deposits.
The upper seats will be blocked off so the MLS capacity is just a little over 29k... they will probably have a waiting list by the time they join the league in 2017.

 

[RBH]

The Falcons are considering being an equity partner in a proposed major new GWCC convention hotel in downtown Atlanta

 

[HariKari]

Love it, but really everything should have a retractable roof by now.

 

[RBH]

Mercedes-Benz will acquire naming rights to the new Atlanta Falcons stadium, according to sources familiar with the negotiations, Atlanta Business Chronicle sister publication SportsBusiness Journal reported Friday.

The German automaker is expected to sign the contract Aug. 21 and the Falcons will officially announce the agreement Aug. 24, sources said. Falcons officials did not respond to an e-mail requesting confirmation and the deal’s terms. Premier Partnerships brokered the agreement for the team and has been pursuing a 30-year deal averaging in the high teens annually.Premier Partnerships also did not respond to a request for comment.

The $1.5 billion stadium, designed by HOK, opens in 2017. It will also serve as the home of Atlanta United FC, a new MLS club owned by Falcons Owner Arthur Blank. The 2020 men’s Final Four is to be played in the new stadium, and the city is competing for future Super Bowls and College Football Playoffs.

Mercedes-Benz moved its U.S. headquarters to Atlanta earlier this year and is building a new facility to open by ‘17.

This marks Mercedes’ second NFL stadium – and second in the NFC South – for which it holds naming rights. The New Orleans Saints in 2011 announced a 10-year deal to put Mercedes’ name on the Superdome. That means the old archrivals could play in stadiums with the same name.

In China, the company has held naming rights for Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai since ‘09, one year before the building opened.

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/...s-benz-acquires-naming-rights-to-falcons.html

 

[RBH]

 

[xbhaskarx]

If that's their new plan for closing off the upper deck for MLS games, it looks better than the previous plan (and it looks like the middle section will now be left open):

The previous version was based on what BC Place does for Vancouver Whitecaps games, which works but doesn't look great:

 

[RBH]

Stadium time lapse video:


http://archives2.earthcam.com/archi...tlanta-stadium/mpa1///timelapse/timelapse.mp4

 

[radios shipping overview]

Are those holographic goal posts?

 

[Majanew]

Still sucks they decided to keep the stadium in the city. Everyone hates going there. Should have done everything to build it where the GM plant was.

 

[Klocker]

hate indoor stadiums but this appears to let natural light in like none before it so I say build it

 

[massivekettle]

Still sucks they decided to keep the stadium in the city. Everyone hates going there. Should have done everything to build it where the GM plant was.

Suburban stadiums suck. Downtown stadium will bring a lot more life in the city/downtown. Americans should embrace that.

 

[jmood88]

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/...s-benz-acquires-naming-rights-to-falcons.html

Just trying to be like their older brothers.

 

[RBH]

Still sucks they decided to keep the stadium in the city. Everyone hates going there. Should have done everything to build it where the GM plant was.

We do?

I appreciated the fact that they kept the stadium in basically the same location because of its proximity to the MARTA stop.

 

[Majanew]

Suburban stadiums suck. Downtown stadium will bring a lot more life in the city/downtown. Americans should embrace that.

We want to embrace it. The problem is the city refuses to clean the area up. Homeless, pan-handlers, thieves, plague Atlanta. They only cared when the Olympics came here. You don't want to drive down there because there's a serious chance your window will be smashed in when you walk back out. Can't even walk from Westin Peachtree Plaza to the Aquarium without being harassed by motherfuckers asking for money, cigarettes, or trying to sell you stolen merchandise.

 

[jmood88]

We do?

I appreciated the fact that they kept the stadium in basically the same location because of its proximity to the MARTA stop.

I just think it's crazy that it's literally across the street from the Georgia Dome. There's absolutely no reason for this thing to be built.

 

[TheAbsolution]

I just think it's crazy that it's literally across the street from the Georgia Dome. There's absolutely no reason for this thing to be built.

Arthur Blank wants a new stadium and he's paying for most of it so, why not?

There's your reason.

 

[RBH]

We want to embrace it. The problem is the city refuses to clean the area up. Homeless, pan-handlers, thieves, plague Atlanta. They only cared when the Olympics came here. You don't want to drive down there because there's a serious chance your window will be smashed in when you walk back out. Can't even walk from Westin Peachtree Plaza to the Aquarium without being harassed by motherfuckers asking for money, cigarettes, or trying to sell you stolen merchandise.

Good lord, the hyperbole. This reads like something straight out of the comments section of AJC.com

I've been going to Falcons/Hawks games in that area since the 90's and never had any issues. And my car window has never been smashed in :lol

I just think it's crazy that it's literally across the street from the Georgia Dome. There's absolutely no reason for this thing to be built.

Eh, I can kinda understand it from the standpoint that the city wants to attract a Super Bowl again in the future. But yeah, I personally have no issues with the Georgia Dome and wasn't exactly crazy about replacing it. At least most of this stadium is being financed privately though, a greater proportion of private funds than what we're seeing with other new stadium projects.......such as with the Braves' new stadium. Now that's a stadium situation that deserves more scrutiny.

 

[hoos30]

I've been to the Georgia Dome a half dozen times...I don't see why it needs to be replaced already.

 

[TheAbsolution]

Eh, I can kinda understand it from the standpoint that the city wants to attract a Super Bowl again in the future. But yeah, I personally have no issues with the Georgia Dome and wasn't exactly crazy about replacing it. At least most of this stadium is being financed privately though, a greater proportion of private funds than what we're seeing with other new stadium projects.......such as with the Braves' new stadium. Now that's a stadium situation that deserves more scrutiny.

Yeah, the Braves Stadium was some shady shit from the start.

 

[Blue Lou]

We want to embrace it. The problem is the city refuses to clean the area up. Homeless, pan-handlers, thieves, plague Atlanta. They only cared when the Olympics came here. You don't want to drive down there because there's a serious chance your window will be smashed in when you walk back out. Can't even walk from Westin Peachtree Plaza to the Aquarium without being harassed by motherfuckers asking for money, cigarettes, or trying to sell you stolen merchandise.

I'm guessing you don't work for the Atlanta tourist board!

 

[iamblades]

Suburban stadiums suck. Downtown stadium will bring a lot more life in the city/downtown. Americans should embrace that.

I agree with this WRT basketball arenas or baseball stadiums where there are constantly events happening, but football stadiums are desolate wastelands 350 days of the year, and they take up so much real estate that is just wasted much of the year.

Besides tailgating is half the fun of going to a football game and you can't have the space to tailgate at a downtown stadium.

 

[D6AMIA6N]

We want to embrace it. The problem is the city refuses to clean the area up. Homeless, pan-handlers, thieves, plague Atlanta. They only cared when the Olympics came here. You don't want to drive down there because there's a serious chance your window will be smashed in when you walk back out. Can't even walk from Westin Peachtree Plaza to the Aquarium without being harassed by motherfuckers asking for money, cigarettes, or trying to sell you stolen merchandise.

What? This has never happened to me despite visiting the Georgia Dome and World Congress Center several times per year for the past 11 years I've lived in Atlanta. Your description could apply to areas of any major city. Total BS.

 

[Rabbi_Vole]

I was there today for the korky Kell kickoff Klassic.. The new stadium is coming along great. The form for the some of the stands has been poured.

 

[Ronin]

I was indifferent to building a new stadium, but everytime I drive past it and seeing it grow, I can't help but get excited. Hopefully the Falcons get some new uniforms to go along with it.

 

[rambis]

Atlanta has rough areas but you are mostly fine downtown. It would be nice to clean it up a little but every major city has these problems and hard times solving them.

 

[Shig]

Still sucks they decided to keep the stadium in the city. Everyone hates going there. Should have done everything to build it where the GM plant was.

That sounds like an outstanding plan for (much more) horrific traffic around Spaghetti Junction and a decade of construction delays as they're forced to grow Peachtree Industrial far beyond what they have space for. Most of the surrounding area there is residential, you can't just plop a pro stadium in their backyard. It'd be an absolute nightmare scenario there while the DOT played catch-up with scaling the infrastructure of the area.

 

[DMczaf]

Will the new crowd system be in Dolby Surround 7.1 or Atmos?

 

[Zen_Arcade]

It looks like a super villains lair.

 

[Gallbaro]

Suburban stadiums suck. Downtown stadium will bring a lot more life in the city/downtown. Americans should embrace that.

No they won't. Stadiums are NOT economic engines, football stadiums in particular. Given what Atlanta is, a massive amount of people will drive to a massive parking lot, attend the event and leave, with no benefit to the surrounding area.

 

[Ronin]

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the name.

Still calling it the Stankonia Dome.

 

[Violence Jack]

We want to embrace it. The problem is the city refuses to clean the area up. Homeless, pan-handlers, thieves, plague Atlanta. They only cared when the Olympics came here. You don't want to drive down there because there's a serious chance your window will be smashed in when you walk back out. Can't even walk from Westin Peachtree Plaza to the Aquarium without being harassed by motherfuckers asking for money, cigarettes, or trying to sell you stolen merchandise.

Been going to games around there for almost 30 years, and I've never encountered this. Then again, I just take MARTA in and don't worry about that stuff. In that regards, Atlanta is really no different than other big cities. Just don't park in one of those shady lots, and you'll be fine.

I've been to the Georgia Dome a half dozen times...I don't see why it needs to be replaced already.

Blank wants the Super Bowl to come back to Atlanta. Personally, I don't see why Blank didn't just renovate the hell out of the Dome for much less money. If they can still have the SB in the SuperDome in New Orleans, no reason it could be in a much more upscale dome. But it could be worse. It could be that Braves stadium which going to completely fuck up 285, 41, and 75 on game days with no real decent option for public transportation unlike Philips Arena or the Dome, replacing a stadium that's not even 20 years old.

 

[Pinchable Buttocks]

I like it.

 

[shira]

Those awful viewing angles for the upper monitors. Engineering fail. Design fail

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

Stadiums are not economic engines. It's a myth. Like the myth that the current location is dangerous. It's not and close enough to Marta. Having Marta has to be an option.

Atlanta ain't nothing but a bunch of pampered babies 2 to an suv scared of anything, willing to sit in traffic.

 

[Vanillalite]

We want to embrace it. The problem is the city refuses to clean the area up. Homeless, pan-handlers, thieves, plague Atlanta. They only cared when the Olympics came here. You don't want to drive down there because there's a serious chance your window will be smashed in when you walk back out. Can't even walk from Westin Peachtree Plaza to the Aquarium without being harassed by motherfuckers asking for money, cigarettes, or trying to sell you stolen merchandise.

Good lord, the hyperbole. This reads like something straight out of the comments section of AJC.com

I've been going to Falcons/Hawks games in that area since the 90's and never had any issues. And my car window has never been smashed in :lol


Eh, I can kinda understand it from the standpoint that the city wants to attract a Super Bowl again in the future. But yeah, I personally have no issues with the Georgia Dome and wasn't exactly crazy about replacing it. At least most of this stadium is being financed privately though, a greater proportion of private funds than what we're seeing with other new stadium projects.......such as with the Braves' new stadium. Now that's a stadium situation that deserves more scrutiny.

What? This has never happened to me despite visiting the Georgia Dome and World Congress Center several times per year for the past 11 years I've lived in Atlanta. Your description could apply to areas of any major city. Total BS.

Been going to games around there for almost 30 years, and I've never encountered this. Then again, I just take MARTA in and don't worry about that stuff. In that regards, Atlanta is really no different than other big cities. Just don't park in one of those shady lots, and you'll be fine.



Blank wants the Super Bowl to come back to Atlanta. Personally, I don't see why Blank didn't just renovate the hell out of the Dome for much less money. If they can still have the SB in the SuperDome in New Orleans, no reason it could be in a much more upscale dome. But it could be worse. It could be that Braves stadium which going to completely fuck up 285, 41, and 75 on game days with no real decent option for public transportation unlike Philips Arena or the Dome, replacing a stadium that's not even 20 years old.

It IS a not nice area, and I've had my car fucked with before.

That being said it's no different than any other big city.

Atl proper has done shit to clean up a ton of downtown despite repeated promises. This isn't exclusive to the area around the Falcon's stadium though.

 

[Violence Jack]

Atl proper has done shit to clean up a ton of downtown despite repeated promises. This isn't exclusive to the area around the Falcon's stadium though.

I can agree with some of that. Outside of avoiding traffic, the main reason I take MARTA to anything in that area is so that I don't have to deal with the area around the Dome. City government has been promising to clean up Vine City, the area around Turner Field, and the rest of that surrounding areas for decades now. They should treat it like they do the area behind the Dome where Philips Arena and the World Congress Center is.

 

[RBH]

 

[TheAbsolution]

The Georgia Dome has a better ring to it and I bet that's probably what people are gonna call it.

 

[RBH]

Now that the new Falcons stadium will officially be named for Mercedes-Benz, some fans are asking: What's going to happen to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans?

The duplication could create an odd situation: the Saints, the Falcons’ division rival in the NFC South, already have the automaker’s name on their stadium.

Mercedes-Benz became the title sponsor of the Superdome in 2011 by signing a reported 10-year contract. Officials acknowledge the arrangement isn't ideal, but it isn't too concerning: The Falcons won't play in their new stadium until 2017.

“When we made that deal, we had no idea we were going to move to Atlanta, had no idea all of this was in our future,” Steve Cannon, Mercedes-Benz USA president and CEO, said Monday. “We will deal with that when the time comes."

“Obviously, having two stadiums in the same division — you wouldn’t plan it that way," he continued. "But sometimes opportunities come in a way that is just too good to turn down.”

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/falcons-deal-whats-going-happen-saints-mercedes-be/nnQss/


So looks like there'll be that awkward overlap for 4 years, and then they won't renew their deal with the Superdome once 2021 comes around, in all likelihood.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Fly-Through: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj7NzATKyik

 

[RBH]

Fly-Through: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj7NzATKyik

Nice. The logo on the top of the roof actually works better than I expected.

 

[Mindlog]

The fly-through is impressive. Stadium has a lot of space for no new banners.

 

[spookyfish]

Open position looks like looking into raw, bloody ore-prolapse rectum...

I christen thee the Goatse Staudium~

"It's a nice day. Facilities Manager! Open the sphincter!"

 

[The Albatross]

Looks great, but assuming the "Star Lounge" is a corporate lounge area... Probably shouldn't be on the ground level where you can't see the game

2017 seems like a really aggressive timeline. Have they broken ground yet?

 

[TheAbsolution]

Looks great, but assuming the "Star Lounge" is a corporate lounge area... Probably shouldn't be on the ground level where you can't see the game

2017 seems like a really aggressive timeline. Have they broken ground yet?

Uh, yeah. They broke ground a year and a half ago.

 

[RBH]

Looks great, but assuming the "Star Lounge" is a corporate lounge area... Probably shouldn't be on the ground level where you can't see the game

2017 seems like a really aggressive timeline. Have they broken ground yet?

http://archives2.earthcam.com/archi...tlanta-stadium/mpa1///timelapse/timelapse.mp4

 

[BigMastadon]

I like the roof setup and think the whole thing looks good but that video circular board.. that looks horrendous.

Maybe seeing it after its built will be different but it just seems awkward.

(I'm a bears fan but appreciate new stadiums)

 

[Enron]

We want to embrace it. The problem is the city refuses to clean the area up. Homeless, pan-handlers, thieves, plague Atlanta. They only cared when the Olympics came here. You don't want to drive down there because there's a serious chance your window will be smashed in when you walk back out. Can't even walk from Westin Peachtree Plaza to the Aquarium without being harassed by motherfuckers asking for money, cigarettes, or trying to sell you stolen merchandise.

I used to work in this area and I walked everywhere during lunch and left my car parked in various places, none of this ever happened.

I admit its sketchy as fuck and yes, you will get harrassed but its not exactly murderville.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the name.

Still calling it the Stankonia Dome.

People on 680 were trying to come up with a fan nickname for it.

I kind of liked "The Blank Space" and the "BLANKHOLE"

 

[Nemesis121]

Love it, but really everything should have a retractable roof by now.

Wish the Giants and Jets think like this when they built Met Life Stadium together, they want PSL and yet let fans freeze in the winter..

 

[xbhaskarx]

Those awful viewing angles for the upper monitors. Engineering fail. Design fail

I like the roof setup and think the whole thing looks good but that video circular board.. that looks horrendous.

Maybe seeing it after its built will be different but it just seems awkward.

Either the circular video thing needs to be bigger, or it needs to be leaning downwards...