The Georgia World Congress Center Authority and Atlanta Falcons worked toward an agreement for a new retractable roof stadium to be built on the Georgia World Congress Center campus. Scheduled to open for the 2017 NFL season, Mercedes-Benz Stadium will serve as the home of the Atlanta Falcons in addition to other sports, convention and entertainment events currently held at the Georgia Dome and other new marquee events that could be hosted in the future. As Mercedes-Benz Stadium continues to rise at its location just south of the Georgia Dome, follow the progress and major milestones along the way.
The Georgia World Congress Center Authority and Atlanta Falcons agree to a term sheet that provides the basic business framework for the next step of reaching a binding memorandum of understanding.
The Georgia World Congress Center Authority and Atlanta Falcons select five finalists for Architectural Services on the proposed new stadium project. Finalists, in alphabetical order include:
Each finalist prepares a Design Services Proposal and formal presentation that includes their vision of the first conceptual designs for the project.
Representatives of the Falcons, Georgia World Congress Center Authority, Mayor’s office and business/civic groups meet with the Finance Executive Committee of the Atlanta City Council for the purpose of explaining the need and financial structure of a new stadium for the city, and to answer their questions.
Kansas City based architecture firm, 360 Architecture is formally approved as the lead design firm for the new Atlanta stadium.
Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay discusses the club’s vision for the new stadium with season ticket holders at the annual State of the Franchise event held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
NFL owners approve a $200 million loan for construction of a new stadium in Atlanta.
The Atlanta Falcons finalize an Equal Business Opportunity Plan related to the design and construction of the new stadium.
360 Architecture selects three Atlanta-based firms, pending final contracts, to partner in the design of the new stadium in Atlanta. The three firms – Goode Van Slyke Architecture (GVSA), Stanley Beaman & Sears, and tvsdesign – each bring unique skills to the table.
The Atlanta Falcons announce the completion of a conceptual design of the new Atlanta stadium and plans to immediately move into the schematic design phase of the project. These actions follow conceptual design approval earlier in the day by the Georgia World Congress Center Board of Governors, as required by the new stadium memorandum of understanding (MOU).The conceptual design is intended to begin to define stadium configuration, scale and relationship of the project components. The schematic design phase of the project will further develop the conceptual design.
Key members of the new stadium project team participate in the Second Annual Back to Business Conference, hosted by Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell in partnership with the U.S. General Services Administration.
This free conference seeks to expand opportunities for small businesses by providing the opportunity for small business owners to gain industry training and network with representatives of key businesses in the city, as well as local, state and federal agencies.
The Holder-Hunt-Russell-Moody Joint Venture (HHRM JV) website goes live. The site provides a portal that subcontractors and individual job seekers can use to find opportunities on the New Stadium Project (NSP).
The congregation of Mount Vernon Baptist Church votes 116 to 16 to accept the $14.5 million offer from the City of Atlanta, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority and the Atlanta Falcons organization to sell their historic property on the northeast corner of Northside Drive and Martin Luther King Drive.
Parishioners at Friendship Baptist Church overwhelmingly agree to sell their historic house of worship on the southeast corner of Northside Drive and Martin Luther King Drive for $19.5 million to make room for the new Atlanta stadium.
The Atlanta Falcons unveil new design concept photos and video animations. The potential versatility of the facility, which can take on various looks by changing the color palette of accent and ambient lighting, highlights this latest round of renderings from the 360 Architecture-led design team.
The Atlanta Falcons officially announce their choice of a site for the new $1 billion stadium: the spot just south of the Georgia Dome long preferred by the city and state. The Falcons’ declaration comes on the eve of the contractual deadline for determining the site and more than a week after the choice became apparent when two churches agreed to sell their properties to make room for the stadium on the south-of-the-Dome location
The Atlanta Falcons unveil a new round of design concepts, showing the latest refinements in the innovative roof and video board design, as well as a detailed cut-away view of the seating bowl.
Holder Hunt Russell and Moody (HHRM) releases a construction mitigation plan on traffic, the neighboring properties and businesses surrounding the new stadium during construction. The plan describes the stages of construction activity and assesses potential impacts expected during the construction process.
The Georgia World Congress Center Authority Board of Governors unanimously approves the complete schematic drawings and a preliminary budget of $1.2 billion for the new stadium project.
The Atlanta Falcons release 17 new design concepts, including several aerial views of the stadium site and an artist’s rendering of the outdoor fan plaza on the northeast side of the new stadium.
The Atlanta Falcons announce the hire of Scott Jenkins as general manager of the new Atlanta stadium, which will be operated by a division of AMB Sports & Entertainment Group.
The Atlanta Falcons officially break ground on the new stadium construction project.
The NCAA announced that Atlanta was awarded the men’s Final Four basketball tournament. The new Atlanta stadium, scheduled to open in 2017, will play host to college basketball’s signature event in 2020. The 2020 event marks the fifth time Atlanta has hosted the men’s Final Four, which was also played here in 1977, 2002, 2007 and 2013.
AMB Group, LLC Chairman, President and CEO Arthur M. Blank announced the appointment of Mike Egan as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the company effective January 5, 2015. Egan’s legal responsibilities will span all of the AMB Group companies. In addition to his legal duties, Egan will serve as operational executive of the new Atlanta stadium construction project, representing the interests of Atlanta Falcons Stadium Company.
During the month of December, workers continued the installation of the Concourse 01 elevated deck on the West, East and North sides of the project, poured the foundation slab for the retention vault on the Southwest corner and completed the shot-crete shoring wall on the Southeast corner of the site.
Club seat PSL sales will commence on January 12 in connection with the start of the relocation process for current Georgia Dome club seat holders into seats in the new stadium beginning in 2017.
In a brand-new fly-through video of the New Atlanta Stadium, viewers are taken on a unique tour in point-of-view fashion beginning one mile above the stadium’s circular retractable roof and through many of the stadium’s key areas. From the club seating and suites to the general concourse and plaza spaces, viewers have the opportunity to see the stadium through a new perspective.
The Atlanta Falcons today announced that Daktronics (NASDAQ-DAKT) of Brookings, South Dakota has been selected to build a never-been-done-before circular LED video display for the new Atlanta stadium. Totaling approximately 63,800 square feet, this non-traditional LED video display will be more than five stories high and three times as large as the current largest single display board in the NFL.
The beginning of the new year brought the completion of the shallow foundation work and progress continued on the pouring the concrete for the elevated deck for Councourse 01 and 02 on the West, East and North areas. Workers also continued the rough-in of deep underground utilities and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing on the West and East Areas and continued the installation of the water detention vault walls and columns. This month construction started on the formation of the lower suites and seating rakers, and the site grading work for the new parking garage began.
IBM and AMB Sports & Entertainment (AMBSE) announced a strategic partnership to develop a game-changing fan experience at the state-of-the-art new Atlanta stadium set to open in 2017.
This will enable AMBSE to provide highly advanced, interactive technologies for sporting events including Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer Atlanta games as well as concerts and other marquee events.
During February 2015, workers continued the pouring of elevated decks on the West, East and North sides of the site, while the lower suite concrete raker beams began to form on the West side.
Work also continued on the deep underground utilities and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough-in on both the West and East sides of the site.
The last pour of the concrete top slab for the underground stormwater vault on the west side of the site was also completed this month (as seen on the right corner of the site in the image below).
During March of 2015, the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) underground work and concrete slab-on-grade preparation began on the west side.
Progress also continued on the concrete formwork and reinforcement steel from the upper suite level to concourse 3 as well as the elevated concrete work above the field level on the south side.
Also on the South side, the second lift of the mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls at the new roadways continued.
There has also been continued work on the new parking deck test piles and deep foundations.
During April 2015, the shallow foundation for new gate D plaza concrete staircase was finished. The installation of the auger cast foundation piles for the new parking deck and elevated plaza continued as well as the continued pouring of concrete on the west side and on the elevated decks and columns on all sides of the stadium. Masonry work for the Georgia Power vault has been initiated and preparation of the lower suite concrete rakers beams for the structural precast installation also started on the west side.
Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) announced it will be one of the 14 founding partners of the new Atlanta stadium set to open in 2017. The agreement continues a multi-year relationship between the global consumer and business information solutions leader and the Atlanta Falcons, and underscores the company’s investment in the Atlanta community, where Equifax is headquartered.
Since breaking ground on May 19, 2014, incredible progress has been made on the new Atlanta stadium. Staying on schedule to successfully open in March of 2017 requires intense focus, organization and teamwork according to Bill Darden, president of Darden & Company, the developer’s representative firm overseeing all of the design and construction activity on the new stadium project.
During the month of May, workers continued the pouring of the concrete elevated decks and columns, as well as the pouring and preparation for the concrete slab-on-grade, on all sides of the stadium. Work also began on erecting the structural precast concrete stadia on the lower suite and concourse 2 levels. This month also marked the beginning of installation of architectural panels on the exterior of the southwest face and the installation of the administrative level steel framework.
This month workers continued the installation of the fire protection, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough-ins throughout the stadium and railing for the new precast stairs at the Georgia Dome Gate D. Installation also continued on the roadway’s mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall, gravity wall and storm water line.
Atlanta Falcons representatives today presented to the Georgia World Congress Center Authority Board for approval of the personal seat license (PSL) marketing plan for reserve seats in the new Atlanta stadium. Reserve seats include all seats excluding suite and club seats. PSLs are a one-time fee for seat ownership rights and a common form of financing for building new stadiums or undergoing large-scale renovations of sporting venues.
In February 2014, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) appointed Atlanta Falcons Stadium Company as the GWCCA’s exclusive agent and sales representative for the marketing and sale of PSLs in the new stadium. All proceeds from the sale of PSLs will be applied to the development and construction of the new Atlanta stadium.
Several aspects of the new Atlanta stadium construction continued during the month of June. The elevated concrete decks and columns on all sides of the stadium are continuing to be poured as well as the concrete “slab-on-grade” on the north side of the structure. The precast concrete stadia bowl seating on the lower/upper suites and concourse 2 levels which will eventually house seating continued to be erected this month along with the masonry block walls at the field level corridors.
The installation of many aspects of the stadium continued as well including the architectural precast panels at the exterior of the stadium, the auger cast piles and shallow foundations at the northeast plaza, the Dome-Gate D precast stair railings and the third lift of the roadway’s mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall.
Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Dan Quinn and Owner and Chairman Arthur Blank get a behind-the-scenes tour of the new Atlanta stadium construction site and glimpse the progress that has been made in just over a year.
During the month of July, the installation of the drywall framing, glass and glazing work began along with the installation of the exterior masonry block wall, while the interior block work was continued. Workers continued the pouring of the elevated concrete decks and columns on all side of the stadium and the “slab on grade” concrete on the southeast side. This month, work has continued to be made on erecting the structural precast stadia seating at concourses two and three and in the lower and upper suite levels, and the the exterior facade steel and architectural precast panels have continued going up. This month also marked the completion of the installation of the precast components for the new parking garage.
AMB Sports & Entertainment (AMBSE) today announced Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) will be the naming partner of the new Atlanta stadium, now officially named Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The agreement, which continues through 2042, includes official naming rights and other partnership benefits. The Mercedes-Benz brand will be prominent inside and outside the building, including on the roof; in plaza areas; on directional, on-field and tunnel signage; in club areas; in VIP parking and entrance areas; on the first-of-its-kind video halo board; and in additional areas.
