Falcons owner Arthur Blank boldly details new stadium plans
ATLANTA — Falcons owner Arthur Blank made a bold statement Wednesday morning about the downtown stadium that’s scheduled to open in 2017.
“Folks who have come in and studied our plans and what have you, from the NFL, who actually looked at stadiums and arenas around the world, believe it’s going to be the finest sports entertainment facility, not only in the United States, but you know, potentially in the world,” he told Atlanta magazine editor Steve Fennessy in an interview on stage at a charity breakfast.
Preliminary renderings show a stadium with a window to the Atlanta skyline and a roof that slides open to form an eight-pointed star. Documents handed out at Wednesday’s event describe a facility that will use captured rainwater to help grow organic produce for use in food service at games. The brochure says the stadium “will incorporate raised planter beds and edible landscaping, including berries and fruit trees.”
NEWCOMB: Inside the $1.2 billion stadium the Falcons will share with an MLS franchise
In addition to hosting the Falcons, the stadium will be home to a new Major League Soccer franchise that will begin play in 2017.
“We’re up to over 14,000 deposits on season-ticket holders already,” Blank said. “And that’s two-and-a-half years before we play, which is pretty impressive. MLS is shocked by that.”
MLS in Atlanta: The $1.2 billion stadium Blank's new team will share with the Falcons
