Atlanta wants a new NFL Stadium

[thelakelander]

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- It is only 14 years old and has played host to two Super Bowl games, the Olympics and multiple NCAA Final Fours, but in the estimation of Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, the Georgia Dome is a facility fast becoming obsolete.

That's especially true in a league where owners have relied increasingly on stadium-generated revenues to fund fat free agent contracts and to maintain competitive balance.

And so Blank, who first addressed his concerns about the Georgia Dome with an Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist earlier this week, elaborated further with ESPN.com on Thursday, and confirmed that he feels a new venue is ultimately necessary for him to keep pace with his NFL brethren.

When he purchased the Falcons in 2002, Blank inherited the lease arrangement negotiated by the Smith family, which formerly owned the team. That lease on the Georgia Dome, which is owned by the state and principally managed by the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC), essentially allows the Falcons to share in the facility's profits. At the time it was negotiated, it offered the franchise an opportunity to be profitable, which was not always the case when the Falcons played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. But the lease, especially over the last few years with the explosion in new stadiums around the NFL and the revenues they have meant to teams, is now outdated.

"We've got to have (a new stadium) to be able to compete. Under the current situation, we'll just keep spinning around in the third or fourth quartile (in terms of revenues), because of the limits of the lease. To get into that top quartile of teams in the league, up there with (franchises such as) Washington, New England, Jerry Jones in Dallas, it's going to take a new facility."
Arthur Blank, Falcons owner

The state does now permit the Falcons to manage and market the private suites and club seats, something the Georgia World Congress Center did in the past, but that still is not sufficient difference to move the team up the league's revenue chain.

Blank has invested heavily in player resources -- the contract extension to which he signed quarterback Michael Vick two years ago was a landmark deal, and the Falcons awarded defensive end John Abraham a six-year, $45 million contract after acquiring him in a trade this spring -- and emphasized he will continue to do so.

"That's our commitment to this team and it always will be," Blank said. "We don't scrimp on players."

To realize more return on his investment, though, Blank said a new facility is the best option. He would not, he said, attempt to move the team to the suburbs, and actually prefers that a new stadium be built near the current Georgia Dome site in downtown Atlanta. The area has made great progress in recent years in attracting visitors with venues such as Centennial Olympic Park, Philips Arena, and the new Georgia Aquarium, the brainchild of Blank's old Home Depot co-founder, Bernie Marcus.

The Falcons' lease at the Georgia Dome is tied to retirement of the bonds issued to fund it. And so the date is not a hard one. Original projections has the bonds being retired around 2011. But the state refinanced some elements of the Georgia Dome, and some estimate the bonds won't be retired until 2020. Blank said he feels a more realistic date is around 2015.

Blank said there has been considerable dialogue with state and GWCC officials about a new facility. He will not make any grandstand plays, like threatening to relocate the franchise, and reiterated the Falcons are committed to playing in the Georgia Dome for the term of the lease.

He also noted that he will maintain his pledge to fund the improvements projected for the building. When the city of Atlanta recently bid for two Super Bowl games, the costs for the upgrades were projected to be about $150 million. Even though Atlanta failed to land the championship games, Blank said the upgrades will move forward, and there could be an announcement as early as next week about them.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=378875

[Dapperdan]

What a crock. Will it never end? Why doesn't he fund the new stadium himself with his earnings from the franchise and lease the venue to the city when needed if it is that important? NFL owners tend to have a  stranglehold on their local municipalities when it comes to upgrades or so-called 'obsolet' venues. This just makes me sick when I read crap like this. Greedy, greedy, greedy. Thanks alot Dallas, New England and Washington.

[Coolyfett]

What a crock. Will it never end? Why doesn't he fund the new stadium himself with his earnings from the franchise and lease the venue to the city when needed if it is that important? NFL owners tend to have a  stranglehold on their local municipalities when it comes to upgrades or so-called 'obsolet' venues. This just makes me sick when I read crap like this. Greedy, greedy, greedy. Thanks alot Dallas, New England and Washington.

Hmm I'll be checking out the Georgia Dome soon. It didn't look to bad from the outside.

[jeh1980]

I don't get it.  What's wrong with the Georgia Dome. All it would need is a couple of wide screen jumbotrons like what we got!

[Keith-N-Jax]

This is dumb I have been in the Ga dome,dont see a reason y they need a new stadium

[Coolyfett]

I don't get it.  What's wrong with the Georgia Dome. All it would need is a couple of wide screen jumbotrons like what we got!

Maaaaan!! Nothing is wrong with the Georgia Dome!! I just don't get this. I mean its in a perfect location!! Its right in between the GWCC and Philips Arena! The local train station is right under the north end zone!! I can't wait to see a game there. The outside of the building is pink...Thats the only thing I would change. They just built the thing in 92. That makes it 3 years older then the Jax Stadium. Its not even 20 years old yet and its not shared with the Braves either. It was built exclusively for the Falcons...I hope this Arthur Blake guy doesn't start saying he is going to move the team. And if they do build a new one, build it in the same place the Georgia Dome is.

[Ocklawaha]

Come on down Mr. Blake, I'm sure Peyton and company could figure out how to incorporate the TOWN CENTER FALCONS into our plans... Wow what a cross town rivalry that would be. I can just see the headlines now, "Jaguars maul Falcons in Town Center Aviary Dome"... or.... "Falcons fly the coop as Jag's Leap into the air!"

Hey Phoenix has a dome that looks like a big silver rattlesnake. Maybe Atlanta could build one that looks like a giant pile of house trailers? Our's? Oh yeah, a dome that looks like a giant stuffed teal blue Jaguar... Fans enter at the paws, vips through the mouth and the visitors up the yazoo. Big screens on the top tip of the tail! Okay, enough Rebel Yell for one night...

Oh shit, they make it in Atlanta!

Ocklawaha

[Steve]

I see what Blank is saying, but I don't buy the new stadium.  Here's the back story.

When Jacksonville Municipal opened in 1995, it was truly a revolutionary stadium.  It had all sorts of built in revenue pockets, such as 10,000 club seats, a ton of Skyboxes, and a plethora of different sponsorship options.  It was perfect for a small market, and it allowed them to complete with the big boys in terms of revenue.

Fast forward to 2008.  Most owners have taken note of the Jack, and have either renovated their stadium or built a new one - even the classics like Solider Field and Lambeau have been renovated to add revenue pockets.  Thank God Jacksonville has those, or the Jags might already be gone.

Now, in Atlanta's case, it was built right before The Jack, so it has barely any of that.  MY question is whether or not the existing stadium could be renovated (I would think it could be).  With that said, if I'm the Mayor of Atlanta, I don't budge on this for a few reasons:

1. Atlanta has representatives from all four major sports.  Frankly, the Falcons have been the dogs of Atlanta for years.  The worst case scenario is that they move.  Fans would be hurt, but it's not like it would set them back at all.  Atlanta is in the press enough for other things (including the other three teams).

2.  Jacksonville doesn't have this luxury - we are a one team town.  Personally, I think it would be a bit devestating if the Jaguars left town.  Plus, there's not a lot right now that gets Jacksonville anything in regards to national exposure.