Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
WWW.WIKIPEDIA.ORG TtMELINE PROPOSAL OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM Men:edeSrf Stadium - Wddpe<Hathe, free encyclopedia https:llen.wikipedia.orglwikiIMercedes-Benz_Stadium Coordinates: 33°45'19.30"N84°24'4.29"W Mercedes-Benz Stadium From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mercedes-Benz Stadiuml''l is an under-construction Mercedes-Benz Stadium retractable-roof, multi-purpose stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, that will serve as the home of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer (MLS). It is intended to replace the Georgia Dome, which has been the Falcons home stadium since 1992. The total cost is estimated at $1.4 billionJlO][ll] r-~-+---------------------- - Former New Atlanta Stadium (working names title) Contents Location Martin Luther King Jr Dr SW and Northside Dr NW • 1 Proposal timeline Atlanta, Georgia 30313 • 1.1 2010 (actual) • 1.2 2011 Coordinates 33°45'19.30''N 84°24'4.29"W • 1.3 2012 Owner Georgia World Congress Center • 1.4 2013 Authoritylll • 1.5 2014 • 1.6 2015 Operator Atlanta Falcons Football Club[1] • 2 Design Capacity 71,000 (expandable to 75,000 for • 3 Costs and funding Super Bowls and FIFA World Cup, • 4 Major events 83,000 for the NCAA Final Four • 5 See also and other events), 29,322 (MLS • 6 References configuration) • 7 Extemallinks Surface GreenFields USA [2] + Construction Proposal timeline Broke May 19,2014[3][4] ground 2010 Opened June 1,2017 (estimated) Construction $1.4 billion (projected) In May 2010, it was reported by multiple news outlets that the Atlanta Falcons were interested in demolishing cost the Georgia Dome and replacing it with a newly Architect HOK[5] constructed open-air stadiumJ12][13][l4] The team was tvsdesign[6] pursuing a new stadium because of the team's desire to Goode Van Slyke[6] play outdoors, as well as Falcons team owner Arthur Stanley Beaman & Sears[6] Blank's interest in hosting another Super Bowl.[l3] The Project Darden & Company [7] stadium was also pursued as a possible bid for a venue of manager an upcoming FIFA World CupPS] lof8 4/5/20164:21 PM MercedeslB~i Stadium- Wikipedia,the freeencyclopedia https:llen.wikipedia.orglwikilMercedes-Benz_Stadium I 2011 Structural Buro Happold/Hobermanlf engineer Kansas City-based architectural firm Populous released comprehensive plans for the proposed stadium in Services WSP[8] February 2011.£16]Populous' early cost estimate for the engineer project was $700 million.l! 7] According to the master General IDIRM N (ComprisingHunt plan, the stadium would have a maximum capacity of contractor ConstructionGroup,Holder 71,000, but can expand to 75,000 for special events such Construction,H. 1. Russell & Co. & as the Super Bowl. It will also feature multiple club C. D. Moody ConstructionCo.)[6] levels, suites and exhibition area.[16] Tenants 2012 Atlanta Falcons(NFL) (2017-) (planned) Atlanta UnitedFC (MLS) (2017-) (planned) In April 2012, Populous released a new price estimate of PeachBowl (NCAA)(2017-) $947.7 million, which was significantly higher than the (planned) 8 previous proposal of$700 million.p ] In April 2012, The Website Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that if a deal is reached, the new stadium's construction would be MercedesBenzStadium.com expected to begin in 2014, with the Falcons to begin (http://www.mercedesbenzstadium.com) regular-season play in 2017'p9][20] The proposed location---- -- ------------- - ------ of the new stadium is a large parking lot in Atlanta's Vine City neighborhood, which is less than a mile noJh of the Georgia Dome's current location.£11] Once construction is complete, the Georgia Dome would subsequently be demolished.[20] On August 24, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that an official deal could be reached on the construction of a new stadium by the end of 20 12.[22]They also reported on September 10 that Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed said site improvements could likely bump the total cost to $1.2 billion; however, that does not increase the actual building cost, which still remains at an estimated $948 million.£13] On IDecember 10, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, in a unanimous decision, approved the blue~rint and most of the agreement terms for the new stadium plans. According to The Atlanta Journal- Constitution article, the term sheet is non-binding and changes could be made at any time as regards stadium construction. Stadium location, however, is yet to be worked out; proposed locations being reported are within walking distance of the Georgia Dome, with one site located one-half mile north, and the other one block directly south, at the one of the stadium's existing parking lots.£14]The project made national headlines for the first time in 2012 on December 15, with team owner Arthur Blank stating in The New York Times that he would rather a new stadium be constructed than a "remodeling job" ofthe Georgia Dome.£15] 2013 During a January 10, 2013 press conference, Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed expressed his optimism and confidence in the construction of the new stadium; he also mentioned the possibility of the new stadium helping the city compete for its first Major League Soccer team.£16] onlMarch 7, 2013, the Atlanta Falcons and the city of Atlanta agreed to build the new downtown stadium. The maximum public contribution for the project is $200 million, coming from the hotel-motel tax in 20f8 4/5/20164:23 PM MercedesJB~Jz Stadium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia https:llen.wikipedia.orglwikilMercedes-Benz_Stadium I Atlanta and unincorporated Fulton County. The Atlanta City Council officially approved the stadium on March 19,2013. The council voted 11-4 in favor of the use of city hotel-motel taxes to pay $200 million toward construction costs and potentially several times that to\rard costs of financing, maintaining and operating the stadium thr0tIgh 2050P7] On May 21, 2013, the NFL approved a $200 million loan to the Falcons organization for the purpose of building the stadium. [28] ,.,"""'" Aerial photo showing land next to On June 18,2013, it was announced that the Falcons have completed Georgia Dome cleared for a full conceptual design of the proposed new stadium, and that they construction of the new stadium. have secured the initial approval to proceed with the schematic de~ign phase. According to Doug Farrar's Shutdown Corner, "The stadium will seat approximately 70,000 people, with 180 luxury suites and 7,500 club seats." The main ag~ncy involved will be 360 Architecture, partnered with three other architectural firms. The estimated cost of the facility is $1 billion. [29] 2014 Arthur Blank indicated the groundbreaking of the stadium would be conducted the last week of March 2014PO][31][32] Just after Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive was closed permanently, the Mount Vernon Baptist Church held its last Sunday service on March 9 before the historic church was demolished. Due to legal issues surrounding the issuing of bonds, the stadium did not break ground in March 2014P3] Instead the ground was officially broken in a ceremony led by Mayor Kasim Reed on May 19, 2014P4] 2015 In a live broadcast on August 24, 2015, owner Arthur Blank announced that the new title ofthe stadium would be Mercedes-Benz Stadium. A new logo was also introduced. Mercedes-Benz CEO Steve Cannon also spoke at the event about the .{ company's corporate move from New Jersey to Atlanta. Other ••.••--.-...'CO• .. speakers included Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. Construction site in November, 2015. Design The winning design, submitted by HOK,C35]featured an eight-panel retractable roof that resembles a pinwheel, and a glass wall that opens with the roof, to allow in fresh airP6] The roof design included eight triangular translucent panels, that when open would create the illusion of a bird's wings extended. Surrounding the opening of the roof would be a halo video board that will enclose the playing surface, stretching from one of the 10 yard lines to the other and then curving around the end zones to complete the oval.[37] In January 2015, the Falcons announced the hiring of Daktronics, a South Dakota-based firm, to build the 30f8 4/5/20164:24 PM MercedeslB~~z Stadium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia https:llen.wikipedia.orgiwikilMercedes-Benz_Stadium I stadium's electronics display. The announced features include a circular 58-foot-by-l,100-foot circular LED board that would ring the opening of the stadium's roof, and would be "three times as large as the current largest single display board in the NFL" installed at EverBank Field in Jacksonville (also built by Daktronics). In addition, the company plans to install more than 20,000 square feet of other LED boards, including field-level advertising boards for soccer gamesJ38] Animation showing the operation of the pinwheel-shaped roof The venue will include a 100-yard bar that will stretch the length of the football field in the upper concourse, along with a fantasy foor?alliounge and premium club seating at field level, behind the teams benchesp9] Arl1ptect Bill Johnson said the circular opening in the roof was inspired by the Roman Pantheon ("Pantheon" was also the working name for the building design). The roof was designed to be made of a clear, lightweight polymer material that can adjust its opacity to control light, and much of the exterior will be clear polymer or glass Artist's rendering showing the ring of to allow views to the outside. The middle concourse and upper bowl LCD screen in action were eliminated in the east end zone to allow for an unobstructed view of the Atlanta skyline.