$1.2B ATLANTA FALCONS, MLS STADIUM BREAKS GROUND

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons, along with representatives from the NFL, Major League Soccer (MLS) and the city and state government, broke ground on the new $1.2 billion stadium in downtown Atlanta. The multi-purpose project is set to open in 2017. The groundbreaking ceremony included a pyrotechnic display and a screening of a 3D movie. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, along with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, MLS commissioner Don Garber and Georgia World Congress Center Authority executive director Frank Poe drove shovels into the ground during the ceremony. 360 Architecture designed the 1.8 million-square-foot stadium, which will accommodate seating for 71,000 guests and feature a retractable roof and an open-air concourse. The stadium will host Atlanta Falcons football games, soccer games of Atlanta’s new MLS team, concerts and other events. The city of Atlanta hopes for the stadium to attract world-class sporting events to the city, such as the Super Bowl and the FIFA World Cup.