As the dog days of summer come to an end and kids go back to school, many local fans find their thoughts turning to football.  With the kick-off of the Falcons’ 50th season of professional football less than a month away, a sold-out crowd of Sandy Springs-Perimeter Chamber of Commerce members, local elected officials and other business leaders came together at Villa Christina Aug. 18 to hear a presentation by Atlanta Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay.  McKay, a 30-year NFL veteran and one of the league’s most decorated executives, gave the group an overview of how the Falcons’ new stadium continues to “Rise Up” downtown in preparation for a spring 2017 opening.

“At this point in time, the new stadium is about 30 percent complete and on target for its Spring 2017 opening,” said McKay.  “Thanks to the vision and leadership of team owner Arthur Blank, the stadium will quickly become America’s most iconic sports and entertainment venue.”

McKay, the son of the late legendary University of Southern California head football coach John McKay, is the only NFL executive to have led two successful stadium negotiations (Atlanta and Tampa Bay).  Now entering his 12^th season with Atlanta’s NFL franchise, McKay worked closely with Blank, the city of Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority to secure approval and financing for the new stadium project, a process he calls “a true example of a successful public private partnership”.

“The Atlanta Falcons had a lot of good years at the Georgia Dome,” said McKay.  “It was a state-of-the-art facility when the team began playing there in 1992, but now after almost 25 years, it was going to require a lot of costly upgrades to keep it competitive with other sports facilities.  After much study and lengthy discussions, it was determined that the best course of action would be to build a new stadium.  Mr. Blank had three key directives for this project.  First, he wanted the building to feature an iconic design.  Second, he wanted it to serve as the ultimate sports and entertainment facility in order to attract major sports events, and, finally, he wanted it to be built through strong public-private partnerships.”

The stadium’s dramatic design allows for an abundance of natural light, and the massive floor-to-ceiling “window to the city” on the building’s northeast corner will provide a sweeping view of Atlanta’s skyline for the fans.  The retractable roof includes eight movable sections which can be fully opened in just eight minutes.  McKay noted that Atlanta’s balmy climate will allow the roof to be open most of the time during football season.  The new stadium – which has yet to be officially named – was built to the highest level of LEED certification by the U.S. Green Buildings Council, and McKay pointed out that this achievement was accomplished solely through sustainable design and materials, and not by purchasing energy credits.

“Everything was designed with the customer in mind,” said McKay.  “One of the most impressive features is the 360-degree HD video halo board.  It’s almost five stories tall and is not only the largest video board in the NFL, but it’s the largest in the world, and will give every seat holder a unique camera view.  We’ve also greatly expanded the point of sale locations for our concessions.  We made sure there are amenities at every level, like the 100 Yard Bar on the upper level.  And, speaking of levels, the new structure will include twice as many elevators and escalators as the Dome had.”

McKay praised the facility’s downtown location.  “We have two MARTA stops nearby which was a tremendous factor when we chose the site.  There are over 10,000 hotel rooms within 1,000 steps of the stadium, not to mention the Georgia World Congress Center and museums and attractions like the Georgia Aquarium.  We plan to take the old Dome down and turn the land into a large grassed parking area so fans can enjoy the ultimate tailgate experience on game day.”

“But it’s not enough just to build an iconic stadium,” said McKay.  “Our organization, led by Arthur Blank, is committed to making a positive impact on the surrounding community.  Among the initiatives underway is a unique program called ‘Westside Works’ which provides training and services to adults to help them enter and/or advance in the workforce.”

McKay also spoke about the upcoming season.  “We are thrilled to have Dan Quinn with us as Head Coach, and we conducted a very thorough search to find him.  As you probably know, as Defensive Coordinator, Dan helped the Seattle Seahawks make it to the last two Super Bowls, winning Seattle’s first-ever World Championship in the 2013 season.   I can’t say enough about Falcons Quarterback Matt Ryan, either, who continues to excel with his skill and leadership.  When the Atlanta Falcons open this season’s Monday Night Football broadcast on Sept. 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles, fans will see the team play hard, fast and tough, and it should be a great season.”