Arthur Blank’s new $1.5 billion Atlanta sports cathedral, Mercedes-Benz stadium is now complete.
Aside from a few wall coverings and floor polish that will be added over the next few weeks, the stadium is ready to host its first event; an Atlanta Falcons preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals Aug. 26.
The stadium’s unique retractable roof, which is the first of its kind, should be operational sometime before the end of the NFL season.
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On Aug. 15, the stadium was opened up for a media tour that included the AJT.
Take a look at the impressive stadium that will soon host the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United as well as a score of other events throughout the year.
Hungarian artist Gabor Miklos Szoke created this eye catching 42-foot-tall stainless steel falcon which sits at the northeastern entrance of the stadium.
The view from the upper level. The stadium’s Halo Board is the largest video board in U.S. Sports and is 58 feet tall, 1,100 feet around and covers 63,800 square feet.
Almost all of the seats at Mercedes-Benz Stadium measure 21 inches wide. The seats at the Georgia Dome were 19 inches wide. There is also more depth between seats for more legroom and wider aisles than what fans had at the dome.
Seen from the field, the stadium’s “Mega Column” measures 101 feet tall by 71 feet wide and can be used like a regular video board.
A display on the lower level honors Georgia’s rich history of high school football.
The 50 yard line on the field with the Falcons’ logo right behind.
The stadium’s massive Mercedes-Benz logo on the roof is visible from the field. According to AMB Group CEO Steve Cannon, it is the largest commercial logo in the world.
The 100 Yard Club on the stadium’s upper level boasts 100 yards of bars, concessions and Falcons themed displays. It is the most heavily Falcons themed area in the entire stadium.
The stadium’s lone Chick-Fil-A concession stand may be closed on Sundays but award-winning chef, Kevin Gillespie has opened a concession stand on the 200 concourse that serves a COS (closed on Sunday) chicken sandwich. It’s his gourmet take on Chick-Fil-A’s signature sandwich.
Atlanta United have their own locker room inside the stadium.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium has three football locker rooms including the Falcons’ lockers, which will only be used by the team.
The showers inside the Falcons’ locker room.
The hydrotherapy spa inside the Falcons’ locker room is built to handle multiple Falcons offensive and defensive lineman.
A look inside of the newly completed Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The venue will host its first event on Aug. 26 when the Falcons face the Arizona Cardinals in preseason play.
Photos by David R. Cohen
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