Monday November 20th, 2017 the Georgia dome is set for implosion after 25 years of hosting the Atlanta Falcons. Two NFL Super bowls, multiple SEC college football championship games and the 1996 summer Olympic games are just a few of the memories fans will have and cherish over the past 24 years. Many Georgians will soon forget the big brown dome as the new Mercedes Benz Stadium sits less than a mile from the demolition spot. Now more than ever people will be attending the new stadium for an array of events and sports gambling in Georgia.
Last year was a good year for Atlanta, the Falcons had the #1 offense in the NFL and first year coach Dan Quinn took his team all the way to Super bowl 51. Although in the end they gave up the biggest comeback win in Super bowl history to lose 34 – 28, many Georgians were just happy to see one of their teams close to winning something since the `95 Atlanta Braves won the World Series.
The Falcons had a chance to bring home a Super bowl but fell just short as Tom Brady and the New England Patriots played a perfect second half of football. Many people argue that they were as close as a first down away from Super bowl rings. One field goal or one first down in the second half could have solidified a victory for the Falcons but that wasn’t the way things played out.
This year it’s all about the new stadium and getting the Falcons and fans back to the playoffs. The new Mercedes Benz stadium is estimated to of cost the state of Georgia about 1.6 billion and features a retractable roof and an expandable seating capacity from 71,000 to 83,000 seats if needed. The new stadium is also home of the Atlanta United American Soccer franchise, so during the season it is a very busy stadium bringing in thousands of spectators on any given event night.
Arthur Blank is the current owner of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United and since day one he has been a huge part of getting this retractable dome constructed for his teams and the Atlanta fans.
The Falcons last game at the Georgia dome was January 22, 2017 in the 2016 NFC conference championship game between the Falcons and the Packers. The Packers were slightly favored but Atlanta went on to win 44-21 and later Dan Quinn stated in some form that they could feel the energy from the fans from over the past 25 years in the stadium and that it was only fitting for the last game to be a win for the Falcons in an NFC championship game.
The game was a big win for Atlanta and the stadium as it took the Falcons to their first Super bowl since their only other appearance and pervious loss in 1998. History would tell you not to bet on the Falcons in the Super bowl but every now and then a team comes along that can re-write history. With the new stadium, a great owner and the fans filling up the seats again, it’s out with the old and in with the new Atlanta Falcons.