Wow Georgia Dome

[JarHeadJim]

This is what we need!
http://gamedayr.com/gamedayr/new-atlanta-falcons-stadium-design-renderings/

 

[Tom Frey]

ya but do they have pee troughs.

 

[NKR1978]

This is what we need!
http://gamedayr.com/gamedayr/new-atlanta-falcons-stadium-design-renderings/

Love those designs. New football stadium designs are infinitely better than the architecturally boring old timey crap we've gotten for baseball since Camden Yards opened with the exception of the Marlins.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[orangeinjersey]

Opened in 1992, and they want to tear it down already? Is this being publicly funded? WHat a colossal waste of money.

 

[Todd Gack]

Opened in 1992, and they want to tear it down already? Is this being publicly funded? WHat a colossal waste of money.

From the article:

The stadium itself will cost an estimated $1 billion, with $800 million coming from owner Art Blank and the NFL and another $200 million coming from the city of Atlanta in the form of a hotel-motel tax dollars.​

 

[wfschrec]

From the article:

The stadium itself will cost an estimated $1 billion, with $800 million coming from owner Art Blank and the NFL and another $200 million coming from the city of Atlanta in the form of a hotel-motel tax dollars.​

None of the residents here are too happy about it either ... in an open vote the public funding portion was shot down initially ... a lot of people here don't want to pay for it.

 

[JoeCollege]

None of the residents here are too happy about it either ... in an open vote the public funding portion was shot down initially ... a lot of people here don't want to pay for it.

Good. I wish they'd shoot it down again. Average citizens and cash-strapped municipalities should not be forced to fund billion dollar stadiums for billionaire owners to place millionaire players in when those same cities have police cars and ambulances that barely function, schools with leaky roofs, and a host of other issues that would be better recipients of public funds.

Pro sports franchises, like all businesses, should be self-sustaining or go under.

 

[wfschrec]

Good. I wish they'd shoot it down again. Average citizens and cash-strapped municipalities should not be forced to fund billion dollar stadiums for billionaire owners to place millionaire players in when those same cities have police cars and ambulances that barely function, schools with leaky roofs, and a host of other issues that would be better recipients of public funds.

Pro sports franchises, like all businesses, should be self-sustaining or go under.

There are still a lot of unknowns with regards to the new stadium ... there was a lot of discussion about where it should reside ... they were talking about placing it on the north side of the perimeter which would create a traffic nightmare like no other and add an additional tax burden on Cobb County residents ... a lot of angry people out there when you bring up this topic.

 

[Timonen]

Opened in 1992, and they want to tear it down already? Is this being publicly funded? WHat a colossal waste of money.

eh, I'll be the contrarian here (a vested contrarian since the dome is a short hop across the park from my office). lifespan for modern stadiums is ~30 years. starting to get plans in place at 20 actually seems prudent and a useful way to avoid the "build a new one or we're leaving" stuff that happens if the discussion is put off until near the end.

 

[wfschrec]

eh, I'll be the contrarian here (a vested contrarian since the dome is a short hop across the park from my office). lifespan for modern stadiums is ~30 years. starting to get plans in place at 20 actually seems prudent and a useful way to avoid the "build a new one or we're leaving" stuff that happens if the discussion is put off until near the end.

Which isn't a big deal when the economy isn't in the toilet ... now is not a good time to worry about a new stadium ... at 25 years then I would start poking the bear.

 

[Timonen]

well, the falcons are a business and their economy ISN'T in the toilet. they're the ones prompting the discussion. why would they hold off? the bottom line is that the city will be commited to not losing them, so why not work together and just get it done?

 

[Scooch]

eh, I'll be the contrarian here (a vested contrarian since the dome is a short hop across the park from my office). lifespan for modern stadiums is ~30 years. starting to get plans in place at 20 actually seems prudent and a useful way to avoid the "build a new one or we're leaving" stuff that happens if the discussion is put off until near the end.

Why is a lifespan for a new stadium 30 years? What kind of shoddy construction is going on? Is there any other kind of major structure that has such a relatively short lifespan? Office buildings, houses, bridges, tunnels... all of those are expected to be maintained and least 2-3X of that.

I was at the Georgia Dome for the Final 4 and it seemed perfectly fine. My guess is that this is the usual case of sports owner greed. At least it sounds like Blank is funding the vast majority of it. Generally speaking I think a deal where the owner does that, and the state chips in for infrastructure improvements on a new site, can be palatable.

 

[Timonen]

Why is a lifespan for a new stadium 30 years? What kind of shoddy construction is going on? Is there any other kind of major structure that has such a relatively short lifespan? Office buildings, houses, bridges, tunnels... all of those are expected to be maintained and least 2-3X of that.

Offices, bridges, tunnels, etc are commodities. even houses are built with the expectation that they will outlive the tennants. there's not another tennant that can move into a football stadium. a stadium's ability to maximize revenue (and team performance) relates to designs, ammenities, sellability, etc.. i completely agree that the GA dome doesn't scream "archaic" like the Vet, Riverfront, 3 Rivers, etc did at their end...but it's realistic that it might in 10 years. If Arthur Blank's business plan says "if we build x, we can sell y (plus meet modern customer experience needs, make the team more attractive to FAs, etc)", then so be it. Let the parties do business and it'll work out.

 

[Moontan]

Two things:

1. Arthur Blank's revenue stream from stadium operations (e.g. suites/boxes) is not like that of other franchises. (You'd think there could be a way to restructure that.)

2. NFL officials have told local officials that Atlanta will not be selected to host another Super Bowl unless there's a new stadium.

 

[Scooch]

Offices, bridges, tunnels, etc are commodities. even houses are built with the expectation that they will outlive the tennants. there's not another tennant that can move into a football stadium. a stadium's ability to maximize revenue (and team performance) relates to designs, ammenities, sellability, etc.. i completely agree that the GA dome doesn't scream "archaic" like the Vet, Riverfront, 3 Rivers, etc did at their end...but it's realistic that it might in 10 years. If Arthur Blank's business plan says "if we build x, we can sell y (plus meet modern customer experience needs, make the team more attractive to FAs, etc)", then so be it. Let the parties do business and it'll work out.

I'm fine with all of that. My point was that there is no hard ceiling on the lifespan of a sports facility. The Georgia Dome doesn't "need" to be razed and rebuilt. Arthur Blank "wants" to. That's fine, but let's not pretend its a need instead of a want.

 

[Moontan]

The Georgia Dome doesn't "need" to be razed and rebuilt. Arthur Blank "wants" to. That's fine, but let's not pretend its a need instead of a want.

Yup.

Arthur Blank wants to generate more revenue from stadium operations and the city wants to host more Super Bowls.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

I know we're talking ancient history now, but the stadium was fine back in 2000 for the SuperBowl. The main problems during that SB were the ice storms and Ray Lewis.

 

[Timonen]

I'm fine with all of that. My point was that there is no hard ceiling on the lifespan of a sports facility. The Georgia Dome doesn't "need" to be razed and rebuilt. Arthur Blank "wants" to. That's fine, but let's not pretend its a need instead of a want.

of course you're right. when i meant lifespan, i suppose that means "time spent before trading up for lots of reasons", not "time spent before structurally unsound."

 

[Scooch]

Yup.

Arthur Blank wants to generate more revenue from stadium operations and the city wants to host more Super Bowls.

Having both been to the Georgia Dome and the Super Dome in New Orleans this year, what is the NFL's rationale for demanding a new stadium in Atlanta in order to host more Super Bowls? They seemed like rather similar facilities.

 

[All4SU]

Love it. Make the center construction a tent-like structure that can open up, and you have it knocked.

 

[Eric15]

Opened in 1992, and they want to tear it down already? Is this being publicly funded? WHat a colossal waste of money.

That was my first impression, as well. If only there was a way to divert all that money and use it to upgrade and modernize Atlanta's lousy mass-transit system.

 

[Moontan]

Having both been to the Georgia Dome and the Super Dome in New Orleans this year, what is the NFL's rationale for demanding a new stadium in Atlanta in order to host more Super Bowls? They seemed like rather similar facilities.

That's what Roger Goodell told Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed in November 2010. They're apparently infatuated with the thought of an open air stadium.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

That was my first impression, as well. If only there was a way to divert all that money and use it to upgrade and modernize Atlanta's lousy mass-transit system.

I thought MARTA was Smarta?!

 

[OttoMets]

Having both been to the Georgia Dome and the Super Dome in New Orleans this year, what is the NFL's rationale for demanding a new stadium in Atlanta in order to host more Super Bowls? They seemed like rather similar facilities.

Not to sound crass, but New Orleans kind of lucked out when Katrina and associated events wrecked the Dome. It got extensively renovated then - it's more like a 2006 building than a 1970-whatever building.

But it's totally sick that anyone in Atlanta will stand for such a thing. Just wasteful, on an enormous scale.

 

[Timonen]

But it's totally sick that anyone in Atlanta will stand for such a thing. Just wasteful, on an enormous scale.

eh, everything the govt does here is wasteful on an enormous scale. this is actually something tangible that brings enjoyment to folks and notoriety to the area. i take stupid spending as a given. if it can be funneled towards sports instead of a lot of other nonsense (since it ain't going to debt reduction, lower taxes or anything else that i'd actually like) i'll roll with it and focus on the upside.