Falcons: Falcons vow to be in new stadium by 2017

[RFlagg]

Link

Quote:The Atlanta Falcons will consider moving to the suburbs if the team does not get a new $1 billion downtown stadium built by 2017, a team executive told a packed City Council meeting on Wednesday.

"We would have no choice but to consider pursuing another option in metro Atlanta" if negotiations break down, Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay said. "Please don’t let anybody say that’s a threat. No, that’s just a reality of what we have to do as our lease is about to end."

While it wasn’t the first time the team had expressed that position, McKay’s reiteration was significant given events of recent weeks, as the proposal for a new stadium built with partial public funding encountered political opposition.

"We could do it (build a new stadium) for a lot less cost (elsewhere). That would not be our first choice," McKay told a gallery of council members and citizens, adding that he was relaying the sentiments of Falcons owner Arthur Blank. "We think (downtown) is where the deal should be done, but it is our intent to play in a new stadium in 2017."

McKay rejected the idea of making extensive repairs and renovations to the Georgia Dome, calling them a "short-term solution." He said it would not make any sense for the Falcons to stay in the Dome past 2017, when the team’s lease could expire.

During a public comment period, several residents said they opposed any use of public money to build a new stadium.

Others complained of what they called a lack of transparency as the Falcons and state officials hammered out various proposals behind closed doors. Still others said that, if a new stadium is built, it must help improve the struggling neighborhoods around it in a way that the current dome never has.

The Falcons late last year reached a non-binding agreement with the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, which owns the Dome, on a plan to replace the team’s current home with a retractable roof stadium nearby. The team would pay more than two-thirds of the construction cost.

But the proposal to use $300 million in state-issued bonds for the remaining portion ran into political trouble at the state Capitol, where legislators would have had to approve.

In recent weeks Mayor Kasim Reed and the city have taken a leading role in trying to keep the project on track and devise alternate financing. Wednesday’s hearing - and another planned for next week - grew out of those efforts.

Duriya Farooqui, the city’s chief operating officer, said the terms now under consideration - which include bonds issued by the city’s development authority, rather than the state - would be a good deal for Atlanta taxpayers. Reed has said he would seek a vote in the City Council for any stadium financing.

The bonds would be backed with hotel-motel tax money, paid mostly by people from outside Georgia, she said.

"There are a slew of benefits that should be considered" in a new stadium, including tax revenue and national and international recognition, Farooqui said. Marquee sporting events "are so sought after, and the competition is so cutthroat, that if you don’t have a facility that is competitive, we as the city of Atlanta will not be able to compete for them," she said.

Farooqui said new stadiums in Houston, Phoenix, Indianapolis and Arlington, Tex. were paid for with more public money than is being contemplated in Atlanta. They involved increases in sales taxes, hotel taxes, parking taxes, ticket surcharges and other levies, she said.

"For the residents of the city of Atlanta, we want to be clear that the discussion today has no bearing on property taxes or any increase in taxes that would be applied," Farooqui said.

Under the latest plan the upfront public contribution to construction would be cut to $200 million, and the bonds would be issued by Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development agency.

Brian McGowan, president of Invest Atlanta, said bonds would not be backed by the city’s general fund, and would not jeopardize Atlanta’s credit rating or ability to issue other bonds for expensive projects.

Several speakers were skeptical about projections of what it would cost to maintain and repair the 21-year-old Georgia Dome. Those needs have been cited by backers of a new stadium.

In recent interviews with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Reed said the Dome would need up to $350 million in work over the next five to seven years - more than the upfront public investment being considered for the new facility.

"Every time I hear the repair number for the Dome, it goes up," said Councilwoman Yolanda Adrean, who represents part of Buckhead.

Robin Gagnon, a resident of Castleberry Hill, said the neighborhood near the Dome has been disenfranchised in the stadium debate and wants a voice. She quoted from a petition circulating in the community: "We feel the process is proceeding without our neighborhood’s vital and concerned input."

Also on Wednesday, City Councilman Ivory Lee Young Jr. presented a thick stack of documents detailing what residents of nearby communities want from a new stadium.

Among the requests: better parking enforcement, job training and jobs inside the stadium, millions of dollars for a housing trust fund that could help rehabilitate homes, repairs for the crumbling Herndon Stadium at Morris Brown College and a pedestrian promenade from the Vine City Walmart to Centennial Olympic Park.

"The community has a long list," Young said. "The community deserves a hearing."

McKay said in an interview with the AJC after the meeting that the Falcons have not pursued any deals or sites in the suburbs. He said team owner Arthur Blank’s direction for 3 1/2 years has been "we need to make this work downtown if we can."

Whatever happens, McKay said the Falcons won’t consider a move outside metro Atlanta. "That’s not who Arthur Blank is," he said. "This will be a metro Atlanta stadium."

Blank is on the board of directors of Cox Enterprises, whose media holdings include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

[Beef]

I just love how the people in the neighborhoods surrounding the Dome are demanding funds. Like Why? Why the fuck do you deserve money from this project to fix up your neighborhood? How about you create a freaking neighborhood association and pay for thie shit yourself like everybody else does? I live in a 1500 home neighborhood and pay $1000 a year in dues and our landscaping and sidewalks look tremendous along with our clubhouse and pools.

But this is the mentality of the kind of people who live downtown. Gimme gimme gimme. Where are my handouts. Where is my government free shit. Somebody else has to be responsible for this. It certainly isn't going to be us. We live in a world where the government taxes everybody so we can benefit. Whoe is us. We have been dealt a bad hand that's not our fault and its impossible to get out from under this because we're being held down by the descendants of plantation slave owners still.

Gawd I hope Blank and McKay end up moving this project to Doraville or Gwinnett just so this corrupt as fuck Atlanta city council can shoot themselves in the foot.

The location of the current dome is a shithole. There's only like 3 grassy/gravel fenced in fields to actually tailgate from across from the dome and they charge anywhere from $40 to $60 just to get in them and then there's a good chance you can come out after the game and your car have been broken in to. Then after the games, there's no freaking places to walk to worth a shit to chill, especially not for a family. It takes 2 hours to get in and 2 hours to get out unless you arrive late and leave early.

The proposal to move the new one a couple miles down the road on the other side of the WCC isn't much better. Yes there's a lot more places to build parking lots which would help tremendously with tailgating, but getting in and out would still suck. The access is aweful. And again the surrounding neighborhoods suck ass. They're filled with the same type of folks around the dome. And there's still no where worth a shit to go chill or take the family.

What kills me is now the Atlanta city council wants Blank to do a neighborhood revitalization fund for the surrounding area around the new proposed location. Like that's supposed to be the Falcons job or something.

And I know my words have likely upset a few of you, but I don't give a fuck. This is reality. You're naive if you think I'm embellishing. Being an Atlanta city council member isn't even a full time job. I have one of them working at my firm as a financial planner when he's not doing council business. I know very well the kind of stuff that goes on behind the scenes with this council. It's why I'm so sick of them. The guy I work with obviously can't give exact details and what he does tell us, his colleagues, is in strict confidence, but this city is run by a bunch of fucking morons walking around with their hands out. You want something done in Atlanta, it's gonna cost you just to get a seat at the table to bring it up, and then you have to do something for the community too or there's no chance in hell of it happening.

Blank is being a nice guy here. But his patience is only as long as he wants it to be. And I think he might be playing these clowns until they're so far over the line he can pull the deal off the table and be totally free and clear of negative sentiment. I think he's trying to get to a point where he can go outside of downtown and Atlanta and not catch heat over it. Just watch and see. I wouldn't be surprised if the new stadium ends up in the burbs.

[RFlagg]

Pretty much my thoughts exactly, Beef. I think Blank wants out of Atlanta for more than one reason.

1. Lower Taxes in the burbs.
2. Doesn't have to pay the city revenue for vendors in the stadium.
3. Can charge what he wants for parking and keep the profits.
   

It makes a lot of sense for them to move out of downtown, but the problem will be perception. It'll be called a money grab and a "travesty" and what not. Truth is, the Falcons will make more money and have more control in a location outside downtown Atlanta.

[juraitwaluzka]

(02-15-2013 12:57 PM)RFlagg Wrote:  It makes a lot of sense for them to move out of downtown, but the problem will be perception. It'll be called a money grab and a "travesty" and what not. Truth is, the Falcons will make more money and have more control in a location outside downtown Atlanta.

I think Blank wants to keep it downtown because of his commitment to the city, otherwise he wouldn't even make the concessions that are already on the table. However the man's benevolence has limits and this is what the city doesn't realize. They are on the path to overreaching for their hand outs. Personally I hope they continue down the woe is me path and end up with nothing. Fuck them.

I don't think the perception will be a problem. Sure people will say those things, but they are going to say shit no matter what you do. Again, fuck them. They can bitch all they want and it won't change a damn thing. They have no power, they have no control. The key is to not give a shit.

[AUTiger7222]

Is there any area to build a new stadium around Turner Field? I have gone to many Braves games and have always felt pretty safe walking down the street. I've never been to a Falcons game so I don't personally know about how bad it is to get out there and walk down the street because of it being in a bad part of town. All I know is all the people that talk about how bad it is.

[RFlagg]

(02-15-2013 03:07 PM)AUTiger7222 Wrote:  Is there any area to build a new stadium around Turner Field? I have gone to many Braves games and have always felt pretty safe walking down the street. I've never been to a Falcons game so I don't personally know about how bad it is to get out there and walk down the street because of it being in a bad part of town. All I know is all the people that talk about how bad it is.

The only way would be to either A - take away parking spaces or B - buy up housing around the Ted. I think both scenarios are highly unlikely.

[juraitwaluzka]

(02-15-2013 03:23 PM)RFlagg Wrote:  The only way would be to either A - take away parking spaces or B - buy up housing around the Ted. I think both scenarios are highly unlikely.

Even then there would be worse Marta access

[hitwriter]

(02-15-2013 12:01 PM)Beef Wrote:  I just love how the people in the neighborhoods surrounding the Dome are demanding funds. Like Why? Why the fuck do you deserve money from this project to fix up your neighborhood? How about you create a freaking neighborhood association and pay for thie shit yourself like everybody else does? I live in a 1500 home neighborhood and pay $1000 a year in dues and our landscaping and sidewalks look tremendous along with our clubhouse and pools.

But this is the mentality of the kind of people who live downtown. Gimme gimme gimme. Where are my handouts. Where is my government free shit. Somebody else has to be responsible for this. It certainly isn't going to be us. We live in a world where the government taxes everybody so we can benefit. Whoe is us. We have been dealt a bad hand that's not our fault and its impossible to get out from under this because we're being held down by the descendants of plantation slave owners still.

Gawd I hope Blank and McKay end up moving this project to Doraville or Gwinnett just so this corrupt as fuck Atlanta city council can shoot themselves in the foot.

The location of the current dome is a shithole. There's only like 3 grassy/gravel fenced in fields to actually tailgate from across from the dome and they charge anywhere from $40 to $60 just to get in them and then there's a good chance you can come out after the game and your car have been broken in to. Then after the games, there's no freaking places to walk to worth a shit to chill, especially not for a family. It takes 2 hours to get in and 2 hours to get out unless you arrive late and leave early.

The proposal to move the new one a couple miles down the road on the other side of the WCC isn't much better. Yes there's a lot more places to build parking lots which would help tremendously with tailgating, but getting in and out would still suck. The access is aweful. And again the surrounding neighborhoods suck ass. They're filled with the same type of folks around the dome. And there's still no where worth a shit to go chill or take the family.

What kills me is now the Atlanta city council wants Blank to do a neighborhood revitalization fund for the surrounding area around the new proposed location. Like that's supposed to be the Falcons job or something.

And I know my words have likely upset a few of you, but I don't give a fuck. This is reality. You're naive if you think I'm embellishing. Being an Atlanta city council member isn't even a full time job. I have one of them working at my firm as a financial planner when he's not doing council business. I know very well the kind of stuff that goes on behind the scenes with this council. It's why I'm so sick of them. The guy I work with obviously can't give exact details and what he does tell us, his colleagues, is in stricked confidence, but this city is run by a bunch of fucking morons walking around with their hands out. You want something done in Atlanta, it's gonna cost you just to get a seat at the table to bring it up, and then you have to do something for the community too or there's no chance in hell of it happening.

Blank is being a nice guy here. But his patience is only as long as he wants it to be. And I think he might be playing these clowns until they're so far over the line he can pull the deal off the table and be totally free and clear of negative sentiment. I think he's trying to get to a point where he can go outside of downtown and Atlanta and not catch heat over it. Just watch and see. I wouldn't be surprised if the new stadium ends up in the burbs.

+1 Dead on!

[papachaz]

Beef, I absolutely positively agree with you 100%. You really wanna get pissed, watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBqjZ0KZCa0

I know if AB has to build his own stadium, odds are it will be open air. And isn't it pretty well general opinion that there will be PSL's? Would definitely keep me from ever buying season tickets, but hey reality is I'll never be able to anyway.

I wouldn't blame him a bit if he takes it to the burbs, still be the "Atlanta Falcons" but without all the crybaby city bullshit they've put up with since the dome was built. Let them see how long that motel tax sticks around once the Birds fly out of town, then they'll sure bitch about losing that revenue. Even if they keep it, they'll lose a lot of revenue for those 8 weeks plus playoffs. I bet Gwinnett County would love to have all those motel rooms filled those weeks

[AsylumGuido]

Very well put, Beef! From everything I have read I think you are dead on.