ATLANTA -- Home to the Atlanta Falcons for 15 years, the Georgia Dome and Falcons today announced additional plans for major repairs and maintenance on the state-owned facility. Work on the project should begin early next year.
The improvements over the next year will be visible both inside and outside the building and will benefit Falcons fans throughout the Dome. One of the most visible changes will be the exterior of the stadium, which is scheduled for repainting.
“We’re taking the opportunity to refresh the look of the Dome’s exterior,” said Dan Graveline, executive director of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. “When entering the Dome next season, fans will see familiar Falcons colors on the outside of the stadium.”
In addition, the upper and lower concourses and entry gates to the Dome will receive facelifts.
The Dome has three public concourses and seven entry gates. The areas feature restrooms, concessions and congregation points. The project will include replacement of all lighting fixtures, fresh ceiling and wall treatment, new graphics and updates in the lavatories. Additionally, the Dome’s service centers located at each entry gate also will be updated.
A major element of the project includes replacement of the 61,000 seats in the Dome’s public seating areas. Approximately 10,000 seats were replaced during the team’s renovation of the executive levels last summer. Seats on the upper and lower level will be red, complementing the black seats on the mezzanine and executive levels.
The improvements announced today continue enhancements to the Dome begun by the Falcons last year.
Prior to the beginning of the 2007 football season, the Falcons funded the remodeling of suites and addition of new luxury seating, including expanded and enhanced club lounge areas. In addition, eight “super suites” were added to the Georgia Dome, allowing corporate clients and individuals to purchase assigned seats within an expanded suite environment that includes private concessions, plasma screen televisions and other upscale amenities. Also, all fans are now enjoying new LED ribbon boards, which display enhanced graphics from end zone to end zone.
These improvements represent a total investment of more than $43 million, with $30 million funded by the Falcons. “We have enjoyed a close working relationship with the Falcons for almost two decades,” said Graveline. “We will continue to work as a team to enhance the experience of all our fans and customers.”
“We remain committed to providing value to our fans on game day and maintaining the Dome as a first-class facility,” said Falcons owner and CEO Arthur Blank. “Since the Dome was built in 1992, 25 NFL stadiums have been built, substantially renovated or are in planning or building stages. These improvements help to ensure the Dome remains a league-standard facility and environment for the Falcons and its fans.”
The projects over the next year – as with the previous year – will be managed by Darden & Company, with TVS&A as architects and Holder Construction as general contractor.
