Stadium History
Georgia Dome, 1992-Present
In 1992, the Atlanta Falcons and the state of Georgia unveiled to the rest of the world the latest crown jewel in an ever-shining southern skyline with the opening of the Georgia Dome.
The Georgia Dome, built in 1992, was the site of its second Super Bowl (XXXIV) on January 30, 2000.
The Georgia Dome is the culmination of efforts which began in earnest in June of 1984 as business, civic and governmental leaders gathered to discuss a new stadium in Atlanta. The project continued to gain steam in January of 1988 as a "consensus" of leaders agreed on using a hotel/motel tax increase to finance the local portion of construction.
In January of 1989, Rankin Smith and then-governor Joe Frank Harris signed a "memorandum of understanding" for the Falcons to play in the Dome under a 20-year lease.
The project came to fruition in the spring of 1989 when the state, the Atlanta City Council, and Fulton County Commission approved the $210 million Dome. Groundbreaking ceremonies took place on November 22, 1989, with construction getting underway on March 27, 1990.
As soon as the project was passed, the Dome became a major "player" in the sporting community. Rankin Smith was determined to introduce the south's latest showpiece to the football world and he succeeded. With the determined backing of the Smith family, the Georgia Dome played host to the most significant sporting events in the world as global attention was focused on Atlanta for Super Bowl XXVIII played on January 31, 1994 between the Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills. The Georgia Dome will host its second Super Bowl on January 30, 2000.
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, 1966-1991
Twenty-six years of NFL football in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium came to an end on December 15, 1991 when the Falcons met the Seattle Seahawks for their final game in their very first home.
Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium was the Falcons' home from 1966-91. Atlanta defeated Seattle 26-13 in the final football game at the stadium on Dec. 15, 1991.
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was built in 51 weeks and gave the city the foundation to support big-league baseball and pro football. Less than a year after construction, the stadium was primped for a cameo appearance by the baseball Braves, who were still playing in Milwaukee at the time, on April 9, 1965. On August 14 of that same year, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first football game ever played at the stadium. Some local people deemed the Stadium "The Miracle on Capital Avenue."
The Braves eventually moved to Atlanta in 1966 and shared the stadium with the Falcons, who opened their tenure at Fulton-County that fall following their acceptance into the NFL. The stadium propelled the city into the big leagues with a professional basketball team (Hawks) and hockey team (Flames, since departed) arriving following the success of the Atlanta community in its support of professional sports.
