Key facts
Club: Atlanta United FC | Opening: 2017 | Capacity: 71,000 seats
History and description
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the recently opened new stadium of NFL team Atlanta Falcons and MLS team Atlanta United FC.
First plans for the construction of a new stadium for the Atlanta Falcons were made in 2010, which became concrete in 2012. In the next years funding was arranged and designs were finalised, resulting in the start of construction in May 2014. The stadium was scheduled to be completed in early 2017, at the start of Atlanta United’s first season in the MLS, but did not make that deadline due to construction delays.
Instead, the stadium officially opened on 26 August 2017 with a pre-season game of the Atlanta Falcons vs Arizona Cardinals.
The configuration of the stadium can be altered depending on whether it hosts NFL football games or MLS soccer games, with retractable seating being moved closer to the pitch for soccer games preventing large gaps between pitch and stands.
Initially, a special soccer configuration with capacity of 32,000, closing the upper tiers, had been envisioned, but due to high demand this was later increased to 42,500 including the middle tier. Still, demand for Atlanta’s games regularly superseded that resulting in the stadium fully opened for many games.
The stadium has a retractable roof that consists of triangular panels that open and close like a photo camera. It is furthermore equipped with a 360 degree HD video halo board built into the roof.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium came at a cost of $1.6 billion, part publicly part privately financed, and above earlier estimates of $1.4 billion.
How to get to the Mercedes-Benz Arena
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is located on a site just south of the former Georgia Dome, now demolished, which lies just west of downtown Atlanta.
The stadium can be easily walked to from any downtown location. There is parking around the stadium and at several downtown locations.
If arriving by public transport from other parts of the city, get the MARTA metro, which stops right next door at stop GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center Station. The stop is on the blue and green line which connect with destinations in the east and west of Atlanta. The red line that connects with the north and south runs nearby at Five Points station.
Address: 1 AMB Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30313
Atlanta United Tickets
Atlanta United tickets can be bought online through Ticketmaster. Booking in advance is advised.
Ticket prices depend on the opponent but expect to pay between $30.00 and $70.00 for an upper tier seat and between $60.00 and $140.00 for a lower tier seat for a typical match.
Photos of Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Photo credits: wyliepoon