When was Mercedes Benz Stadium Built? 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 Still, demand for Atlanta’s games regularly superseded that resulting in the stadium fully opened for many games.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.

When was Mercedes Benz Stadium Built?

The concept is one of two visions that gave 360 Architecture the contract to design new Atlanta Falcons stadium in downtown Atlanta. As it turned out, the final version is just an evolution of the first idea. The stadium will hold some 71,000 people (compared to 65,000 planned initially) and cost $ 1.6 billion (initially thought to be 1 billion).

Nicknamed by architects as the Pantheon, it seems to deserve the name. Connection with the Roman Pantheon is no accident here – independent petals of retractable roof structures may slide to create either a closed dome or a circular skylight above the centre of the field, just like in Rome. Of course each petal may also be located on the permanent roof to give the feeling of a regular stadium with only stands covered.

A unique feature of the stadium is the panoramic screen surrounding internal perimeter of the roof and allowing for every fan inside to see what’s televised.

How Much Did Mercedes-Benz Stadium Cost?

Mercedes-Benz Stadium cost approximately $1.6 billion to build.

The building has a retractable roof and an artificial turf surface and was designed to host multiple types of events as well.

What’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium Capacity?

Mercedes-Benz Stadium has a standard capacity of 71,000 fans but can expand for American football (and had a record attendance of 78,347 for the 2019 Peach Bowl). At standard capacity, it’s the 11th-largest NFL stadium. The size allows the Falcons to rank among the league’s top half teams for NFL attendance.

Knowing Atlanta would host a multitude of college football games, the building design included bigger locker rooms so they could accommodate the larger rosters in college football.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium has some unique features as well. The upper deck includes the “100 Yard Club,” a concession and gathering area that stretches the entire length of the football field hence the name the “100 Yard Club.”

In a tribute to Atlanta’s railroad history, a train horn is blown every time the Falcons score a touchdown or Atlanta United FC scores a goal.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium Tenants & Events

The stadium is home to the Falcons and the MLS’s Atlanta United FC.

It has hosted numerous events like the Peach Bowl, the SEC Championship Game, the Celebration Bowl, the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, and the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. It was also slated to host the 2020 Final Four, but it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be a host stadium for the 2026 World Cup.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium design details

With a built-up area of two million square feet, the stadium is designed to be easily reconfigured to accommodate NFL and MSL games.

It features a retractable roof in the shape of a camera lens, which can be opened in less than ten minutes. The design of the roof is inspired by the shape of a falcon’s wing and consists of three-layered ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) cushions cantilevered on eight 1,600t retractable ‘petals’.

The roof opens to allow natural sunlight to enter the stadium and closes to protect players and the audience during adverse weather conditions. Construction of the roof entered the final phase in May 2018. The roof can be opened and closed in 12 minutes with the push of a button.

The stadium’s façade features ETFE materials, including a single ETFE skin supported by a cable net system.

Facilities and technology used at the new stadium

The interior of the Mercedes-Benz stadium features a variety of seating options, including 190 luxury suites and 7,600 club seats. The capacity is expandable up to 83,000 seats based on the requirement. The stadium also features 24 bars and restaurants, a technology lounge and a 100-yard bar.

The stadium features digital media platforms that include the world’s largest 360° HD video halo board, which provides targeted programmable content to fans.

The halo board features an LED display spanning 64,000ft². With a height of 58ft and a circumference of 1,075ft, the board provides supplementary camera views and digital content for fans.

In addition to the halo display, the stadium features 12 other LED displays, which provide live video and replays in club areas and perimeter displays, as well as energy monitoring equipment and energy-efficient glazing.

Sustainable features of Mercedes-Benz stadium

The stadium received a LEED platinum rating from the US Green Building Council. The stadium features a number of sustainable features, including high-efficiency water fixtures that reduce sanitary water consumption by 40%.

LED lighting reduces the stadium’s energy and maintenance costs. In addition, light fittings are used as wayfinding devices and colour-changing LEDs are used to illuminate the stadium’s façade.

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