Atlanta Officials Say Stadium Can Be Built Even If Church Refuses To Sell

A memo from the city’s chief operating officer to Mayor Kasim Reed includes a new rendering that puts Friendship Baptist Church just yards away from the new stadium.

“That’s obviously not the first choice, but considering where we are right now, it’s the responsible thing to do. You have to have a Plan B with a project of this size,” said city spokeswoman Anne Torres.

The city has offered $15.5 million, but the church wants $24.5 million.

Torres says Mayor Reed is still optimistic a deal will be struck by next week.

If not, Plan B now involves building the billion dollar stadium next to the church and rerouting Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Torres says that would add construction costs and reduce funds for revitalization efforts in the immediate area.

“When you change a plan you have to realign your resources, so obviously if we’re going to move and do something different and keep a church there then some of the costs that we originally had allotted for different things are going to have to probably be used for other construction costs that may come up with the new plan,” said Torres.

Friendship Baptist Church could not be reached for this story. The Falcons have said the drop dead deadline for a decision regarding site location is August 1.