Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank have come to an agreement on the general financial terms of a proposed new stadium.
With a rough plan sketched out, the question now is whether Atlanta’s city council will go along with it.
Under the plan, Atlanta would contribute roughly $200 million from the city’s hotel and motel tax. Meanwhile, the Falcons expect to pay $800 million on the stadium and have promised $50 million for city infrastructure improvements. The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has committed another $15 million for community development.
Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell said he’s encouraged by the initial details, but promised a full vetting.
“The community has said that we’ve gotten a raw deal in the past,” said Mitchell. “Our work in the coming weeks will be to make sure there is a framework and structure in place that will allow for there to be a sustained partnership.”
Mitchell said much will depend on the Falcons’ commitment to the neighborhoods surrounding the Georgia Dome, including Vine City, English Avenue, and Castleberry Hill.
Already there’s considerable skepticism.
Councilman Ivory Young, who represents much of the surrounding area, said communities were promised a lot before the construction of the original Georgia Dome.
“A whole segment of the population – about 280 households were removed on the west side of town and the investments that were made – even though we can show tangible evidence that those investments were implemented – were grossly inadequate.”
Young said he doesn’t want history repeating itself.
“What the difference between then and now is that we’re really going to place an emphasis on uplifting human capital,” said Young. “We want to promote new business opportunities to help to foster jobs with livable wages in the community itself.”
Given that legislation has yet to be introduced, both council members said it was too early to predict how the process would turn out.
But Mitchell said he wants to avoid a contentious debate.
“To the extent that I, as city council president, can certainly influence this process, I’m going to work to ensure there’s no group that feels like they have not been heard.”
Mitchell said he’d like to see the process wrapped up by May in order to give the Council adequate time to pass its 2014 budget.
Correction: It was previously reported that City Council President Ceasar Mitchell said,”We don’t just want bags of money thrown at us. We want a sustained partnership.” In context, Mitchell was relaying a community concern, not a personal opinion. WABE apologizes for the error.
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