State officials on Thursday signed off on the multimillion dollar deal to purchase a downtown Atlanta church to make way for the new Atlanta Falcons stadium.

The State Properties Commission unanimously voted to spend $6.2 million toward buying Mt. Vernon Baptist Church. The Falcons will chip in millions more to put the total sum at $14.5 million.

Gov. Nathan Deal called Thursday's vote a "key component" to ensure the stadium was built south of the Georgia Dome, a spot Falcons officials have coveted for its proximity to two MARTA stations, downtown and the convention center.

The team confirmed last week that the location was the “definite” site for the construction of the $1 billion-plus retractable roof stadium.

About the Author

Keep Reading

The GBI is investigating an officer-involved shooting Saturday night, saying that an officer shot a man who pointed a gun at police. The man, identified as Volanta Lejuan Walker of Douglasville, is suspected of killing his wife, who was laying in the yard near Walker when police arrived, the GBI said. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Featured

Amy Bielawski, who runs Hare-Brained Productions, prepares to work at a Fall Festival in Stone Mountain on Oct. 4, 2025. Bielawski is worried she may not be able to afford health care through Georgia Access when subsidies expire. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC