After a three-year experiment in downtown Atlanta, the Georgia Force return to Gwinnett County for Saturday's nationally televised season opener.

About 1,500 tickets remain for the 1 p.m. Arena Football League game against the Dallas Desperados, team president Dick Sullivan said.

"Demand is actually much greater than we anticipated," Sullivan said. "Whether it's the location of the arena, the free parking or the Saturday afternoon start, we're getting a lot of people who want to try out this game."

The more intimate Gwinnett Arena holds 11,200 for football compared to about 18,000 at the Force's previous home, Philips Arena.

Owner Arthur Blank and Sullivan acknowledged that they were wrong in their estimation that the Force could fill up Philips. The team recently signed a 10-year lease with the Gwinnett Arena.

"As we experimented and we learned over the last three years, we found that the capacity size in Gwinnett would be perfect for us," Sullivan said.

"It definitely plays better in front of a full house," Blank added. "The energy, from the fans and the players, is just different."

To mark its return to Gwinnett, the Force will hold a kickoff festival from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the arena parking lot. There will be live music, Force cheerleaders, a Motocross show, and games and clinics for kids.

AFL commissioner David Baker and new Falcons head coach Mike Smith will be among those attending the game. It's a matchup of teams that went a combined 29-3 in the 2007 regular season.

After the Falcons' long string of troubles last year, Blank is more than ready for a new football season.

"We're happy that year is over," Blank said. "We're looking forward to 2008, both for the Falcons and the Force."

ARENA FOOTBALL

Georgia Force vs. Dallas Desperados

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: Gwinnett Arena

2007 records: Force 14-2, Desperados 15-1

Tickets: $9 to $125

TV: ABC