The site of the former Georgia Dome now has an historical marker.
The now-demolished stadium became the newest member of the Georgia Historical Society’s Business History Initiative with a plaque at the Home Depot Back Yard at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“GHS is excited to highlight the huge role that the Georgia Dome played in shaping not only the physical landscape of Atlanta, but also the cultural and economic landscape of the city and the state of Georgia,” W. Todd Groce, president and CEO of the Georgia Historical Society, said in a statement. “From its beginnings as an architectural marvel, to its role as a host site during the 1996 Olympic Games and the home of the Atlanta Falcons for 25 seasons, the Georgia Dome’s legacy will be ensured for future generations through this new historical marker.
Each year the Georgia Historical Society selects iconic companies and institutions as honorees of the Georgia Business History Initiative.
Credit: ccompton@ajc.com
Credit: ccompton@ajc.com
The marker reads:
“Completed in three years, the $214 million, 71,996-seat Georgia Dome opened in August 1992 as the world’s largest cable-supported domed stadium, serving as the home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons for 25 seasons. The stadium hosted some of the world’s most prestigious sporting and entertainment events, welcoming more than 37 million guests and generating an economic impact of $7 billion dollars. More than 1,400 events took place here, including two Super Bowls (1994, 2000), Olympic events (1996), NCAA Men’s Final Four (2002, 2007, 2013), NCAA Women’s Final Four (2003), 23 SEC college football championships, the annual Chick-fil-A Bowl, and two seasons as home court for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks (1997-99). In 2012, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority and the Falcons agreed to build Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which opened in 2017. The Dome was demolished on November 20, 2017. “
This is the second location governed by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority to join the Business History Initiative. A historical marker for the 1996 Olympic Games was dedicated in 2016.
