Falcons set ground-breaking ceremony for Monday

The footprint of the Atlanta Falcons' new stadium has been cleared in the area next to the Georgia Dome.

The footprint of the Atlanta Falcons' new stadium has been cleared in the area next to the Georgia Dome.

The Atlanta Falcons will hold an official groundbreaking ceremony Monday night for their new downtown stadium, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell scheduled to be among those participating.

Also scheduled to take part in the 8 p.m. event: Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber and Georgia World Congress Center Authority executive director Frank Poe.

The event is for invited guests, the Falcons said.

Although work on the stadium site began earlier this year, the event will mark the ceremonial kickoff of the construction job.

Because of the work already underway, the ceremony will take place at International Plaza, located between the Georgia Dome and Philips Arena — just east of the new stadium site.

Goodell has other business in Atlanta next week, too. NFL owners will convene their annual spring meetings at a Buckhead hotel Tuesday.

The $1.2 billion-plus, retractable-roof stadium, which will be home to Atlanta’s MLS team as well as to the Falcons and other marquee events, is scheduled to be completed by March 2017.