Good morning. This is Leadoff, the early buzz in Atlanta sports.
The Georgia Dome has been the scene of a series of goodbyes – the last SEC Championship game there in early December, the last Peach Bowl there on New Year's Eve, the last Falcons game there in January.
This weekend, the Dome will hold its last public event of any kind.
A doubleheader of Monster Jam trucks shows on Saturday and Sunday will close out the 25-year-old building, which is slated for implosion this summer. Update: It was imploded Nov. 20.
Saturday’s show begins at 7 p.m. Sunday’s event, which was rescheduled from Jan. 14 because of a Falcons playoff game, is set for 3:30 p.m.
Monster Jam, which features monster-truck racing and freestyle competitions, has a long history of performances in the Georgia Dome.
The organization has held at least one event per year there since 1993, the building’s second year of operation.
Next week, asset liquidator Schneider Industries is scheduled to begin removing seats and other items from the Georgia Dome for sale. (See: How the Georgia Dome will be emptied and liquidated.) The Dome's successor, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, is scheduled to open next door on July 30.
Meanwhile, you can take a look here at the fate that awaits the soon-to-be-demolished Dome.
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Photos: What’s left of the Georgia Dome
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The Braves announced an opening schedule for the mixed-use development adjacent to SunTrust Park, including six new additions to the dining and shopping lineup there.
Click here to see what will open at The Battery in April and May.
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Two days until the first match of Atlanta United's inaugural season.
Click here for Doug Roberson's look at what to expect from the team's defenders.
And click here for Jeff Schultz's column suggesting that soccer actually may work this time.
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After Sunday's NASCAR race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the venue's asphalt track will be repaved for the first time in 20 years.
Click here for Rick Minter's story on what drivers think about that.
