It’s five days and counting until the official opening of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the $1.5 billion state-of-the-art facility that’s been under construction for 3 ½ years and the focus of a decade-long project.

"It's really hard to imagine that you get to the finish line," said Falcons president and CEO Rich McKay, who has been immersed in the project since 2007.

As the Saturday opening date approaches, the AJC will provide daily stories on everything from stadium art and technology, parking, concessions and other news you can use. And there will be daily updates as the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons christen the new building by hosting the Arizona Cardinals in an NFL exhibition game Saturday at 7 p.m.

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Supporters arrive at the Olympic stadium for the NFL game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Atlanta Falcons in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Markus Schreiber/AP)

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Democrat Eric Gisler celebrated his Tuesday election victory at the Trappeze Pub in Athens, Ga. (AP)

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