Four men's opinions on Atlanta's open-air stadium debate

It took just a couple of words from the Falcons’ front office last week to stir emotions, imaginations and expectations: Open-air. Stadium.

The thought of outdoor football in Atlanta is appealing to most everyone -- as long as it's not too cold, too hot or raining. No one likes dome football in theory, but on an icy January Sunday few would argue that a dome is where they want to be.

The debate raging in Atlanta affects way more than just the Falcons. What would become of the SEC Championship game if there were no dome? Would it be played outside? Would it be moved to New Orleans? Final Fours would become a thing of the past, right? Would the NFL dare bring the Super Bowl back to Atlanta and roll the dice on another ice storm?

And while we’re at it, where would U2 perform?

The best of both worlds -- the retractable roof -- could solve all of those issues. But in this economy is it too costly? Would Arthur Blank be willing to pay for it himself?

Could Atlanta keep the Dome and build a new stadium?

There certainly are more question than answers.

Four people from around the country, with thoughts, experiences or a stake in the issue, shared their insights with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Brad Sham, longtime voice of the Dallas Cowboys

Speaking for myself, I absolutely couldn’t imagine playing in something else now after one year here. The number of events that are made possible by the presence of the Dome far exceeds just NFL games. Football games that are played in the fourth quarter of the calendar year are enhanced by the ability to control the climate, at least for the fans.

Atlanta and Dallas have similar climates. It’s not only the fourth quarter of the year. We’ve always dreaded pre-season games and into September because it can be brutal. With this roof, we’re not just keeping out rain and cold, but it’s about the total comfort. The ticket- and jersey- and sponsor-buying public gets sick of hearing owners talking about they care about fans then not do anything.

But for fans, sitting outside for a football game in August is not something you look forward to paying for the honor of doing.

The great thing here is they can open the end-zone doors and close the roof or vice versa. It’s hard for me to imagine anyone building a stadium now without giving them that option. I understand the cost, but it astounds me. As many events as they’ve had, and are looking forward to having, it’s hard to understand the big-picture wisdom of anything other than a retractable roof.

I wouldn’t say I speak for everybody, but I’ve talked to a lot. I have yet to find someone who says they wish we had anything else.

Steve Bartkowski, former Falcons quarterback

I think there’s the purist part of me that loves to see football outside. I grew up watching the Turkey Day games in the snow up in Detroit or Green Bay and I just really miss that. So there’s a big part of me that thinks it should be played outside.

Outdoor football was a big part of what we did at Fulton County Stadium on some of the most beautiful fall days you could imagine. On days like that, I think it’s a shame to be inside. Domes are so much of a sterile atmosphere; it feels more like a cocktail party.

Now, as a fan, I’m not sure indoor football is so bad. I don’t really want to sit in the cold rain any more than anyone, but that’s part of football. I didn’t always like fighting the 25- or 30-mile-per-hour winds as a quarterback. So I guess I have mixed emotions, but I sure miss football on those brilliant, wonderful fall Sundays.

And if they can get a Super Bowl in New York in February, we should be able to do it with an open-air stadium in Atlanta.

I’ll promise you this, though. You will never see Arthur Blank do something that doesn’t take into account the rest of the city and what’s good for the bigger picture. It won’t be just what is best for the Falcons; it'll take into account the greater good of the community.

Bill Curl, New Orleans Superdome spokesman

The current success of the Superdome can be traced to the fact that we were able to drastically improve it while it was shut down after Katrina, and it has given us a shelf life well into the foreseeable future. We’re about to enjoy the greatest run of sports ever in our city and maybe the best that any city has seen. And we look for that success to continue. Starting in January 2012, (there's the) BCS Championship right after the Sugar Bowl, then the 2012 Final Four, the Sugar Bowl in 2013 and the 2013 Super Bowl, and then that spring the women's Final Four in the arena. And none of that takes into account what might happen with the Saints and the Hornets.

And if any event of the stature of the SEC Championship game became available, and we had indications that the SEC would be interested in New Orleans, we’d certainly want to make ourselves available to that.

A few years prior to Katrina, there was discussion about New Orleans needing a new stadium with the advent of all the other new stadiums throughout NFL. There was a lot of weighing whether the Superdome should be upgraded or if there should be a new stadium. It was unfeasible to demolish and rebuild on the same site without losing two football seasons. And even back then, it was upwards of $750 million dollars.

Preliminary designs for an open-air stadium were drawn, and a retractable roof and a dome were also under consideration. It could have gone any of those directions. I like the vehicle I’m driving now, but I’d like for it to be a convertible. I can’t afford a convertible. A retractable roof is always optimal, but can you afford it?

Ken Bernhardt, Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau board chairman, Robinson College of Business marketing professor

From a tourism standpoint either an open-air stadium or a retractable roof dome will be positive for Atlanta. The final decision is between the Falcons and the World Congress Center Authority, which manages the Dome.