Mercedes-Benz Stadium falls behind schedule
ATLANTA - The demolition of the Georgia Dome is on hold due to the completion of the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium falling behind schedule.
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During a teleconference Tuesday, Chief Executive Officer of AMB Group, LLC Steven Cannon said keeping the dome intact is simply an insurance policy, and nothing more.
"Until we have 100 percent certainty, we will hold onto that insurance policy. We do not expect to use the Georgia Dome whatsoever."
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Cannon said by June, workers will look at the construction timeline again, and they will determine whether to recommence the decommissioning of the dome.
According to Cannon, the project has fallen behind for a number of reasons. Those include normal survey analysis of building, steel work, and normal field work. He said the delay in the timeline has nothing to do with the stadium's roof.
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"There have been some pretty wild rumors, specifically about the roof's design, it's construction, it's viability. I'm here to tell you that they're false. Yes, we have a complex design, we have a complex building but there has never been any concern about the operability of the roof," said Cannon.
Cannon said the delay will not impact the Atlanta Falcons, saying the Falcons will open the 2017 home schedule with preseason games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 26. That game against Jacksonville will be the first public event at the stadium.
However, the delay has impacted three games of the Atlanta United MLS team. The match scheduled for July 30 will now take place on July 29 at Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd stadium. The August 13 and 19 match will be rescheduled and those dates have not yet been determined.
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Cannon said the delay is pretty normal for a project this large.
"This is a timeline challenge and nothing else," said Cannon.
No changes have been made to the Chick-fil-A Kickoff college football games over Labor Day weekend, or the Atlanta United Match on September 9.
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