It took $214 million to construct the Georgia Dome, home of the Atlanta Falcons since 1992. It will take $200 million to complete the Falcons’ new stadium by June 2017. To be clear, that’s an extra $200 million on a stadium originally projected to cost $1 billion but may come closer to $2 billion before the dust settles.
From AB: How Stadium Construction Costs Reached the Billions
The Falcons, who are responsible for covering all cost overruns on Mercedes-Benz Stadium, have ordered $200 million in changes to stadium plans in recent months, including more than $100 million in changes last month alone, according to The Atlanta Journal Constitution, citing a May 31 report. “As the complex steel structure of the roof and facade continue to come together, the added costs come from steel fabrication and as a result increases in the steel erection process,” a Falcons spokeswoman said in a statement.
These changes are in addition to the nearly $100 million in cumulative changes reported in a similar status report dated April 30. Those involved “elements of the concrete superstructure, steel, mechanical equipment, electrical systems and finish refinements,” the Falcons said.
As Mike Florio of NBC Sports writes, “Maybe they should have waited to set the price for hot dogs and beer.”