Who owns georgia dome

One of the most iconic moments in US Olympic history took place at the Georgia Dome in when an injured Kerri Strug, later diagnosed with torn ligaments in her ankle, courageously nailed her second vault to help the American women win gymnastics team gold for the first time.

The "Dream Team" won gold in men's basketball, while the American women's basketball team won gold as well. Additionally, the history of the Georgia Dome is tied to two natural disasters. On March 14, , a men's college basketball game between Alabama and Mississippi State went into overtime, and it might have been a lifesaver for fans at the dome.

A 3-point shot by Crimson Tide guard Mykal Riley forced the extra period, keeping spectators from heading toward the exits. A tornado hit downtown Atlanta a few minutes later. There was extensive damage in the area, including at the Georgia Dome, which forced that game and the rest of the SEC tournament to finish at Georgia Tech's Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

Final Falcons chapter. The Georgia Dome wasn't the original home for the Falcons -- the team played at the now-demolished Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium from -- but it has seen the most success. Atlanta had 10 winning seasons and reached the playoffs nine times at the Georgia Dome. The NFL playoff history started in January when the Falcons defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional playoff round.

The Georgia Dome was the largest domed structure in the world when it opened, but it has since been surpassed by the Millennium Dome in London and the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, Australia It seats 74, for football , and can hold approximately: 80, for concerts, 71, for basketball when the dome is fully open and 40, for basketball and gymnastics when the dome is sectioned off one half closed off by a large curtain.

For most Georgia State football games, the dome is configured with 28, seats, with only the bulk of the lower level plus the club-level seats available for sale. The structure is located on 9. The dome is the largest cable-supported dome in the world.

Its roof is made of teflon-coated fiberglass fabric and has an area of , The Georgia Dome originally used AstroTurf artificial surface for its football events. In , Arthur Blank, the new owner of Atlanta Falcons, funded the new state-of-the-art FieldTurf artificial surface system. The project was separated into two stages. The first stage, which took place before the NFL season, focused on updating the premium seating areas, including the creation of eight 'super-suites' as well as an owners' club.

The entrance gates and concourses were also renovated and updated before the football season. The interior endzones each received a new and considerably wider High Definition replacement video screen that significantly enhances views of replays and provides for state-of-the-art graphics and digital presentations.

That year also saw the installation of a completely new sound system, replacing the previous one that was nearly twenty years old.

Three years after the completion of the dome, the integrity of its roof became an issue. During a Falcons pre-season game in August , a severe rainstorm caused water to pool up on the fabric, tearing part of the material and causing a section of the roof to fall into the stadium.

The storm was intense enough that the roof panels could be seen moving during the game, and the water and roof material later fell with enough force to smash seats in the upper decks and knock holes in concrete floors. The collapse occurred after fans left the stadium, and no one was injured during the incident.

The roof was eventually repaired in a way that prevented similar incidents from occurring in the future. Although the Georgia Dome was synonymous with the Atlanta Falcons, more basketball games than football games were played in the facility. Jordan scored 34 points to lead his team to an eighty-nine to seventy-four victory. The Georgia Dome had perhaps its busiest time ever as gave way to The Falcons concluded their season two days later with a forty-four to eleven loss to the Carolina Panthers before a crowd of 70, The new stadium opened its doors in August , and the Georgia Dome was demolished that November.

Starrs, Chris. Starrs, C. Georgia Dome. In New Georgia Encyclopedia. The Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta was best known as the home of the Atlanta Falcons football franchise, but the facility, which opened in and was demolished…. Like us on Facebook On Monday, Nov.

Sporting Events In addition to hosting Falcons football games, the Georgia Dome hosted many different sporting events including the Olympic Games and two memorable Super Bowls and The Falcons played their final game at the Georgia Dome in January Other Functions According to the New Georgia Encyclopedia, the Georgia Dome has been used for wrestling events and various religious gatherings, including some that were led by Billy Graham, a famous Christian evangelist.

Do you have a favorite memory of the dome? Share it below and we may use it in our reporting. Hank Johnson calls for investigation into 'racist, bigoted conduct' of federal law clerk. Hindu temple in metro Atlanta ensnared in human trafficking lawsuit. Veterans Day and Memorial Day both honor those who've served.