Buckhead’s most prominent civic group is putting its support behind a proposal to use hotel-motel tax money to help pay for a new Atlanta Falcons stadium.
The Buckhead Coalition announced that its executive committee on Feb. 27 approved a resolution in favor of the project.
Atlanta Falcons executives estimate it will cost $1 billion to build a new stadium with a retractable roof that will seat 80,000 football fans. City hotel-motel tax money would pay for 20 percent of the project, under the current proposal.
“We believe that the business interests of Buckhead see such a development as a positive economic impact on Atlanta as a whole and downtown specifically,” the Coalition’s resolution reads, in part. Read the full resolution at the end of this article.
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank lives in Buckhead in the West Paces/Northside neighborhood.
Reporter Newspapers broadcast partner CBS Atlanta contributed to this story.
Here is the resolution approved by the Buckhead Coalition:
WHEREAS the Buckhead Coalition focuses its involvement and effort on programs site-specific to this Community, and
WHEREAS it is clearly reasoned that it is unlikely any professional sports arena will ever be developed within Buckhead’s environs, and
WHEREAS the Coalition recognizes the importance to our City that it be preeminent in all facilities major league, and
WHEREAS we recognize the importance of support for the City as a whole be always a commitment of the Coalition, and
WHEREAS detailed negotiations are ongoing by our City Government and the Downtown Civic Leadership on a proposed new football stadium in Downtown, and
WHEREAS we believe that the business interests of Buckhead see such a development as a positive economic impact on Atlanta as a whole and Downtown specifically, and
WHEREAS we have confidence in conclusions reached in deliberations by our Mayor and City Council, and by our civic counterpart, Central Atlanta Progress,
WE THEREFORE RESOLVE by this means to support the plans as adopted by Atlanta City Government, concurred in by Central Atlanta Progress.