AMB Sports & Entertainment has announced Mercedes-Benz USA will be the naming partner of the new Atlanta stadium, which will now officially be known as the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The agreement, which continues through 2042, includes official naming rights and other partnership benefits. The Mercedes-Benz brand will be prominent inside and outside the building, including on the roof; in plaza areas; on directional, on-field and tunnel signage; in club areas; in VIP parking and entrance areas; on the first-of-its-kind video halo board; and in additional areas.
The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Upon its completion in 2017, the new sports and entertainment facility will be home to the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United. The multipurpose stadium will also host other major sports and entertainment events, including the NCAA Men’s Final Four in 2020.
At a press conference announcing the partnership, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank unveiled the newly-branded stadium model and spoke about the attributes that make Mercedes-Benz the ideal partner for the stadium project.
“Mercedes-Benz fits all of the criteria we set out in finding a naming rights partner,” said Blank. “Their name and reputation fit the iconic image of the building; they are committed to excellence in customer service and experience; their values mesh with those of the Falcons, Atlanta United and the rest of our businesses; and they are a company that embraces the communities in which they do business.”
The announcement comes following the July relocation of MBUSA’s corporate headquarters to metro Atlanta.
“We chose Atlanta as the foundation for the future of our company – a place where our brand, our employees, their families and our culture can thrive and grow,” said Stephen Cannon, president and CEO of MBUSA. “This stadium is an opportunity to connect our brand to the promise and opportunity that this remarkable facility represents for Atlanta’s future.”
Central to the building design is utilization of natural light, with an exterior skin made of ETFE panels and a retractable roof inspired by the oculus in the ancient Roman Pantheon. The stadium will also seek LEED certification at the highest level from the US Green Building Council.
The Mercedes-Benz stadium will open in spring of 2017. The multipurpose venue will feature flexible capacity that can expand to up to 83,000 seats; a retractable roof structure inspired by the oculus in the ancient Roman Pantheon; views of the Atlanta skyline; a 360° HD video halo board that, at nearly six stories tall and 1,100 linear feet in diameter, will be the largest in the world; an exterior fan plaza that will provide fans with pre- and post-game entertainment; and a technology lounge offering a unique game-day experience full of media content and full game-day immersion.
August 26, 2015
