Arthur Blank discusses Super Bowl as Atlanta Falcons break ground on new stadium

On Monday evening, the Atlanta Falcons broke ground on the site of their new stadium, which is set to open for business for the 2017 NFL season. This was an event that was highly anticipated by some people, and in order to take advantage of that positive press, Falcons owner Arthur Blank saw fit to openly lobby for a future Super Bowl once the stadium is complete.

Tim Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution brought the report:

"“Welcome to a typical evening in Atlanta,” Blank said at the outdoor event. “So for those of my NFL partners who will one day vote for a Super Bowl, this is normal weather in Atlanta — even in February.”In an interview after the ceremony, Blank reiterated what he first said a year ago: that he hopes Atlanta will host the Super Bowl in 2019, the first year under NFL rules that the new retractable-roof stadium would be eligible to serve as the site of the mega-event.“2019 is our hope,” Blank said. “That’s our aspiration, and we’ll see where that takes us, but that’s our hope.”Underscoring Atlanta’s aspiration, a plane circled the ceremony, pulling a banner that read: “Break Ground on Super Bowl Too."

This should come as no surprise, as Blank is never shy about trying to pump up his brand and his city, especially when he is clearly invested financially in a Super Bowl coming to Atlanta. Frankly, it would be a surprise if the league didn’t award Atlanta a Super Bowl in the near future following the new building’s completion, and it will be a matter if “when” not “if” that occurs.

To examine additional photos from the groundbreaking ceremony, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has put together a quality slideshow, and the images are undeniably exciting. The new stadium will also be the site of Atlanta’s new MLS franchise, and even if there were some speed bumps along the way with financing, the city’s fans seem to be building excitement toward the opening.