ATLANTA — The College Football National Championship Game is coming to Atlanta.
Just short of the Super Bowl, the college football title game is one of the biggest events scheduled for the Falcons' new stadium.
It brings with it a possible $300 million boost for the economy.
A lot of people say the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium was key to the win.
The location, proximity to quality hotels and restaurants, and the high-tech razzle-dazzle the new stadium will offer once it opens in 2017 are all factors that attracted the big game.
Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay told Channel 2s' Wendy Corona that football is football and the Falcons see this is a great get.
"We are comfortable that we can host this game and we think the new stadium adds an incredible element to it but it doesn't mean you're not a little nervous going into it," McKay said.
In July, officials with the college football playoff saw the renderings and toured the construction site of the new Mercedes-Benz stadium, a 10-month process pitted against three other major cities.
Executive Director of the Atlanta Sports Council Dan Corso, said the game will be a boost to the local economy and puts all eyes on the city.
"That means $300 million to our community and based on the game earlier this year in Dallas, over 33 million people tuning in to the ESPN broadcast," Corso said.
https://twitter.com/CFBPlayoff/status/661982733837537280
On the street, the big picture is not lost on locals.
"Hey if it brings in money, that's what people want. We're a capitalist society," said Ariana Jones.
The key players in the proposal say it was a team effort with the city, universities, hotels and tourism, and a goal reached by building the stadium in the shadow of the Georgia Dome.
"One of the reasons that Arthur (Blank) agreed with the state and the city to stay downtown to build retractable, was to host these type of events," McKay said.
This leaves one big event to be decided.
Atlanta remains a finalist for the 2019 or 2020 Super Bowl. That decision will be announced in May 2016.
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