Mercedes-Benz gets naming rights to Atlanta stadium for 27 years

ATLANTA — Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank officially announced the name of the new Falcons stadium Monday: Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
 
Channel 2's Dave Huddleston learned the new partnership doesn't end there. 
 
The president of Mercedes-Benz says putting the company's name on a building is the easy part. Changing lives is what it really wants to do.
 
"We're thrilled that we'll be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Arthur, his foundation and his team, and make that impact right here on the Westside," said Mercedes-Benz President and CEO Steve Cannon.

[Special Section: Mercedes-Benz Stadium]

On Friday, Channel 2 Sports Director Zach Klein learned that Mercedes-Benz secured the naming rights to stadium.

Blank was joined by Cannon at a news conference Monday to announce the new naming-rights deal that will run for 27 years.

Blank and Cannon would not disclose the financial terms of the deal, but Cannon called it the largest marketing deal in Mercedes-Benz history.
 
"We're not going to disclose the dollar amounts. The 27 years, that's the only number you're going to get out of us today," Blank said.
 
New renderings of the stadium were released at the new conference that showed the stadium's retractable roof with the car company's logo on top.
 
"I love the star on the retractable roof. I think that's going to make us the only company in Atlanta whose logo can be seen from the International Space Station," Cannon said.

[READ: Sandy Springs approves zoning for new Mercedes Benz HQ]

Cannon also said he wants Mercedes-Benz to be seen in the Vine City-English Avenue community by investing in youth sports. 
 
He says he wants Atlanta to be the company's model city for community involvement with middle-school teams and coaches.
 
"To put mentors in their lives and giving them great choices, to get away from the PlayStation and into the game and get them even to avoid even more dangerous choices like drugs and gangs," Cannon said.
 
Gov. Nathan Deal was also on hand for the announcement. Deal says the announcement is a win not only for the Falcons but the entire state.
 
The nearly $1.5 billion retractable-roof stadium is expected to be finished in time for the 2017 football season. 

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed was also at today's announcement. He told Huddleston this is just one of many major announcements expected for Atlanta.

Mercedes-Benz, a German luxury automaker, announced plans in January to move its U.S. headquarters from New Jersey to metro Atlanta. The company is temporarily housed in an office park in Dunwoody and plans to build a new headquarters campus in Sandy Springs near Georgia 400 and Abernathy Road.

Cox Media Group