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{{Short description|Former stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Georgia Dome
| logo_image = Georgia Dome.svg
| image = 1996 Georgia Dome.JPEG
| caption = The Georgia Dome during the [[1996 Summer Olympics]]
| address = 1 Georgia Dome Drive Northwest
| city = [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
| country = United States
| public_transit = [[Dome / GWCC / Philips Arena / CNN Center (MARTA station)]]<br /> [[Vine City (MARTA station)]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|33.758|N|84.401|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground = November 22, 1989
| opened = {{start date and age|1992|9|6}}
| closed = {{end date|2017|6|9}}<ref name="Dome Implosion Date Set">{{Cite news |last=Tucker |first=Tim |date=November 9, 2017 |title=Georgia Dome implosion date set |url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/football/georgia-dome-implosion-date-set/uJTjDe07LxuGOU5xyKBt6H/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref>
| demolished = {{end date|2017|11|20}}
| owner = Georgia World Congress Center Authority
| operator = Georgia World Congress Center Authority
| surface = [[FieldTurf]]<!--Classic HD--> (2003–2017)<br />[[AstroTurf]] (1992–2002)
| construction_cost = [[United States dollar|$]]214&nbsp;million<br />(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|214000000|1992}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect = [[Heery International]]; [[Rosser International|Rosser FABRAP International]]; and [[tvsdesign]]
| structural_engineer = [[Weidlinger Associates]]<ref name="construction">[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsapp/BT/DOMES/GEORGIA/g-cable.html Cable Top Football] ''Columbia University''</ref>
| project_manager = Barton-Malow<ref name="construction" />
| general_contractor = [[Skanska|Beers]]/Georgia Dome Team<ref name="construction" />
| tenants = ; College football
[[Peach Bowl]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) ([[1993 Peach Bowl (January)|1993]]–[[2016 Peach Bowl|2016]])<br />[[Georgia State Panthers football|Georgia State Panthers]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) ([[2010 Georgia State Panthers football team|2010]]–[[2016 Georgia State Panthers football team|2016]])<br />[[Celebration Bowl]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) ([[2015 Celebration Bowl|2015]]–[[2016 Celebration Bowl|2016]])
; Professional football
[[Atlanta Falcons]] ([[National Football League|NFL]]) ([[1992 Atlanta Falcons season|1992]]–[[2016 Atlanta Falcons season|2016]])<!--End date reflects the final Falcons season-->
; Basketball
[[Atlanta Hawks]] ([[National Basketball Association|NBA]]) ([[1997-98 Atlanta Hawks season|1997]]–[[1998-99 Atlanta Hawks season|1999]])
| seating_capacity = Football: 71,228<br />{{nowrap|[[Georgia State Panthers football|Georgia State football]]: 28,155<ref name="GA State Sports">{{cite web |url=http://www.georgiastatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12700&ATCLID=205155221 |title=Georgia Dome |work=[[Georgia State Panthers|Georgia State Athletics]] |access-date=October 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918083149/http://www.georgiastatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12700&ATCLID=205155221 |archive-date=September 18, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}<br />Basketball: 71,000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.secsports.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080206165441/http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=9534|url-status=dead|title=Southeastern Conference|archive-date=February 6, 2008|website=secsports.com}}</ref><br />Total Capacity: 80,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myajc.com/news/sports/georgia-dome-has-a-new-look-for-final-four/nW9KW/|title=Georgia Dome has a new look for Final Four|publisher=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|author=Tucker, Tim|date=April 1, 2013|access-date=April 7, 2013|archive-date=September 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913130154/http://www.myajc.com/news/sports/georgia-dome-has-a-new-look-for-final-four/nW9KW/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

'''Georgia Dome''' was a [[Stadium#Types|domed stadium]] in the [[Southeastern United States]].  Located in [[Atlanta]] between [[downtown Atlanta|downtown]] to the east and [[Vine City]] to the west, it was owned and operated by the State of Georgia as part of the [[Georgia World Congress Center]] Authority. Opened in 1992, it was then the second-largest covered stadium in the world by capacity, behind the [[Pontiac Silverdome]]. Though the Georgia Dome was a profitable facility, its primary tenant, the [[Atlanta Falcons]] of the [[National Football League]], grew dissatisfied with it less than two decades after its opening and began planning for a replacement stadium. It was closed and demolished in November 2017.

In addition to the Falcons, the Georgia Dome was also the home of the [[Georgia State University]] [[Georgia State Panthers football|Panthers football]] team. It hosted two Super Bowls ([[Super Bowl XXVIII|XXVIII]] and [[Super Bowl XXXIV|XXXIV]]), 25 editions of the [[Peach Bowl]] (January 1993–December 2016) and 23 [[SEC Championship Game]]s ([[1994 SEC Championship Game|1994]]−[[2016 SEC Championship Game|2016]]). In addition, the Georgia Dome also hosted several soccer matches since 2009 with attendances over 50,000. In its 25 years of operation, the Georgia Dome hosted over 1,400 events attended by over 37 million people.<ref name="GA_Dome_Liquidation">{{cite news|last1=Tucker|first1=Tim|title=Liquidating the Georgia Dome: Memorabilia sale underway|url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/liquidating-the-georgia-dome-memorabilia-sale-underway/Uh18WRa51Fi2hgunRCrFYO/|access-date=October 10, 2017|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=September 16, 2017}}</ref> The Georgia Dome was the only stadium in the United States to host the [[Summer Olympics]], [[Super Bowl]] and [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA men's basketball Final Four]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gwcca.org/dome/final-year/ |title=Final Year |publisher=Georgia World Congress Center Authority |access-date=January 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202004257/https://www.gwcca.org/dome/final-year/ |archive-date=December 2, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/20/sport/georgia-dome-final-game/index.html|title=Georgia Dome farewell for Atlanta Falcons|first=Jill |last=Martin|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gwcca.org/dome/final-year/|title=Final Year|publisher=Georgia World Congress Center Authority|access-date=March 1, 2018|archive-date=December 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202004257/https://www.gwcca.org/dome/final-year/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Georgia Dome also hosted [[WrestleMania XXVII]] with [[Dwayne Johnson|The Rock]] as the host, and it was the biggest event in the venue. [[John Cena]] vs [[The Miz]] was the main event for the [[WWE Championship]].

The Georgia Dome's successor, [[Mercedes-Benz Stadium]], was built adjacent to the south and opened on August 26, 2017. The Georgia Dome was demolished on November 20, 2017.<ref name="GA_Dome_Demolition">{{cite news|last1=Martin|first1=Jill|title=Georgia Dome imploded after 25 years of use|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/20/sport/georgia-dome-imploded/index.html|access-date=November 20, 2017|work=CNN|date=November 20, 2017}}</ref>

==History==

===Facility information===
The Georgia Dome was completed in 1992 in time for the [[1996 Summer Olympics]] at a cost of $214&nbsp;million, making it one of the largest state-funded construction projects in Georgia history.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/georgia-dome-through-the-years/uFi47qtjlzk1egIWA2EUvK/ |title=Georgia Dome through the years |work=ajc |access-date=November 23, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.gpbnews.org/post/georgia-dome-named-iconic-site-georgia-historical-society |title=Georgia Dome Named An Iconic Site By The Georgia Historical Society |last=Terrell |first=Ross |work=GPB News |access-date=November 23, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> The stadium seated 71,228 for [[American football|football]], approximately 80,000 for [[concert]]s, and 71,000 for [[basketball]] when the stadium fully opened and 40,000 for basketball and gymnastics when the stadium was sectioned off (one half closed off by a large curtain).<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://georgiahistory.com/ghmi_marker_updated/georgia-dome/ |title=Georgia Dome |work=Georgia Historical Society |access-date=November 23, 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref> For most Georgia State football games, the dome was configured with 28,155 seats, with tickets for only the bulk of the lower level and the club-level seats on sale.<ref name="GA State Sports" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://admin.xosn.com/pdf8/772544.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=12700&KEY=VDXQRKPPIXCHUCF.20110719142449 |title=Georgia Dome Seating Chart |work=[[Georgia State Panthers|Georgia State Athletics]] |format=PDF |access-date=October 19, 2011 |archive-date=March 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308043832/https://admin.xosn.com/pdf8/772544.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=12700&KEY=VDXQRKPPIXCHUCF.20110719142449 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The record for overall attendance at the Georgia Dome came during a college football game, with 80,892 at the [[SEC Championship Game]] in [[2008 SEC Championship Game|2008]].{{citation needed|date=December 2010}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.secsports.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208081746/http://secsports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=2&url_article_id=11911&change_well_id=2|url-status=dead|title=Southeastern Conference|archive-date=December 8, 2008|website=secsports.com}}</ref>

The Dome had 5,740 club seats and 171 luxury boxes. The executives suites fit 16-24 people, while eight super-suites added in 2007 were capable of accommodating 57-96 guests.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://alexaneav.com/mercedes-benz-stadium-vs-georgia-dome/|title=Mercedes-Benz Stadium vs. Georgia Dome|date=August 25, 2018}}</ref> There were also four restaurants/bars. There were 12 escalators and 9 elevators.<ref name="gwcca.org">{{cite web |url=https://www.gwcca.org/dome/premium-seating/ |title=Premium Seating |publisher=Georgia World Congress Center Authority |access-date=January 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130113401/https://www.gwcca.org/dome/premium-seating/ |archive-date=November 30, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="SBNation">{{cite web|url=http://www.sbnation.com/a/cfb-preview-2017/new-atlanta-stadium|title=Meet Atlanta's amazing new stadium, 2017's biggest college football stage|first=Morgan|last=Moriarty|date=August 24, 2017|website=SBNation.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/infographic-mercedes-benz-stadium-georgia-dome-the-numbers/iW40buMpslOwAqmZmxhAOO/|title=Infographic: Mercedes-Benz Stadium v. Georgia Dome, by the numbers|first=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|last=Courtney Martinez|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref>

The structure was located on {{convert|9.19|acre|hectare|2}} of land; the Dome had a height of {{convert|271|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}, a structure length of {{convert|746|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}, a structure width of {{convert|607|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}, and a total floor area of {{convert|102150|sqft|sqm|0}}. The stadium was the largest [[Wire rope|cable]]-supported dome in the world. Its roof was made of [[teflon]]-coated fiberglass fabric and had an area of {{convert|374584|sqft|sqm|0}}. From its completion until the December 31, 1999, opening of the {{convert|20|acre|hectare|2|adj=on}} [[Millennium Dome]] in London, it was the largest hooked domed structure of any type in the world.  Matt Hartley Lighting, LLC designed the lighting for the concourse of the Georgia Dome.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://matthartleylighting.com/portfolio/georgia-dome-concourse-lighting/|title=Georgia Dome Concourse Lighting}}</ref>

===Surface===
The Georgia Dome originally used [[AstroTurf]] artificial surface for its football events. In 2003, [[Arthur Blank]], the new owner of Atlanta Falcons, funded the installation of the new infilled [[FieldTurf]] artificial surface system.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ticketcity.com/Chick-fil-A-Bowl-Event-Guide.html|title=Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Event Guide|website=ticketcity.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/history-georgia-dome-sec-championship/ |title=History of the Georgia Dome and its SEC Championship impact |date=December 3, 2014 |work=Saturday Down South |access-date=November 23, 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Renovations===
In 2006, the Atlanta Falcons and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority announced a $300 million renovation to the Georgia Dome.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2006/09/11/daily32.html |title=Falcons to pay for Georgia Dome facelift |work=Atlanta Business Chronicle |access-date=November 23, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stadiumsofprofootball.com/stadiums/georgia-dome/|title=Georgia Dome, Atlanta Falcons football stadium - Stadiums of Pro Football}}</ref> The project was separated into two stages. The first stage, which took place before the 2007 NFL season, focused on updating the premium seating areas, including the creation of eight 'super-suites' as well as an owners' club, most of them now incorporating new plasma televisions.<ref name="gwcca.org" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2007/07/Dome_improvement_on_schedule.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516072430/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2007/07/Dome_improvement_on_schedule.aspx|url-status=dead|title=AlantaFalcons.com: Striking changes usher in new era for Dome|archive-date=May 16, 2008}}</ref> In 2008, the exterior of the stadium was repainted, replacing the original teal and maroon color scheme with a red, black, and silver theme to match the Falcons' team colors; the stadium's original teal seats were replaced with red seats in the lower and upper levels and black seats in the middle level. The entrance gates and concourses were also renovated and updated before the 2008 football season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2007/10/21-31/Falcons_Dome_announce_phase_two_renovations.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516065346/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2007/10/21-31/Falcons_Dome_announce_phase_two_renovations.aspx|url-status=dead|title=AlantaFalcons.com: Dome, Falcons announce new renovations|archive-date=May 16, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/MediaLounge/PhotoLanding.aspx?q=Dome%2BRenovation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529224613/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/MediaLounge/PhotoLanding.aspx?q=Dome+Renovation|url-status=dead|title=AlantaFalcons.com: Dome Renovations Photo Album|archive-date=May 29, 2008}}</ref> In 2009, the video screens in both end zones were relocated to a new exterior monument sign on Northside Drive. The interior end zones each received a new and considerably wider [[High-definition video|HD video]] screen that significantly enhanced views of replays, as well as graphics and digital presentations. A new sound system was installed in the same year, replacing the previous system that was nearly 20 years old.

In 2008, the Georgia Dome started showing safety videos before games, presented by [[Deltalina]], flight attendant "mascot" of [[Delta Air Lines]]. The videos satirize Delta's massively popular "[[Deltalina]]" [[Pre-flight safety demonstration|inflight safety videos]]. The videos' theme was "Delta Safety First".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accessatlanta.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/accessatlanta/peachbuzz/entries/2008/09/24/a_couple_of_atl.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117094003/http://www.accessatlanta.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/accessatlanta/peachbuzz/entries/2008/09/24/a_couple_of_atl.html|url-status=dead|title="DELTALINA WAGS HER FINGER AT THE DOME", "Peach Buzz", ''Access Atlanta'' (''Atlanta Journal-Constitution''), September 24, 2008|archive-date=January 17, 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://blog.delta.com/2008/09/26/delta-official-airline-of-the-atlanta-falcons/ "Delta, Official Airline of the Atlanta Falcons", Delta Air Lines, September 26, 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313161340/http://blog.delta.com/2008/09/26/delta-official-airline-of-the-atlanta-falcons/ |date=March 13, 2012 }}</ref>

===Major weather-related issues===
Three years after the completion of the Dome, the integrity of its roof became an issue. During a Falcons pre-season game on August 11, 1995, a severe thunderstorm caused water to pool on the fabric, tearing part of the material, and causing a section of the roof to fall into the stadium. The storm was intense enough that the roof panels could be seen moving during the game, and the roof material fell with enough force to smash seats and knock holes in concrete floors. The collapse occurred after fans left the stadium, and no one was injured during the incident. The roof was eventually repaired in a way that prevented similar incidents from occurring in the future.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/22/sports/georgia-dome-is-damaged.html|title=Georgia Dome Is Damaged|newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 22, 1995}}</ref><ref name="MSNBC1">{{cite web|url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/23640939/|title=Storm hits Georgia Dome, interrupts SEC play|date=August 23, 2015|access-date=March 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080315165924/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/23640939|archive-date=March 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the [[2008 Atlanta tornado outbreak]] on March 14, 2008, during the [[2008 SEC men's basketball tournament]], an EF2 [[tornado]] ripped holes in the dome and damaged panels along the side of the structure during the [[Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball|Alabama]]–[[Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball|Mississippi State]] quarterfinal game, delaying the game for over an hour. The quarterfinal game to follow between the [[2007–08 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team|Kentucky Wildcats]] and [[Georgia Bulldogs men's basketball|Georgia Bulldogs]] was postponed until the following day.<ref name="MSNBC1" /> The resulting damage forced the rest of the tournament to be moved to the Alexander Memorial Coliseum, now known as [[McCamish Pavilion]], at [[Georgia Institute of Technology|Georgia Tech]].<ref
name="ajctornado">[http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/03/14/domeburst_0315.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab Tornado Kills, 2 Pummels Downtown] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309023422/http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/03/14/domeburst_0315.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab |date=March 9, 2009 }} by Tim Eberly and Paul Shea for ''[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]'', March 15, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2008.</ref>

===Final years and replacement===
{{Main|Mercedes-Benz Stadium}}
[[File:Overhead shot of Georgia Dome, New Falcons stadium construction site April 25, 2014.jpg|right|thumb|Aerial photo of the Georgia Dome in 2014; the land next to it was cleared for the then-ongoing construction of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.]]
[[File:Georgia Dome 2017.JPG|thumb|The Georgia Dome (right) and Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 2, 2017]]

In 2010, the [[Georgia World Congress Center Authority]] announced plans for a new stadium just south of the Georgia Dome. At the time, the Georgia Dome had just completed a major update and was still relatively young.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Smith |first1=Brian T. |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/columnists/smith/article/Facing-the-reality-of-NRG-Stadium-upgrades-10926138.php|title=Facing the reality of NRG Stadium upgrades - HoustonChronicle.com|date=February 12, 2017|website=Houston Chronicle}}</ref> The Dome had been designed specifically for football while a handful of NFL teams still made do with [[multi-purpose stadium]]s shared with MLB teams; plus, the Dome had plenty of luxury suites and premium seating which were important revenue-generating features lacking other older venues which made them obsolete. Nonetheless, sports economist Rod Fort noted that pro sports team owners "thought they could get away with demanding new" stadiums every year with public money; plus, the Falcons did not have control of the Dome nor the profits, which made them less competitive than other teams that owned state-of-the-art facilities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/30/football-valuations-10_Atlanta-Falcons_300786.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829015103/http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/30/football-valuations-10_Atlanta-Falcons_300786.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 29, 2010 |title=#26 Atlanta Falcons |website=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fieldofschemes.com/2017/11/20/13172/georgia-dome-torn-down-at-age-25-because-thats-how-we-21st-century-americans-roll/ |title=Georgia Dome torn down at age 25, because that's how we 21st-century Americans roll |website=Field of Schemes |date=November 20, 2017}}</ref> In addition, [[Arthur Blank]] "wanted a state-of-the-art facility for his NFL and MLS teams and was willing to pitch in a huge amount of money to make it happen", as well as wanting to host another Super Bowl.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/mark-bradley/arthur-blank-super-bowl-you-hadn-noticed/fI2KTLoGsHbhMhXRjKI4VJ/|title=It's Arthur Blank's Super Bowl, as if you'd hadn't noticed|first=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|last=Mark Bradley|website=Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://yournewsnet.com/falcons-owner-arthur-blank-brought-super-bowl-liii-to-atlanta/|title=Falcons Owner Arthur Blank Brought Super Bowl LIII to Atlanta}}</ref> Also with the Atlanta climate the Falcons long desired to play outdoors in either an open-air stadium or retractable roof stadium rather than inside a dome.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/10/best-worst-nfl-stadiums-capacity-rankings-lambeau-field-solder-field-size-super-bowls|title=Ranking the best and worst NFL stadiums, from No. 1 (Lambeau) to 31 (Soldier)|date=October 16, 2015}}</ref> At the time it was planned to retain the Georgia Dome to continue hosting non-NFL events.<ref>{{cite web |title=McKay: Hope for new stadium by 2015|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5209110|work=[[ESPN]]|date=May 21, 2010|access-date=September 9, 2012}}</ref><ref name="AJC 2010-05-19">{{cite news |title=Falcons Prefer New Open-Air Stadium, Downtown|first1=D. Orlando|last1=Ledbetter|first2=Leon|last2=Stafford|url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/falcons-prefer-new-open-531016.html|newspaper=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|date=May 19, 2010|access-date=September 9, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Falcons Want Open Air Stadium North of GWCC|first1=J. Scott|last1=Trubey|first2=Maria|last2=Saporta, Maria|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/05/17/daily40.html|newspaper=[[American City Business Journals|Atlanta Business Chronicle]]|date=May 19, 2010|access-date=September 9, 2012}}</ref>

In justifying the need for a new venue, Falcons CEO and president Rich McKay said that the Georgia Dome "was a really functional building that served its purpose very well. We did not want to build a better Georgia Dome. That was not the object. If we would have done that, we would have renovated the Georgia Dome. We really wanted to change the game and do it for a long, long time." Stadium general manager Scott Jenkins described the new stadium's advantages over the Dome, saying "The LED displays we have, whether it's every seat is two-inches wider than the Georgia Dome, almost all the concourses connect so you can circumnavigate the building, you don't get cut-off. You can move vertically throughout the building, we have really wide staircases, we have twice the elevators, twice the escalators compared to the Georgia Dome".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/2017/8/26/16141388/georgia-dome-what-happened-new-stadium|title=Yep, the Georgia Dome is already done|first=Morgan|last=Moriarty|date=August 26, 2017|website=SBNation.com}}</ref> McKay said of it, "The architecture, I think, speaks for itself. I hope the first time you're in it, yeah, you're wowed by the architecture, but more wowed by the fan experience." ''SB Nation'' noted that while the "Georgia Dome did its job for 24 years...it wasn't anything special. That's not the case with [the Mercedes-Benz Stadium]. Walking up to it feels like you're approaching a darn spaceship".<ref name="SBNation" />

The new stadium, which would be known as [[Mercedes-Benz Stadium]], received approval from the city of Atlanta, Fulton County, and Georgia state governments in 2013. Construction commenced and ground was broken in 2014.

The Falcons' final game in the Dome was the [[2016 NFC Championship Game]] on January 22, 2017, with a 44–21 victory over the [[Green Bay Packers]], that sent the Falcons to their second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. The stadium's final public event took place on March 4 and 5, 2017, with back-to-back [[Monster Jam]] shows.<ref>{{cite web|title=Falcons vs. Monster Trucks. Falcons win.|url=http://www.11alive.com/news/local/falcons-vs-monster-trucks-falcons-win/381253170|publisher=[[WXIA-TV]]|access-date=January 2, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=January 2024}}</ref>

===Demolition===
Shortly after the Georgia Dome's closing, a group presented a petition to the governor's office to save the stadium from demolition, arguing that it was still in good condition and that its loss would be wasteful. While the Falcons initially sought an open-air stadium to complement the Georgia Dome, GWCCA officials ultimately concluded that maintaining two 70,000-seat stadiums was not financially feasible, and the Georgia Dome's fate was already sealed when Mercedes-Benz Stadium was approved in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=McKay: Hope for new stadium by 2015|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5209110|work=[[ESPN]]|date=May 21, 2010|access-date=May 29, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Richards|first1=Doug|title=Last minute effort afoot to prevent Georgia Dome demolition|date=March 9, 2017 |url=https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/last-minute-effort-afoot-to-prevent-georgia-dome-demolition/85-421230406|publisher=WXIA|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

Demolition of the Georgia Dome was intended to begin shortly after the stadium's final event; however, due to construction delays caused by the complexity of Mercedes-Benz Stadium's eight-panel retractable roof, demolition of the Georgia Dome was postponed until the new stadium's [[certificate of occupancy]] could be issued. GWCCA officials stated that the Georgia Dome would remain nominally operational until Mercedes-Benz Stadium was ready; however, the Dome's artificial turf had been removed and its offices vacated prior to the announcement of the new stadium's delay.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tucker|first1=Tim|title=Mercedes-Benz Stadium opening is pushed back again|url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/football/mercedes-benz-stadium-opening-pushed-back-again/wLnfyURmUXYvGcj6iaROMM/|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|access-date=April 18, 2017}}</ref>

On June 9, 2017, Steve Cannon, CEO of the Falcons' parent company AMB Group, stated that construction officials were confident that Mercedes-Benz Stadium would be ready in time for the Falcons' first preseason game, and the process of decommissioning the Georgia Dome had resumed, with the Dome scheduled for implosion on November 20, 2017, at 7:30 am EST.<ref name="Dome Implosion Date Set" />

In July 2017, GWCCA officials removed equipment they intend to reuse either at Mercedes-Benz Stadium or elsewhere on the GWCC campus while other equipment was liquidated by sealed bids. Most of the seats in the lower and middle bowls were sold in bulk to high schools and colleges while pairs were sold to individuals; most of the upper bowl seats were recycled. The stadium's lower bowl and loading docks were demolished by mid-August. From September 16 to 30, 2017, memorabilia from the Georgia Dome was sold in an online auction format by Schneider Industries.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tucker|first1=Tim|title=How the Georgia Dome will be emptied and liquidated|url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/football/how-the-georgia-dome-will-emptied-and-liquidated/k7iyR6lknLWzavXwZlZphP/|access-date=October 6, 2017|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=February 14, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Tucker|first1=Tim|title=Inside the Georgia Dome: a shell of its former self|url=http://www.myajc.com/sports/football/inside-the-georgia-dome-shell-its-former-self/7iQbctfY14HRmA5p7ccTGP/|access-date=August 6, 2017|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref><ref name="GA_Dome_Liquidation" /><ref name="WSBTV_1" />

{{multiple image|
| image1 = Georgia-Dome-Demolition-1.jpg
| image2 = Georgia-Dome-Demolition-2.jpg
| footer = The Dome before and after the implosion
| align=left
}}
Demolition officials from [[Adamo Demolition]], the company contracted for the job,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forconstructionpros.com/equipment/article/21010208/demolition-contractor-implodes-georgia-dome-in-one-shot|title=Demolition Contractor Implodes Georgia Dome in One Shot|website=For Construction Pros|date=June 20, 2018 |language=en|access-date=March 1, 2019}}</ref> stated that the pressure from the implosion needed to go up from the roof and not out through the sides to ensure that Mercedes-Benz Stadium and other nearby buildings were not damaged during the demolition; to protect nearby structures, construction felt was placed over the four corners of the Dome, and a {{convert|70|foot|m|0}} tall fence covered in the same material was erected between the Dome and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. To ensure that the roof fell in place during the implosion, parts of the concrete ring supporting the roof had been chipped away and ventilation holes were cut into the roof fabric.<ref name="WSBTV_1">{{cite web|last1=Gehlbach|first1=Steve|title=Georgia Dome implosion set for Nov. 20|date=October 20, 2017|url=http://www.wsbtv.com/news/georgia-dome-implosion-set-for-nov-20/627625852|publisher=WSB-TV|access-date=October 24, 2017}}</ref> {{convert|4800|lb|kg|-2}} of explosives were used to bring the Dome down within 12 seconds.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Choi|first1=Sophia|title=4,800 pounds of explosives ready to bring down Georgia Dome|date=November 15, 2017|url=http://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/4800-pounds-of-explosives-ready-to-bring-down-georgia-dome/648182719|publisher=WSB-TV|access-date=November 16, 2017}}</ref>

[[File:Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the Georgia Dome remains in the foreground (27663350329).jpg|thumb|right|The remains of the Dome with Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the background.]]
Due to the large exclusion zone required for the demolition, no public viewing areas were made available; additionally, [[Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority]] officials announced that rail service west of the [[Five Points station]] would be suspended on the day of demolition until MARTA safety inspectors certified that the tunnels which run below the Dome site were safe for trains to operate. GWCCA officials stated that the implosion would be broadcast live by [[WSB-TV]] as well as livestreamed on the official websites of the Falcons, [[Atlanta United FC]], and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tucker|first1=Tim|title=TV plan set for Georgia Dome implosion; no public viewing area|url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/plan-set-for-georgia-dome-implosion-public-viewing-area/caTdIPX4fouEaxwiOOpGAK/|access-date=November 6, 2017|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|issue=October 31, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=MARTA: November 20th Dome Implosion|url=http://www.itsmarta.com/domeimplosion.aspx|publisher=Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority|access-date=November 17, 2017}}</ref> Live coverage of the implosion on the [[Weather Channel]] was blocked at the last moment by a MARTA bus that stopped in front of the camera just seconds before the implosion.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-21/georgia-dome-ill-timed-bus-ruins-broadcast-of-stadiums-implosion/9174394 Georgia Dome: Bus drives in front of camera filming huge stadium demolition, ruining everything], [[ABC News Online]]/[[Reuters]], November 21, 2017</ref>

While the implosion was considered successful with the roof and a majority of the structure felled, the eastern wall and the northwest gate of the Dome were left standing after the implosion.<ref name="GA Dome crumbles">{{cite news|last1=Tucker|first1=Tim|title=Georgia Dome crumbles -- well, most of it|url=http://www.myajc.com/sports/georgia-dome-crumbles-well-most/2FMIQrDPmAiQvjHEUFHOAL/|access-date=November 20, 2017|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=November 20, 2017}}</ref> Although the Dome's proximity to adjacent structures was a major concern, with Mercedes-Benz Stadium only {{convert|83|ft|m|0}} away from the Dome, demolition officials stated that bringing the roof down was the biggest challenge due to its unique design. The Georgia World Congress Center and Mercedes-Benz Stadium were undamaged during the first implosion, although the new stadium did receive a heavy dusting.<ref name="GA Dome crumbles" /> Initially, demolition officials stated that the two remaining sections would be brought down manually with hydraulic excavators; however, after inspections determined that the explosive charges did not detonate, a supplementary implosion took place on the morning of December 20 at 1:00 am EST. A window at one of the GWCC buildings was shattered during the second implosion but was quickly replaced.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.myajc.com/sports/second-implosion-scheduled-bring-down-remainder-georgia-dome/sABR5lqSAc20JSSn9SUlJJ/|title=Second implosion scheduled to bring down remainder of Georgia Dome|work=myajc|access-date=December 14, 2017|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Burns|first1=Steve|title=Take 2: Georgia Dome — the rest of it — comes down|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/local/take-georgia-dome-the-rest-comes-down/1VLe9o75dGxCtm0DxOttoM/|access-date=December 21, 2017|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref>

Following the implosion, most of the concrete from the Georgia Dome remained on site, crushed into smaller pieces to be used as infill material while steel and other materials were separated and recycled.<ref name="WSBTV_1" /> Most of the Georgia Dome site became greenspace for [[Tailgate party|tailgating]] at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and other community events.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tucker|first1=Tim|title=What happens to Georgia Dome after NFC title game?|url=http://www.myajc.com/sports/football/what-happens-georgia-dome-after-nfc-title-game/cvcBKwaI4IHs9S1PU3ashM/|access-date=March 5, 2017|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=January 21, 2017}}</ref> On April 21, 2017, GWCCA officials announced that [[The Home Depot]] acquired the naming rights to the {{convert|13|acre|m2|adj=on}} park prior to its construction, adopting the name of "The Home Depot Backyard".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stafford|first1=Leon|title=Georgia Dome site to become park after demolition|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/georgia-dome-site-become-park-after-demolition/m3MUfdcQPNgkXCujCsvwJJ/|access-date=April 26, 2017|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=April 21, 2017}}</ref> Cleanup of debris from the Georgia Dome site was completed by late February 2018 with construction of the Home Depot Backyard beginning shortly thereafter; the new park officially opened on September 11, 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Former Georgia Dome site clearing – what's next? |date=March 9, 2018 |url=https://www.gwcca.org/georgia-dome-clearing-whats-next/ |publisher=Georgia World Congress Center Authority |access-date=July 29, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Home Depot Backyard opens at Mercedes-Benz Stadium |date=September 12, 2018 |url=http://www.fox5atlanta.com/local-news/home-depot-backyard-opens-at-mercedes-benz-stadium#/ |publisher=WAGA-TV |access-date=September 12, 2018}}</ref> Ground was broken for a new high-rise convention center hotel on May 19, 2021, which opened in January 2024. The hotel is located between the Home Depot Backyard and GWCC Building C, and is the first newly constructed hotel for [[Hilton Worldwide|Hilton]]'s Signia brand.<ref>{{cite web |title=GWCC Campus Development: Headquarter Hotel |url=https://www.gwcca.org/about-the-gwcca/campus-development/hotel/ |publisher=Georgia World Congress Center Authority |access-date=April 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601150705/https://www.gwcca.org/about-the-gwcca/campus-development/hotel/|archive-date=June 1, 2023|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Signia by Hilton Debuts Flagship Hotel in Downtown Atlanta |url=https://stories.hilton.com/releases/signia-by-hilton-debuts-flagship-hotel-in-downtown-atlanta |date=January 12, 2024 |publisher=Stories From Hilton |access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

A historical marker erected by the GWCCA and the [[Georgia Historical Society]] commemorating the Georgia Dome's legacy was dedicated on September 6, 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Poole |first1=Shelia |title=Former Georgia Dome site gets historical marker |url=https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/former-georgia-dome-site-gets-historic-marker/EN3cFeHjy9EMh6L0HGr8KK/ |access-date=September 15, 2018 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=September 6, 2018}}</ref>

==Events hosted==
{{more citations needed section|date=March 2015}}

===Football===
[[File:Georgia Dome Eagles at Falcons September 18, 2011.jpg|thumb|The Falcons hosting the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] in 2011]]
The Dome was home to the [[National Football League|NFL]]'s [[Atlanta Falcons]]. The stadium also hosted [[Super Bowl XXVIII]] in 1994 and [[Super Bowl XXXIV]] in 2000. The Falcons failed to qualify for the playoffs both seasons that the Dome hosted the Super Bowl; despite a 14–2 regular season in 1998 which was capped off with a [[Super Bowl XXXIII|Super Bowl appearance]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/football/look-back-the-falcons-super-season-1998/ep4lyWluOpWEXnpWTNeLDL/|title=A look back at the Falcons' Super season of 1998|first=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|last=Matt Winkeljohn|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref> the Falcons slumped to a 5–11 record in 1999.  The final NFL Game at the Georgia Dome was the [[2016-17 NFL playoffs#NFC: Atlanta Falcons 44, Green Bay Packers 21|2016 NFC Championship Game]] between the Falcons and the [[2016 Green Bay Packers|Green Bay Packers]], won by the Falcons 44–21 to advance to their second Super Bowl in franchise history.

The Dome was also the annual host (since 1998) to FCS Classic football game between [[Florida A&M Rattlers]] and another [[HBCU]] opponent ([[Southern Jaguars football|Southern Jaguars]] in 2011 and [[Tennessee State Tigers and Lady Tigers|Tennessee State Tigers]] in prior years), and the annual host to the [[SEC Championship Game|Southeastern Conference Football Championship Game]] and the [[Chick-fil-A Bowl]] (also known as the Peach Bowl) post-season college football games. From 2015 to 2016, the Dome hosted the [[Celebration Bowl]], the annual post-season bowl match up between the [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|MEAC]] and [[Southwestern Athletic Conference|SWAC]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thecelebrationbowl.com/history/bowl-history/ |title=Bowl History - Celebration Bowl |work=Celebration Bowl |access-date=November 23, 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref> On January 2, 2006, the Georgia Dome hosted the [[Nokia]] [[Sugar Bowl]], between the [[Georgia Bulldogs football|University of Georgia]] and [[West Virginia Mountaineers football|West Virginia University]]. The [[2006 Sugar Bowl|game]] was held in [[Atlanta|Atlanta, Georgia]], since the game's usual venue, the [[Louisiana Superdome]], was unable host due to damage caused by [[Hurricane Katrina]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=West Virginia vs. Georgia - Game Recap - January 2, 2006 - ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/260020061 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915154641/https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/260020061 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 15, 2022 |access-date=September 15, 2022 |publisher=ESPN |language=en}}</ref>

From the program's inception in [[2010 Georgia State Panthers football team|2010]] until [[2016 Georgia State Panthers football team|2016]], the stadium was home of the [[NCAA Division I]] [[Georgia State Panthers]] of [[Georgia State University]]. Subsequently, with the Dome's impending closure, the university acquired the [[Atlanta Braves]]' former [[Turner Field]] baseball park and renovated it to [[Center Parc Stadium]] for college football.

The Georgia Dome also annually hosted the [[Georgia High School Association]] (GHSA) football semi-finals until 2007 and hosted the football state championships from 2008 to 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ghsa.net/files/documents/Constitution/Constitution_2008-2009.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828040328/http://ghsa.net/files/documents/Constitution/Constitution_2008-2009.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Georgia High School Association Constitution and By-Laws 2008–2009, pg. 70|archive-date=August 28, 2008}}</ref>

===Basketball===
The Georgia Dome hosted the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Final Four Men's Basketball National Championship]] in 2002, 2007, and 2013, along with regional semi-finals and finals in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2012 and [[NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Women's Final Four]] in 2003. The [[SEC men's basketball tournament]] has been held at the Georgia Dome during 10 seasons, most recently in [[2014 SEC men's basketball tournament|2014]]. The [[ACC men's basketball tournament]] has been held at the Georgia Dome on two occasions, in 2001 and 2009.  The NCAA Division I Basketball's [[Champions Classic]] was held at the dome in 2012.

It was also one of two homes, along with the facility then known as Alexander Memorial Coliseum, for the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[Atlanta Hawks]] during the construction of [[State Farm Arena (Atlanta)|State Farm Arena]] from 1997 to 1999 on the site of the former [[Omni Coliseum]].<ref>[[The Palm Beach Post]], [http://www.gwcc.com/authority/clippings/documents/apr/04.02.07finalfour2.pdf Gators view Georgia Dome as someplace like home ]</ref> While playing at the Georgia Dome on March 27, 1998, the Atlanta Hawks set a then-NBA single-game attendance record with 62,046 fans against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.<ref name="q942">{{Cite web |last=Pope |first=Bobby |date=2017-03-06 |title=Georgia Dome is now history |url=https://www.macon.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/bobby-pope/article136738158.html |access-date=2024-12-25 |website=Macon Telegraph}}</ref>

===Olympics===
For the [[1996 Summer Olympics]], one half of the arena hosted the [[Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics|basketball]] competitions (including final) while the other half hosted the [[Gymnastics at the 1996 Summer Olympics|artistic gymnastics]] events and [[Handball at the 1996 Summer Olympics|team handball]] (men's final).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080528011846/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1996/1996v1.pdf 1996 Summer Olympics official report.] Volume 1. p. 540.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222634/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1996/1996v3.pdf 1996 Summer Olympics official report.] Volume 3. pp. 451, 456.</ref>

===Soccer===
The Georgia Dome held a number of international soccer matches. On June 24, 2009, the Dome hosted its first ever soccer match between [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]] and [[Venezuela national football team|Venezuela]] in front of 51,115 fans, with grass laid over the FieldTurf.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ajc.com/falcons/content/sports/stories/2009/06/11/georgia_dome_grass.html|title=Georgia Dome converting to grass….for soccer}}</ref> On February 9, 2011, [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]] and [[Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team|Bosnia and Herzegovina]] played a friendly match in front of 50,507 fans.<ref>[http://www.ajc.com/sports/mexico-will-play-a-785761.html Mexico will play a soccer match at Georgia Dome] ''[[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]''</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bosnia-vs-mexico-ends-with-mexico-win/|work=CBS News|title=Bosnia vs. Mexico Ends with Mexico Win|date=February 9, 2011}}</ref> On July 20, 2013, the Dome hosted two quarter-final match-ups of the [[2013 Gold Cup]]—Panama vs. Cuba and Mexico vs. Trinidad & Tobago—in front of 54,229 fans.<ref>FOXXoccerTrax, {{Cite web |date=July 20, 2013 |title=65' 0-0: Attendance: 54,229 - record crowd for soccer here at the Georgia Dome |url=http://inagist.com/all/358737387804823553/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213161720/http://inagist.com/all/358737387804823553/ |archive-date=December 13, 2013 |access-date=September 15, 2013 |website=FOXSoccerTrax}}</ref>

The stadium was an official candidate venue for hosting matches as part of the United States' bid for the [[2022 FIFA World Cup bids|2022 FIFA World Cup]], but [[Qatar]] was selected to host the tournament.<ref name="US Soccer Federation Services">{{cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_14155776.html |title=The Official Site of U.S. Soccer – Federation Services |access-date=May 9, 2009 |date=April 23, 2009 |author=United States Soccer Federation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426125912/http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_14155776.html |archive-date=April 26, 2009 }}</ref>

===Other events===
The Georgia Dome was also a prominent stop for many music acts including [[Alabama (band)|Alabama]], [[Guns N' Roses]], [[U2]], [[Kiss (band)|KISS]], [[The Rolling Stones]], [[Elton John]], [[Billy Joel]], [[Taylor Swift]], [[Chuck Berry]], [[Smash Mouth]], [[The Beach Boys]], [[Kid Rock]], [[Phil Collins]], [[Backstreet Boys]], [[Korn]], [[Metallica]], [[Skillet (band)|Skillet]], [[Beyoncé]], [[One Direction]] and  many more. It was also home to the video game convention [[E3]] from 1997 to 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Georgia Dome Atlanta Concert Setlists|url=https://www.setlist.fm/venue/georgia-dome-atlanta-ga-usa-13d621c5.html? |access-date=June 12, 2023 |website=setlist.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=E3 Guide 1997|url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/e3/E3_1997 |access-date=June 12, 2023 |website=ign.com|date=May 2, 2012 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=E3 Guide 1998|url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/e3/E3_1998 |access-date=June 12, 2023 |website=ign.com|date=May 5, 2012 |language=en}}</ref>
In 1998, [[Gaither Homecoming]] hosted two Homecoming concerts, ''Atlanta Homecoming'' and ''All Day Singin' At The Dome''.
{| class="wikitable"  style="text-align:left; width:95%; text-align:center;"
|-
!style="text-align:center; {{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2}};"|Date
!style="text-align:center; {{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2}};"|Winning Team
!style="text-align:center; {{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2}};"|Result
!style="text-align:center; {{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2}};"|Losing Team
!style="text-align:center; {{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2}};"|Tournament
!style="text-align:center; {{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|border=2}};"|Spectators
|-
|style="text-align:center;|June 24, 2009 ||'''{{fb|MEX}}'''||style="text-align:center;|4–0|| {{fb|VEN}} ||style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2|International Friendly ||style="text-align:center;|51,115
|-
|style="text-align:center;|February 9, 2011 ||'''{{fb|MEX}}'''||style="text-align:center;|2–0|| {{fb|BIH}} ||style="text-align:center;|50,507
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2|July 20, 2013 ||'''{{fb|PAN}}'''||style="text-align:center;|6–1|| {{fb|CUB}} || style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2|[[2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup]] Quarterfinals ||style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2|54,229 
|-
|'''{{fb|MEX}}'''||style="text-align:center;|1–0||{{fb|TRI}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|February 13, 2014||'''{{fbw|USA}} women''' ||style="text-align:center;|8–0|| {{fbw|RUS}} women ||style="text-align:center;"|Women's International Friendly ||style="text-align:center;|16,133
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|March 5, 2014 || {{fb|MEX}} ||style="text-align:center;|0–0|| {{fb|NGA}} ||style="text-align:center;"|International Friendly ||style="text-align:center;|59,066
|-
| rowspan="2" |July 22, 2015
|'''{{fb|JAM}}'''
|2–1
|{{fb|USA}}
| rowspan="2" |[[2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup]] Semifinals
| rowspan="2" |70,511
|-
|'''{{fb|MEX}}'''
|2–1
|{{fb|PAN}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|May 28, 2016 ||'''{{fb|MEX}}'''||style="text-align:center;|1–0|| {{fb|PAR}} ||style="text-align:center;"|International Friendly ||style="text-align:center;|63,049
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|September 18, 2016 ||'''{{fbw|USA}} women'''||style="text-align:center;|3–1|| {{fbw|NED}} women ||style="text-align:center;"|Women's International Friendly ||style="text-align:center;|15,652
|}

===Drum Corps International===
{{update section|date=October 2020}}

The stadium also hosted the [[Drum Corps International]] (DCI) Southeastern Championship from 2006 to 2016. The inaugural event featured 22 drum corps in the old fashioned Prelims/Finals one-day format. During the competition, the stadium was the first, and only indoor rain delay, when an upper deck rain gutter leaked inside the stadium. The 2006 competition was won by [[The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps|The Cavaliers]], becoming the first of only four corps to win in the 11 years the stadium hosted the event.

From 2007 to 2014, the [[Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps|Blue Devils]] would win an unprecedented 8 straight victories at the annual Southeastern Championship. The win streak would be snapped in 2015 by [[Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps|Carolina Crown]] with its fan-favorite production of "Inferno"

With the announcement of the [[Mercedes-Benz Stadium]] to be opened in the summer of 2017, the 2016 tour season would be the last hurrah inside the dome. Though the 2016 season would be the last in the dome, it would prove to be a historical one at that, with the [[Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps|Bluecoats]] powering their way to the top to win the last competition in the stadium, bringing the corps' first Southeast Championship and later on their first DCI World Championship Title.

While the 2017 show was scheduled to be in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, construction delays would make the venue not ready for the July 29 event, which would find a temporary home at [[McEachern High School]] in [[Powder Springs, Georgia|Powder Springs]]. DCI hosted the 2018 and 2019 Southeast Championships at the new stadium.

===Wrestling===
The Georgia Dome hosted [[WrestleMania XXVII]] on April 3, 2011, as well as [[WrestleMania Axxess]] in the [[Georgia World Congress Center]]; WrestleMania XXVII was the last [[WWE]] event held in the Georgia Dome.

''[[WCW Monday Nitro]]'' was hosted in the Georgia Dome twice in 1998 and twice again in 1999; ''[[WWE Raw|WWE Monday Night Raw]]'' was hosted 4 times in the stadium between 1999 and 2001.

{{Panorama |image = Image:Georgia Dome 2008-08-30 2.jpg
|fullwidth  = 4226
|fullheight = 1000
|caption    = The interior of the Georgia Dome prior to the 2008 [[Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game]]
|height     = 200
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Architecture|American football}}
* [[Tension fabric building]]
* [[Tensile structure]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051124023312/http://www.gadome.com/ |title=Official website |date=mdy}}
* [http://stadiumdb.com/stadiums/usa/georgia_dome Georgia Dome] at StadiumDB.com
* {{Structurae|id=20000372|title=Georgia Dome}}

{{S-start-collapsible|header={{S-sta|et}}}}
{{Succession box| title = Home of the<br />[[Atlanta Falcons]]
 | years = 1992 – 2017
 | before = [[Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium]]
 | after = [[Mercedes-Benz Stadium]]
}}
{{Succession box| title = Home of the<br />[[Atlanta Hawks]]
 | years = 1997 – 1999
 | before = [[Omni Coliseum]]
 | after = [[Philips Arena]]
}}
{{Succession box| title = Home of the<br />[[Georgia State Panthers football]] team
 | years = 2010 – 2016
 | before = First stadium
 | after = [[Georgia State Stadium]]
}}
{{Succession box| title = Home of the<br />[[SEC Championship Game]]
 | years = 1994 – 2016
 | before = [[Legion Field]]
 | after = Mercedes-Benz Stadium
}}
{{Succession box| title = Home of the<br />[[Chick-Fil-A]] [[Peach Bowl]]
 | years = 1993 – 2016
 | before = [[Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium]]
 | after = Mercedes-Benz Stadium
}}
{{Succession box| title = Home of the<br />[[Sugar Bowl]]
 | years = 2006
 | before = [[Mercedes-Benz Superdome|Louisiana Superdome]]
 | after = Louisiana Superdome
}}
{{Succession box| title = [[NCAA]] [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|Men's Division I]]<br />[[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|Basketball tournament]]<br />Finals Venue
| years = '''[[2002 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2002]]'''<br />'''[[2007 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2007]]'''<br />'''[[2013 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2013]]'''
| before = <br /><br />[[Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome|H.H.H. Metrodome]]<br />[[RCA Dome]]<br />[[Mercedes-Benz Superdome]]
| after = <br /><br />[[Mercedes-Benz Superdome|Louisiana Superdome]]<br />[[Alamodome]]<br />[[AT&T Stadium]]
}}
{{Succession box| title = Host of the [[Super Bowl]]
 | years = '''[[Super Bowl XXVIII|XXVIII]]''' 1994<br />'''[[Super Bowl XXXIV|XXXIV]]''' 2000
 | before = [[Rose Bowl (stadium)|Rose Bowl]]<br />[[Hard Rock Stadium|Pro Player Stadium]]
 | after = [[Hard Rock Stadium|Joe Robbie Stadium]]<br />[[Raymond James Stadium]]
}}
{{Succession box
 | title = Host of [[WrestleMania]]
 | years = 2011 ([[WrestleMania XXVII|XXVII]])
 | before = [[University of Phoenix Stadium]]
 | after = [[Hard Rock Stadium|Sun Life Stadium]]
}}
{{Succession box
 | title = Host of [[NFC Championship Game]]
 | years = 2013<br /> 2017
 | before = [[Candlestick Park]]<br />[[Bank of America Stadium]]
 | after = [[CenturyLink Field]]<br />[[Lincoln Financial Field]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Host of [[FIRST Championship|FIRST Robotics World Championship]]
 | years = 2004–2010
 | before = [[Reliant Park]]
 | after = [[The Dome at America's Center|Edward Jones Dome]]
}}
{{End}}

{{Atlanta sports venues}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Georgia Dome – Navigation templates
|list1=
{{1996 Summer Olympic venues}}
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{{Olympic venues gymnastics}}
{{Olympic venues handball}}
{{Atlanta Falcons}}
{{Atlanta Hawks}}
{{SEC Championship Game navbox}}
{{Defunct NFL stadiums}}
{{Former NBA arenas}}
{{Super Bowl stadiums}}
{{Georgia State Panthers football navbox}}
{{Georgia State University}}
{{Sugar Bowl navbox}}
{{Peach Bowl navbox}}
{{AMA Supercross venues}}
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{{NFL indoor venues}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1992 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:2017 disestablishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Defunct sports venues in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Demolished sports venues in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Atlanta]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures demolished by controlled implosion]]
[[Category:Covered stadiums in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct NCAA bowl game venues]]
[[Category:Defunct NFL venues]]
[[Category:American football venues in Atlanta]]
[[Category:Basketball venues in Atlanta]]
[[Category:Atlanta Hawks]]
[[Category:Atlanta Falcons stadiums]]
[[Category:Georgia State Panthers football]]
[[Category:SEC Championship Game]]
[[Category:Former NBA venues]]
[[Category:Lattice shell structures]]
[[Category:Tensile membrane structures]]
[[Category:Venues of the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Handball venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Olympic basketball venues]]
[[Category:Olympic gymnastics venues]]
[[Category:Olympic handball venues]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1992]]
[[Category:Sports venues demolished in 2017]]
[[Category:Defunct covered stadiums]]