Formal announcement is taking place on Wednesday at 5 ET at Ventanas in downtown Atlanta. Mayor Reed, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, and Commissioner Don Garber will be present.
The team will be owned by Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank. Atlanta is expected to begin play in 2017, the year the Falcons' new $1 billion stadium is slated to open. Garber says talks with Blank have been ongoing for several years now, and that the league was very impressed with Blank's ideas and updated stadium technology.
The stadium is expected to have the playing surface of Desso Grassmaster, a natural grass surface entertwined with artificial fibres. While the grass is growing, the roots intertwine with the artificial fibres. The designers claim this anchors the field to create a solid, even structure with good drainage and 'playing comfort'.
The stadium is also expected to have advanced technology to downsize for a soccer layout, similar to the one in Vancouver at BC Place.
This news of expansion could be the fatal blow to the 2nd tier NASL, which claims it wants to rival MLS as the top league of soccer in America. The NASL's biggest markets, New York, and Atlanta are now rivaled by new MLS expansion clubs in those regions, with their next two biggest markets San Antonio and Minnesota competing for the final 24th spot.
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