Georgia Dome

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Lore & Background

Completed in time for the 1996 Summer Olympics at a cost of $214 million, the Georgia Dome was the second-largest covered stadium in the world by capacity upon opening. It featured a unique roof made of teflon-coated fiberglass fabric and held a record attendance of 80,892 during an SEC Championship Game in 2008. The venue hosted two Super Bowls (XXVIII and XXXIV), 25 editions of the Peach Bowl from January 1993 to December 2016, and 23 SEC Championship Games between 1994 and 2016. It also stood as the only U.S. stadium to host the Summer Olympics, a Super Bowl, and the NCAA men's basketball Final Four. In 2008, following a $300 million renovation, the exterior was repainted from teal and maroon to red, black, and silver to match the Falcons' colors, replacing original seats with red ones in the lower/upper levels and black in the middle.

In Their Own Story

The atmosphere inside the dome faced real physical challenges, most notably on August 11, 1995, when a severe thunderstorm caused water to pool on the fabric roof. The pressure tore part of the material, causing a section of the roof to fall into the stadium with enough force to smash seats and knock holes in concrete floors. Fortunately, fans had left before the collapse occurred, and no one was injured. Years later, on March 14, 2008, an EF2 tornado ripped holes in the dome during the SEC men's basketball tournament, forcing the remainder of the event to move to Georgia Tech's Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Despite these weather-related scars, the stadium hosted WrestleMania XXVII with The Rock as host, featuring a main event where John Cena defeated The Miz for the WWE Championship.

Reader's Guide

Visitors navigating the Georgia Dome encountered a massive facility equipped with 5,740 club seats and 171 luxury boxes. The structure measured 271 feet high with a total floor area of 102,150 square feet. For most Georgia State football games, the configuration was limited to 28,155 seats, focusing on the lower level and club-level sections. The stadium featured 12 escalators and 9 elevators to manage crowd flow, while four restaurants and bars served attendees. In 2007, eight new super-suites were added, capable of accommodating 57-96 guests each, alongside updated plasma televisions in the premium areas. The surface transitioned from original AstroTurf to an infilled FieldTurf system in 2003, funded by Falcons owner Arthur Blank.

Did You Know?

• The Georgia Dome was the largest cable-supported dome in the world until it was surpassed by the Millennium Dome in London on December 31, 1999.
• A roof collapse during a pre-season game in August 1995 caused no injuries because fans had already left the stadium.
• The venue hosted WrestleMania XXVII, which featured John Cena vs. The Miz for the WWE Championship as the main event.
• It was the only stadium in the United States to host the Summer Olympics, a Super Bowl, and the NCAA men's basketball Final Four.
• In 2008, an EF2 tornado damaged the dome during the SEC men's basketball tournament, forcing the rest of the games to move to Georgia Tech.