It might be hard to believe, but next month marks six years for Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The venue is considered one of the premier stadiums in the country, and it’s trying to find ways to become even better.
MBS is seeking ways to more efficiently use space, an ongoing effort for the site that hosts the Falcons’ and Atlanta United’s home games, along with the SEC Championship game and generally the biggest concerts and events in the Atlanta area each year.
Heather Sautter, senior director of corporate and marketing communications with AMB Sports and Entertainment, referred to the stadium’s current effort as “MBS 2.0.”
“We’ve had a crew looking around the building, and their goal was just to see what spaces are being underutilized, and can we do something with it,” Sautter said. “So we’re reimagining what (restaurant) Molly B’s might be. We’re reimagining what some of the other suites might be. We’re kind of taking just another look around the building to say, how can we make this even better than it currently is?”
Consumer feedback, Sautter said, largely included a desire for more premium and intimate space. The question then became how and where they could create such. The answer was on the 200 level, where the wide concourses had plenty of space to spare.
MBS will open a new premium seating option next month in the “AT&T Perch” on the 200 level. The five lofts provide more intimate and flexible seating options for customers seeking a more glamorous experience.
“It’s designed to be a very flexible space with a level of prestige,” Sautter said. It will host guests for the first time Aug. 11 for the Beyoncé concert. The Falcons have two home exhibition games (Aug. 18 and Aug. 24) before their home opener against the Panthers on Sept. 10. Atlanta United hosts Seattle on Aug. 20.
The lofts are located in the west end zone and include five private or shared areas accommodating from 18 to 40 people. They feature “flexible lounge seating, an all-inclusive menu and a personal attendant,” according to the original announcement. The field view is completely unobstructed. There also will be an adjacent marketplace in the AT&T-sponsored area that’s expected to include biometric entry.
Credit: Renderings courtesy AMB Sports and Entertainment
Credit: Renderings courtesy AMB Sports and Entertainment
They were inspired by the success of the Maybach Terraces and Delta SKY360 Terraces on the field level, which opened in 2022. Unlike traditional suites, these spaces are more malleable, from the furniture to the amount of people being accommodated. They’re designed to provide a lounge-like, more relaxed feel that can be tweaked accordingly depending on the consumer.
“If you look at what our suites look like, and then look at our terrace product brought last year and what these lofts will be, the obvious thing is there’s an aesthetic furniture, layout difference,” said Doug Roberts, vice president of stadium events and premium sales. “We think that will tap into a different type of product.”
Don Rovak, senior vice president of sales and service, added, “Historically, people had to make a decision: Do I want a suite or do I want something that looks like a traditional ticket next to other people? And now, there’s a lot more gray in the middle between a suite and a specific section that might have 600 people in it. I think that’s what the terraces do and what these AT&T Lofts do as well.”
MBS is evaluating potential further alterations with space efficiency in mind, especially with the championship game of the first 12-team College Football Playoff looming in 2025 and the World Cup in 2026. It’s an ongoing process that began with the implemented premium field-level seating last year.
“A lot of things are fluid because we’re continuously listening to our fans and utilizing the surveys that are given to them to provide an experience that makes sense with that,” Sautter said. “Because we’re doing a lot of this for our fans, to make it a better and more engaging experience. It’s fluid because we’re constantly innovating and constantly having new ideas being pushed to us.”
The lofts will be sold on an event-by-event basis for the remainder of the year. More information can be found at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium website.
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