Atlanta United FC Complex Coming to DeKalb

Renderings Credit: DeKalb County

DeKalb County has approved a memorandum of understanding with Atlanta’s new professional soccer team to construct a large-scale soccer complex.

The proposed $30 million, 41-acre complex for Atlanta United FC will be located next to I-285 and behind the DeKalb County jail. The memorandum of understanding between the county and the team not without its detractors, including some DeKalb County commissioners who urged the commission to work out a better deal, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Commissioners Kathie Gannon, Nancy Jester and Jeff Rader voted against the deal.

No public comment session was allowed before the commission vote, but several residents in attendance decided to speak out against the deal anyway, some even shouting down the proposal.

Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May said that the deal needed to be done to jumpstart economic activity along the corridor, and was joined by commissioners Larry Johnson, Mereda Davis Johnson, Sharon Barnes Sutton and Stan Watson in support of the current proposal.

“We are excited to have Atlanta United FC as the cornerstone of our new ‘Downtown DeKalb’ and as the catalyst for revitalization of the Memorial Drive corridor,” said May in a statement. “Not many people know this, but the location is right across the street from the first Home Depot store. In a way, this is a homecoming, and DeKalb County welcomes Arthur Blank back home with open arms.”

Arthur Blank, better known as the co-founder of The Home Depot and the current owner of the Atlanta Falcons, also owns Atlanta United FC. Both of his sports teams will play their home games at the new stadium being built in downtown Atlanta.

The memorandum as approved will see Atlanta United construct a 3,500-seat stadium, a 20-25,000 sq. ft. headquarters building, and three soccer fields. The club also has the the option to expand the complex to include an indoor training facility and more fields, the AJC says.

DeKalb County will spend $7 million for office space and $5 million for land preparation as part of the deal, the AJC reports. The county is responsible for demolishing “existing buildings that are no longer useful county assets,” as well as other land prep work.

The soccer club will pay no property tax on the complex for 30 years, but will pay the county 15 percent of revenue gained by selling the naming rights to the complex and will surrender the entire complex back to the county in 30 years time. County residents will be allowed to use the soccer fields and soccer stadium on a periodic basis.

The county’s Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs Department will rent out 6,000 sq. ft. of office space in the complex, with the county paying the team $2.33 million for the first three years following the move then $10 a year for the remainder of the lease.