Mercedes-Benz Stadium is getting another top-to-bottom renovation.
Team owner Arthur Blank has approved a $200 million capital project covering most of the fan-facing areas of the 9-year-old venue. The work will be done in two offseasons — this winter and next — so neither the Atlanta Falcons nor Atlanta United have to play a home game outside the building.
The project is Blank’s third major capital infusion into MBS, on top of the original $1.5 billion construction and a $55 million concourse overhaul in 2022.
What’s in it
- New video boards. The current center-hung board is being replaced with a new model that’s 40 percent larger and supports 8K HDR. The end-zone boards are also being replaced.
- Premium seating. A new “field-level club” on the north sideline will add about 600 premium seats, accessible directly from the main concourse.
- Concourse refresh. The main concourse gets new flooring, lighting, and concession counters. The goal is faster service and less congestion in the busiest areas.
- Wi-Fi and cellular. The whole stadium’s network infrastructure is being replaced. The new system is designed for 10x current capacity, which the team says will be needed when AR/VR features roll out.
- Suite renovations. All 120 existing suites are getting a refresh — new finishes, new audio-visual, new bar configurations.
- The famous halo board stays. It’s one of the things the venue is best known for, and it doesn’t need to be replaced yet.
What it means for fans
The visible changes will be:
- A better visual experience in every seat (the new boards will be the largest in any NFL venue)
- Faster concession lines (the new concourse design includes more grab-and-go stations)
- A new north-end fan zone that the team is calling the “ATL Yard” — a gathering space that will host pregame events and be open to ticket-holders on game day
- Free mobile charging stations at every section
- A new sound system that, per the team’s specs, is “the largest permanent audio install in any sports venue in the country”
How the construction schedule works
The renovation is sequenced to avoid disrupting either the Falcons or Atlanta United:
- Phase 1 (December 2026 – March 2027): North end-zone + video boards + new concourse
- Phase 2 (December 2027 – March 2028): South end-zone + suites + tech infrastructure
Both teams will play full home schedules in 2026 and 2027. The only impact: the Falcons’ 2026 home schedule will be moved up a few weeks to avoid the early-December construction start, with the final two regular-season home games relocated to other venues.
“When we built the stadium, we built it to be evolved, not replaced. This is the next chapter of that. We want MBS to be the best place in the country to watch a game, and this is what it takes.”
— Arthur Blank, in a statement
What it doesn’t cover
The renovation is fan-facing only. The field surface, the structural work, the mechanical systems in the building’s core — all of that is in good shape and doesn’t need replacement.
The two things the team says it’s most proud of preserving are the 360-degree halo board and the opening roof, both of which are considered engineering landmarks.
What about the next big thing?
Blank has hinted — though not confirmed — that the next round of major investment could be a freestanding practice facility for Atlanta United, modeled on the facilities the league’s biggest clubs have in Europe. That would be a separate capital project, likely $80–120 million, and would not be tied to the MBS renovation.
For now, the focus is on the 2026 work.
Jordan Reyes covers the Falcons, Hawks, Braves, Atlanta United, and Georgia high school sports for WACN 21. Reach him at jreyes@wacn21.com.