Report: Chick-fil-A Kickoff has already decided to keep Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s retractable roof closed
By Kevin Duffey
Published:
While there’s still some speculation as to whether Atlanta’s new Mercedes-Benz Stadium will even be ready construction-wise by the Chick-fil-A Kickoff — the completion date has been pushed back three times to August 26, one big decision has already been made for the Alabama-FSU and Tennessee Georgia Tech games.
Gary Stokan, president and CEO of Peach Bowl Inc., has already decided to keep the retractable roof closed, according to the AJC, because he’s taking the weather variable off the table, giving him a peace of mind.
“I know when it’s closed, everything is going to go well,” Stokan said. “The air conditioning will be fine. … I think whenever you put on an event the less things you need to be concerned about, the better. And I know with the roof closed it’ll be a great atmosphere and experience.
“If I keep it closed, the weather doesn’t matter. I know I’ve got 72 degrees. I think you want to control the elements as much as you can, obviously, not only for the fans but for the coaches and the players.”
While it may seem nice for fans to experience the game with the roof open, the reality is major sporting events almost always choose the decision to keep the roof closed.
At this point, keeping the roof closed isn’t a big issue, but finishing the project is, and officials have to ensure the completion deadline is met. Hopefully no construction weather delays happen between now and the end of August.
As an insurance policy, the old Georgia Dome still hasn’t been demolished.
A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.
