Atlanta’s new Mercedes-Benz Stadium has confirmed that country music star Garth Brooks will be its inaugural musical performer in October.
The 71,000-capacity venue will be primarily used for NFL American football team the Atlanta Falcons, as well as Major League Soccer team Atlanta United. However, it is also being constructed to attract top live entertainment acts.
According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Brooks is the best-selling solo albums artist in the US with 148 million domestic units sold, ahead of Elvis Presley, and is second only to The Beatles in total album sales overall.
“Two of Arthur Blank’s (Falcons’ owner) goals for Mercedes-Benz Stadium were to create premiere home venues for the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC, and to attract the best in sports and entertainment to Atlanta,” said Steve Cannon, chief executive officer of AMB Group.
“We’ve succeeded in securing the premiere sporting events in America and now have the No.1 selling solo artist in US history, Garth Brooks, coming to Atlanta to showcase the stadium as an elite music venue.
“We could not be more pleased to have Garth set this milestone in the stadium.”
Stadium to open in August
Tim Zulawski, senior vice president and chief commercial officer of AMB Sports and Entertainment, said: “Mercedes-Benz Stadium is focused on delivering an unmatched guest experience to everyone who enters the building,
“It was important for us to not only find an artist who could deliver the biggest show in the world, but also has the same fan-focused ideals. We know the best artist who can deliver and that is Garth Brooks.”
Brooks said: “I’m thrilled to be back in Atlanta and honoured to play the first concert in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“I’ve visited the stadium twice in the last month and all I can say is – the fans are going to love it; it’s truly one-of-a-kind. We’re going to create a special experience the fans will never forget and I can’t wait to light that place up this fall!”
Brooks is currently on the three-year Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood, and in two and a half years, the tour has sold 5.5 million tickets, making it the biggest tour globally.
The stadium, which has been dogged by cost overruns and delays, is due to open in time for a Falcons pre-season game in August.
Image: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Share this