Features

Mercedes-Benz Stadium documentary to showcase venue’s journey

A new documentary showcasing the construction of Mercedes-Benz Stadium is set to premiere later today (Monday).

‘Rising Up: A Westside Story’ has been made by David Lewis Productions and commissioned by Arthur Blank, owner of Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s two tenants, the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United.

The documentary will explore the ideation and impact of the 71,000-capacity stadium, which opened in August 2017 and hosted the NFL’s Super Bowl in 2019.

The film will highlight the fiscal and construction difficulties Mercedes-Benz Stadium dealt with, as well as challenges and opposition to the project from some local communities.

Community activists and government officials will be included in the film, along with those directly impacted through programmes set up by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, including Westside Works, a neighbourhood initiative that works to create employment opportunities and job training for Westside community residents.

Blank said: “Our vision from the start was to not only build a magnificent home for our football and soccer teams in the heart of downtown Atlanta, but to be a catalyst for positive change for the people and neighbourhoods on the city’s westside.

“David and his team have done a wonderful job capturing the entire journey in this film, including the inevitable challenges you face on a project like this. More importantly, I think the film shines needed light on how partnerships between business, government, community and ordinary citizens can make tangible, positive impacts on generational problems. It also clearly illustrates that there is still much more to do, and the stadium and our organisation will play a role in that for years to come.”

The documentary will premiere exclusively on Georgia Public Broadcasting at 8pm ET today.

Image: Mercedes-Benz Stadium