The Atlanta Falcons did get a win on Sunday, but it wasn’t the victory they were expecting. The Falcons may have won the battle for extra land, but Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta won a holy war for the ages.
Fox5 in Atlanta is reporting that Friendship Baptist board members made the vote Sunday to accept the Falcons $19.5 million buyout to relocate their church so the Falcons can build a new stadium.
On Thursday, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church voted to accept a $14.5 million deal to relocate their church for the Falcons as well.
Reports say the land is needed to build the new stadium in the preferred “south” location which is closer to the MARTA station.
The two properties were smack dead in the center of the planned $1 billion stadium, therefore allowing both churches leverage in the move.
The Falcons hope to be in their new retractable-roof stadium by the 2017 season.
I’m not certain of how much it cost to build a new mega-church, but I’m sure the folks at Friendship Baptist will find plenty to do with their new found funds.