SEATTLE - Commonly referred to as "The ATL," the city of Atlanta, Georgia, will be one of 14 hosts for Copa América 2024. One of the biggest cities in the American southeast landscape, Atlanta will be host to two games throughout the tournament, including the opening match between Lionel Messi's Argentina and Canada.
Atlanta has been one of the most important cities in the South for quite some time. The city was one of the biggest hubs in the U.S. during the railroad era and is regarded as one of the epicenters of the American Civil Rights Movement. Atlanta's metropolitan area is one of the ten biggest in the U.S. with more than 6.1 million people inhabiting the area (2023 estimate).
The fairly new Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be the venue for both Copa América 2024 games. Opened in 2017, the stadium serves as the home of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons but also has a soccer-specific configuration for MLS team Atlanta United FC. The modern stadium replaced the old Georgia Dome who hosted two Super Bowls and some events of the 1996 Olympics.
It has a capacity of 71,000 but can be expanded to 75,000. It costed $1.5 billion and 39 months to build.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium Quick Facts
- It's the first stadium worldwide to be awarded with the environmentally coveted and globally recognized Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) Platinum certification for its zero waste efforts (diverts 90% or more of all waste from the landfill).
- The 360-degree halo board is the largest video board of its kind in the world. It consists of approximately 500 tons of steel supporting 500 tons of video board. It's just under six stories tall and is taller than the Eiffel Tower rolled out end to end.
- The stadium's solar panels produce approximately 1.6 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy per year, enough to power 160 households in Atlanta with renewable energy.
- The Telstar soccer sculpture outside of the stadium is 34.4 feet tall and has a 35-foot diameter, making it the largest soccer ball sculpture in the United States.
Demographics
The city of Atlanta is located in Fulton County and is home to more than 498,000 people (2020 estimate). Around 5.4% of Atlanta's population is of Latino descent, the lowest of any Copa América 2024 host city.
Other attractions
The city of Atlanta is also known for its many attractions. The city is home to the Georgia Aquarium, one of the largest aquariums in the world, housing more than 500 species and thousands of animals from sea otters to beluga whales. It is one of only five aquariums in the world, and the only one in the U.S., that has houses whale sharks.
One of the world's most popular drinks was invented and founded in Atlanta. The World of Coca-Cola museum offers visitors an interactive experience on the history, production and global impact of the iconic soda. The museum offers more than 100 beverages to sample from around the world.
The city of Atlanta is one of four U.S. cities to have served as hosts for the Summer Olympics. In 1996, "ATL" hosted more than 10,000 athletes from 197 nations around the world which prompted the creation of Centennial Olympic Park. The beautiful park spans 21 acres in downtown Atlanta and features fountains, walking paths and the iconic Olympic Rings fountain.
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