Deal Appears Close on Land for Falcons Stadium

ATLANTA (AP) – It appears Atlanta officials are one step closer to an agreement with a historic downtown church for land to build a new Falcons stadium.

A city spokeswoman on Thursday confirmed a tentative deal had been reached for the church to receive about $14.5 million.

The mayor plans to hold a news conference on the deal Friday morning.

A lawyer for Mount Vernon Baptist Church says the church’s congregation will likely hold a meeting next week to vote on the proposal.

Mount Vernon is one of two churches that will have to be relocated if the $1 billion, retractable roof stadium NFL stadium is to be built on the Falcons’ preferred site.

Mayor Kasim Reed said last month that a preliminary agreement had been reached with the other church.