Atlanta United FC

Atlanta United FC is an American professional soccer club based in Atlanta, Georgia, that began play in 2017 as a member of the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer. The club, which was announced by the league as an expansion franchise on April 16, 2014, is owned and operated by Home Depot co-founder and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank. The team currently plays at Bobby Dodd Stadium, and is scheduled to move on July 30, 2017 to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. As the largest metropolitan area without an MLS franchise, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank's AMB Group submitted a bid in 2008 for an expansion franchise, but withdrew the bid in early 2009 due to its inability to get a stadium built. Despite the withdrawal of the bid, Dan Courtemanche, MLS's executive vice president, said on July 10 that regular discussion with Blank regarding Atlanta's potential as expansion market were occurring. On May 2011, the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg and became the Winnipeg Jets. The Thrashers relocation helped re-start the efforts and talks of bringing an MLS expansion team to Atlanta. In May 2012, while the Falcons' proposed new stadium was going through the approval process, MLS Commissioner Don Garber cited Atlanta as one of three "intriguing" markets for future league expansion. Additionally, when Blank presented his case for a new stadium at the Falcons' annual meeting with season ticket holders, he stated that an additional benefit of the stadium was that it could help attract a Major League Soccer franchise and potentially host World Cup matches. Later that year, in November, Garber said that if the Falcons could complete plans for a new stadium, MLS would "try to figure out how an MLS team could be part of their plans." Rich McKay, Falcons president and CEO, said in 2013 that the team was "open to various options, including ownership of a team or someone else owning a team". Dan Courtemanche said, "We are big believers in the Atlanta market," and cited the city's growing Hispanic population and corporations that could serve as its sponsors. Then, in March 2013, the city and the Falcons agreed to financing terms, and in May 2013, the Georgia Department of Economic Development board approved $30 million in bonds to finance the land purchase for the new stadium. The stadium was set to open in 2017 and could be configured for professional soccer.