Falcons sweeten deal to buy church for stadium
Falcons offer extra $8M to buy holdout church's land at site of proposed Atlanta stadium
ATLANTA (AP) -- The Atlanta Falcons are offering an extra $8 million to purchase a church property that sits at the site of a proposed stadium.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced a preliminary $14.5 million agreement Friday under which officials would acquire the site of the historic Mount Vernon Baptist Church.
The Georgia World Congress Center Authority would pay $6.2 million. The Atlanta Falcons would provide an additional $8.3 million.
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.
A lawyer for Mount Vernon Baptist Church said the congregation will likely hold a meeting next week to vote on the proposal.
Reed has reached a preliminary agreement with the other church.
