Atlanta OKs Funds for Neighborhoods Near New Stadium

Atlanta's city council has unanimously passed a plan for spending millions of dollars aimed at helping neighborhoods near the future home of the Atlanta Falcons.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Monday's vote clears the way for the city to issue $200 million in bonds for stadium construction.

The community benefits plan for the neighborhoods was approved after months of negotiations between city officials and residents. The Atlanta newspaper reports that the plan is essentially a $30 million wish list for communities near the stadium — English Avenue, Vine City and Castleberry Hill.

The neighborhood plan needed the council and mayor's approval before city officials could issue bonds, backed by hotel-motel taxes, for stadium construction. The $1.2 billion stadium is scheduled to open in 2017 south of the Georgia Dome.

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