THE END OF AN ILLUSTRIOUS ERA
for the Georgia Dome. By Tamlyn Horne STADIUMS:
Five-hundred thirty-seven days, 12,888 hours, 773,280 minutes, or 46,396,800 seconds until the end. Regardless of how you look at it, that was all the time I had left when I accepted my position as an event coordinator at the Georgia Dome. I did not create new policies and procedures. I did not set the tone of a building, but I made memories for thousands of people, striving to provide one last image they would never forget. Atlanta, Georgia, was not always the sports hub that it is today. A
mere 25 years ago, major events were being held in other locations around the southeast. The Georgia Dome put Atlanta on the sport and entertainment map. It became more than just the home of the Atlanta Falcons, but the home to the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, Bowl, local football tour- naments, and although it was temporary, the Atlanta Hawks played in this iconic building – even setting an NBA record for highest at- tendance. People talk about opening facilities because they are new, shiny, and exciting, but as a result there is little focus on what is being left behind. The Georgia Dome opened its doors to the public for the very last time on March 5, 2017, closing out an amazing 25-year run and leaving behind not only brick and had attended an event over the years. Having the opportunity to close an iconic facility taught me a few valuable life lessons: 1. Being a teenager wasn’t fun 10 years ago, and it wasn’t fun a sec- ond time around. No one talks about the awkward, messy, emotional rollercoaster ride of closing a facility. There were employees who were rejected by the new facility working hand-in-hand with people who part-time, dwindle to a number barely sustainable for success, yet hav- closing didn’t mean the number of hosted events shrank – if anything, is a major accomplishment, but not one that is often celebrated. As a team, we covered the entire spectrum of teenage emotions – tears, an- ger, frustration, happiness, joy, excitement, confusion, and all-around mood swings to name a few. We never really knew what we were walk- ing into every day, but as a team we came together and continued to provide the best-in-the-biz quality. 2. It can feel like a bad date - check please! People love to ask ques-
tions. “When do you start at the new stadium?”, “Is everyone trans- ferring?”, “Why is this place closing?”, and “What are you going to do next?” are just a few of the most frequently asked questions during events by both clients and patrons in attendance. The politically cor- rect answer always related to the bigger and greater picture for the city
of Atlanta, including the upcoming College National Championship Game, Super Bowl, and Final Four that the new stadium would host. was always hard to focus on the now, while constantly being asked who knew who you were asked the same questions. My future was uncertain for the majority of my time, and these questions were never fun to answer.
3. Closing the Dome was not like being the captain on the Titanic.
We were not a sinking ship. During my 537 days, we hosted two Atlan- ta Falcons’ seasons, including an amazing post season where the Fal- cons hosted the NFC Championship game before heading to Houston for the Super Bowl. The building was also home to two Southeastern Conference Championships, - Peach Bowl, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Swift concerts and classic fan favorites like Supercross, Monster Jam, and for the among other great events. During one of our very last events, the building encoun-
Photo provided by Tamlyn Horne
We later joked that the building was rebelling against us and wasn’t ready to close, so in true rebellion fashion it made a statement – it wasn’t going to “go out on top” like we had been preaching but instead - regular season home game into a full in-the-round three-day concert series).
In today’s society, we are always pushing to possess the latest and
greatest, while losing appreciation for what we have. The Georgia Dome did not have the largest video boards or latest technology like its new counterpart 80 feet to the left, but this venue was so much more for so many people. It was a home away from home. It had stories to be shared and cherished forever. When I started, I knew my days were limited and future uncertain, but I think that made the ride that much better. I learned to appreciate each and every day in order to make the Take a moment and think about your current role. Do you take the time during an event to actually soak it in or are you just pushing forward until it’s over? Are you documenting the journey or focusing on the end result? Closing a building taught me to be more in the mo- ment, because you cannot slow down time, regardless of how much you wish you could. If given the opportunity to close a facility, would you have done the same thing? FM
Tamlyn Horne is event service coordinator for the Georgia World Congress Center Authority in Atlanta.
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