Mercedes-Benz Stadium: How to get there, where to tailgate, everything else

ATLANTA — The 2017 SEC championship football game between Georgia and Auburn will be played in Atlanta's new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The new stadium stands next door to the site of the Georgia Dome, or more precisely next to the rubble of the Georgia Dome, which was imploded just before Thanksgiving.

Channel 2 Action News and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution are your home for everything SEC Championship this week. Make sure to follow @WSBTV and @AJCSports for updates on Twitter & LIKE the official WSB-TV Facebook page!

The Georgia vs. Auburn game will be broadcast on radio by News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB.

If you’re going to the game, here are some resources to help you find out how to get there, where to eat, where to tailgate and enjoy yourself.

CAN I TAKE MARTA TO MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM?

If you thought traffic and parking were tough for events at the Georgia Dome, consider this: The Mercedes-Benz Stadium can hold more people.

So if you're heading that way for the SEC Championship game between Georgia and Auburn, it might not be a bad idea to take MARTA.

WHAT CAN I BRING TO MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM?

With a new stadium come questions about what will and will not be allowed inside.
For all public and ticketed events, security practices will abide by the NFL 'clear-bag' policy.

The NFL strongly encourages fans to not bring any type of bags, but each person -- including children -- is allowed one large, clear bag and a small clutch.

WHAT KIND OF FOOD AND DRINKS WILL MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM HAVE?

Long before it opened, the builders of Mercedes-Benz Stadium and team owners announced a fan-first model for the new sports venue.

Where food is concerned, stadiumgoers can expect more affordable food and drinks, plus a breadth of offerings from food service contractor Levy Restaurants and partner restaurants.

WHAT RESTAURANTS ARE NEAR THE STADIUM IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA?

Headed downtown to an event at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Centennial Olympic Park or the Georgia World Congress Center?

Here are some restaurants within walking distance where you’re sure to find dishes to get you in proper formation.

WHAT’S THE TAILGATING LIKE NEAR MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM?

Because the new stadium was built less than 100 feet away from the Georgia Dome, “tailgating will fundamentally look the same,” according to Mike Gomes, senior vice president of fan experience for AMB Sports and Entertainment, parent company of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United.

The so-called Gulch -- that vast tangle of parking lots and rail lines that sits below Philips Arena and stretches nearly to Five Points -- will still have a thriving tailgate scene, and the lots alongside Northside Drive will still be the primary options for traditional tailgating.

WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT THE MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM?

Nearly every aspect of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a massive project birthed in early 2010, has commanded Atlanta's attention for years.

Fans of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United have already learned their way around the place.

If the SEC Championship is your first visit, we have made a list of seven things you should know about the city’s new shiny, monstrous, can’t-miss-it stadium.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GEORGIA DOME?

After a quarter century as Atlanta's domed football stadium -- home to NFL, Peach Bowl games and past SEC Championships, among others -- the Georgia Dome was imploded the Monday before Thanksgiving.

The last public event in the Dome was a doubleheader of Monster Truck shows in March.

This article was written by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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