ATLANTA — The stages are set, the stadium is wrapped and even the SkyView Ferris Wheel is ready for Super Bowl LIII.
After two years of preparation, city leaders officially welcomed the world to Atlanta for the big game at a kickoff event Monday.
Members of the Atlanta Sports Council, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank were all in attendance at the Georgia World Congress Center.
"At the time of our bid, the stadium was really renderings and digital videos. Now, we've seen it come to life to become the finest sports and entertainment venue in the world," said Dan Corso, president of Atlanta Sports Council.
Stay with Channel 2 Action News and WSBTV.com for complete Super Bowl LIII coverage leading up to the big game. Download our news app to get FREE alerts sent to phone and tablet and find complete coverage of Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta here
The stadium is not only complete, it's dressed up and in the center of what is considered the downtown campus for the Super Bowl.
Thousands of people have already made their way downtown to take part in the excitement with free concerts, one-of-a-kind fan experiences and other events leading up to Super Bowl Sunday.
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank says Atlanta was tapped for the Super Bowl for its walkability and southern hospitality.
"The common denominator in all this is a great city... a great city with a great warmth to it," Blank said.
RELATED STORIES:
- Mercedes-Benz survival guide: Where to eat, drink and stay for the Super Bowl
- Atlanta ramps up police presence as fans descend on Super Bowl week
- PHOTOS: Downtown Atlanta is ready for Super Bowl LIII
Atlanta is breaking ground with Super Bowl LIII as the council received more than 32,000 volunteer applications, a Super Bowl record.
Super Bowl LIII isn't the only big sporting event Atlanta has hosted recently.
The city was the site of the College Football National Championship in 2018 and the NCAA Men's Final Four will be here in 2020.
It's the first time the city has hosted these major events in back-to-back years.