The Atlanta Falcons appear within scoring distance of getting a new home, though the proposal remains controversial.

As first reported Sunday night on the Channel 2 Action News Nightbeat, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed met with Gov. Nathan Deal about working out a stadium deal. 

With a $1 billion football stadium in the works, Deal agreed to host a face-to-face meeting with Blank.
 
"Looking forward to meeting with governor and mayor and bringing him up to date on stadium progress, lucky to have commissioner here today," Blank said.
 
Goodell was at Sunday night's Falcons football game. On Monday afternoon, he spoke to the Downtown Atlanta Rotary Club.  In between, he helped Blank pitch the new stadium to Deal.  The governor will ultimately have to decide on up to $300 million in taxpayer money to help pay for the new stadium.
 
"Public making investment in this community that will help this community, into the future, attract greater events," Goodell said.
 
Mayor Reed joined the closed door meeting in Governor Deal's office.  The hotel-motel tax that would be used to pay the state's portion would come from Atlanta.  Reed is firmly in favor of the project.
 
He said, "Let's be very clear, this is not a tax increase of any kind, and it's not being borne on backs of people who live in the city of Atlanta or 10-county area. It's primarily being borne by visitors."
 
Goodell fielded questions from the Rotary audience and got one pointed question from Dante Stephensen about whether a new stadium is really needed.
 
Stephensen said, "There's nothing wrong with our stadium in my mind, but I'm just one person."
 
On Friday, Channel 2 broke news of negotiations about two final stadium sites: one to the north and one to the south of the existing Georgia Dome.  Blank didn’t say which he prefers. 

Sources told Bachman the city favors the south site because it's closer to MARTA transit.  An initial agreement is not expected on a new stadium soon.

http://bcove.me/6d9vp391