Opponents of a proposed new stadium for the Atlanta Falcons say someone other than taxpayers needs to pick up a third of the hefty cost.

Just this week, the city put the price tag at $1.2 billion, $200 million more than the previous estimate.

With negotiations underway between the Georgia World Congress Center and the Atlanta Falcons on a new retractable-roof football stadium, opponents say this is about priorities.

"Of all the things Atlanta needs, a new stadium is not it," Barbra Payne of the Fulton County Taxpayers Foundation told Channel 2's Lori Geary.

"In anybody's budget, you have "nice to have" and must have. We're not fully funding our must haves," state Rep. Mike Dudgeon, R-Johns Creek, said.

Dudgeon said he'll lead the charge to vote against any more state tax dollars going toward a facility to replace the 20-year-old Georgia Dome.

Estimates show a new stadium would cost anywhere from $950 million to $1.2 billion, with about 30 percent of that money coming from public funds.

Almost $300 million from the city's 8 percent hotel/motel tax, about $24 million from the state for land and $30 million from a construction sales tax rebate.

The Falcons would foot the rest.

"Since we already have the Georgia Dome, which is doing great and attracts Final Fours and the SEC Championship and top level events, we don't have a gaping need for a stadium venue in downtown Atlanta," Dudgeon said.

"At some point you've got to start planning for the future. Do you build it when the roof caves in?" asked state Rep. Rashad Taylor, D- Atlanta.

Taylor, who sponsored a bill allowing the city of Atlanta to increase its hotel/motel tax, told Geary the law on that money is clear: it can't be used for things like education or transportation.

He said investing now assures Atlanta won't lose the Falcons.

"We will be working actively against this in any way shape or form that we can to make sure that a stadium is not built," Payne said.

Taylor points to cities that lost NFL teams and said they ended up shelling out more money in the long run to land another team.