HERENot two hours after being officially introduced as the Atlanta Hawks’ new controlling owner...Ressler allowed that there were three things the new owners could do about Philips Arena, which opened in 1999: Nothing, remodel or rebuild. And the first, Ressler said, “isn’t an option.”
(Ressler also described Philips as being “not in the upper quartile of arenas.”)
Which means that the new owners want a new arena, which is par for the course. (Arthur Blank wanted a new stadium from the moment he bought the Falcons, which wasn’t even 10 years after the Georgia Dome had opened.) Maybe it’ll be a redone Philips. Maybe it’ll be a rebuilt arena where Philips stands. Maybe it won’t.
He and his group “are in the first 24 hours of being owners,” so it’s not as if they’ve picked a parcel of land. But that discussion — downtown versus the suburbs — will be coming soon.
Ummm...wow.
Thoughts?