New Atlanta stadium concessions 1st-year hit with fans

ATLANTA (AP) - The site of next year's Super Bowl already is celebrating a championship for best concessions.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons and MLS Atlanta United, finished first in a 2017 NFL fan survey for quality and value of food and beverages. The results released Thursday show the lowered prices, including $2 hot dogs, $3 pizza slices and $5 beer, were a big hit with fans. Those prices will remain in place for Atlanta's Super Bowl in 2019.

The Falcons ranked 18th in surveys the last two years at the Georgia Dome before the 2017 debut season in the new $1.5 billion stadium. The lower prices led to more sales. Average spending per fan increased by 16 percent in 2017, according to the survey.

Falcons president and CEO Rich McKay said the survey reflects input from fans in planning for concessions.

"It means that we got it right by listening to them," McKay said. "I think what makes us feel good is we really tried to pay attention to the feedback that our fans gave us on food and beverage, where we needed to make changes."

The new stadium also placed first in the MLS food and beverage survey of 12 of 22 teams.

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