Finalists picked to design new Falcons stadium

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority have selected five architectural firms as finalists to design a proposed $1 billion retractable-roof stadium.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports designers were chosen from a pool of 10 applicants and include architectural firms based in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas and Kansas City, Mo.

GWCCA officials say finalists will prepare proposals including conceptual designs and will be interviewed within 30 days.

The future of the proposed new stadium has become tenuous since the GWCCA and the franchise agreed on non-binding terms of the deal in December.

Georgia Gov. Nathan deal asked the franchise to lower the proposed public contribution to the stadium from $300 million to $200 million, and lawmakers have yet to decide whether to increase the GWCCA's borrowing limit.