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Rich McKay drew on lessons from Bucs stadium for Falcons' new home

ATLANTA -- Some game-planning behind the construction of the new $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium took place at a rather unusual place: Rich McKay's back porch.

McKay, the president of the Atlanta Falcons, hosted about 20 cigar sessions with architects, engineers and construction managers to help assemble a sports entertainment venue McKay believes is second to none.

"What was decided? Too many different things," McKay said about the cigar sessions. "Just a lot of design decisions."

Those sessions marked a small percentage of what McKay said was an estimated 200 design meetings associated with the 10-year planning and 39-month construction of the 2-million-square-foot venue.