Okay, not quite.
Wayne Kendall, a Fayetteville lawyer, has filed a suit against the Fulton County Board of Tax Assessors. The suit alleges the board did not collect $26 million dollars due to the county in property taxes on Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Although the Falcons enjoy a limited right use of the new stadium, the Georgia World Congress Center owns the facility. Because GWCC is a state entity, the whole facility is exempt from property taxes.
According to Kendall, the agreement between the Falcons and the GWCC is in fact a long-term lease, with the Falcons organization collecting money from parking, restaurants, and the like. Kendall told Fox 5 the agreement is “close to fraud.”
Kendall is quick to point out that $13 million of the $26.2 in question would be owed to the Atlanta Public School System. I am quick to point out that Wayne Kendall is an attorney who managed to get his name in the news.
If the Falcons manage to lose this case, it might go down as the worst defeat on any level in the history of the system.
Taxes. We’re definitely still talking about taxes.