The firm handling the sale of seats and other fixtures at the Georgia Dome said progress is delayed, but the company still hopes to get everything sold. Schneider Industries, a St. Louis-based auction firm, sells pairs of seats online for $599, but those sales have not gone as quickly as hoped.
Josh Bussmann, who is managing the sale for Schneider, said the timing of the sale hurt the numbers. “We would have liked to have sold more seats,” he said. “We would have liked to have been able to advertise during the playoffs.”
The seat sale was announced shortly after the Falcons lost in the Super Bowl to the Patriots. That dampened sales, and the seat sale came at a time when Falcon fans were also being asked to pay a similar amount for seat licenses at the new stadium. Right now, Schneider is preparing to ship seats that were purchased by former season-ticket holders. The remainder of the seats will then be shipped in pairs to individual buyers. Those that don’t go to individual buyers will go to commercial or institutional users.
Bussmann said the company is not selling large blocks right now. Instead, it is collecting the names of interested schools, colleges and other users who want large blocks. Once the public sale ends at an unannounced date, Schneider will review those requests, including requests for donations, and distribute seats. “We hope to find a home for every seat,” Bussmann said.
Beyond the seat sale, things are at a stand-still. Schneider has not scheduled the auction for high-end fixtures nor the fan farewell to sell smaller items. Bussmann said Georgia Dome officials have delayed that. Beyond that, he had no explanation. “I really can’t comment on why it has been delayed or when it will be,” he said. “I just don’t know.” A note on Schneider’s web site simply says the auction has been delayed by the seller and a new date will be announced on that site.
