ATLANTA – In three years, Atlanta will once again host another Super Bowl. But, before kickoff in 2028, there will be many large-scale sporting events at Mercedes-Benz Stadium that will bring out thousands of fans, like the FIFA World Cup matches next year.

Events like that can affect neighbors nearby with more traffic and community disruptions during big events, but now the Atlanta City Council just approved a new group that aims to make things better for everyone.

World Cup, NCAA Final Four, other major sports events coming to Atlanta

Atlanta City Council approves Neighborhood Sports Council

What we know:

The Atlanta City Council approved the creation of the “Neighborhood Sports Council” last week.

According to the city, the group will work with the Atlanta Sports Council in an effort to address community concerns.

“The Neighborhood Sports Council is hereby established to address neighborhood concerns during large events and facilitate collaboration with the Atlanta Sports Council,” the approved resolution reads. “The Neighborhood Sports Council shall prioritize effective communication and collaboration between neighborhoods, event organizers, and other stakeholders to address concerns and implement solutions.”

The Neighborhood Sports Council will include members from multiple neighborhood organizations and some business associations.

The resolution says it will remain in place until the end of 2026.

Vine City is one of neighborhoods impacted by big events at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the Georgia World Congress Center.

Neighbors say being near the big events can be good, but also sometimes bad.

What they’re saying:

“As residents, it’s overwhelming with all this illegal parking,” said Linda Adams, the public safety chairperson of the Vine City Civic Association.

Adams has lived in the neighborhood for more than two decades, so she has seen the growth.

“We got several people that come illegally, what they call gypsy parkers, and just invade our neighborhood with all this illegal parking,” she said.

Adams says people have put up no parking signs throughout the area in an effort to deter people, but it is still a problem.

She says aside from illegal parking, noise and light pollution, among other issues, gets worse around big events impacting neighbors.

“They say seniors go to bed early, but with them having the event until 10 or 11 o’clock at night, all we hear are car doors slamming, and we are just afraid there is going to be a terrible accident,” she said.

Adams says she is happy that the city council is taking the problems seriously.

“I can’t wait to see this neighborhood sports council, and I’m hoping I’ll be part of that,” she said.