ATLANTA — The NFL makes it official.  Atlanta’s one of four cities bidding to host the 2019 or 2020 Super Bowl.

The other contenders are New Orleans, Miami and Tampa.  A decision’s expected at next spring’s meeting of NFL team owners.

The new Falcons’ stadium is set to open in 2017.  Falcons owner Arthur Blank has made no secret of his desire to showcase the stadium with a Super Bowl game.

“We are thrilled to once again be part of the process to potentially show off our great city and host the world’s greatest sporting event,” Blank says in a statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Atlanta is also preparing a bid to host college football’s national championship game in the 1.4 billion dollar stadium in January, 2018.  The NFL requires a new stadium to be open two seasons before it is eligible to host a championship.

Atlanta has hosted the Super Bowl twice before, in 1994 and 2000 at the Georgia Dome.

WSB