Arthur Blank Laughs Off Talk Of Falcons' L.A. Courtship

Atlanta Falcons fans were given a scare earlier this week when a report surfaced that team owner Arthur Blank has been courted by business interests in Los Angeles about a possible move. Blank -- in New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII -- dismissed the speculation on Friday. "It was humorous," Blank told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "My reaction was: Where did this come from? It certainly didn't come from us. "But in any event, what's most important to our fans in the city, the region and the state is we're committed to Atlanta and to getting this stadium deal done and we're making progress and working to make this a win-win situation for everybody." The Falcons are seeking a new open-air stadium in the downtown sector to replace the aging Georgia Dome. Blank said he was "confident and comfortable" with the current state of negotiations with the city of Atlanta, but wouldn't confirm or deny a new funding deal could be completed by next week. Blank said he feels "fairly good" about the situation. "We're continuing to make progress. ... The timetable I think is coming closer. Whether it's next week or not, I'm not sure." Source: NFL.com