ATLANTA -- Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank says he's cancer free.
The 73-year-old co-founder of The Home Depot made the announcement while speaking at the 2016 Georgia Technology Summit at the Cobb Galleria on Thursday.
Last month, Blank revealed that he was battling prostate cancer. At the time, he said he was scheduled to have surgery later in the month, saying "removing the cancer physically is the best way to treat it.”
On Thursday, Blank discussed the treatment with 11Alive's Duffie Dixon.
"We were blessed -- my surgery was four weeks ago yesterday," Blank said. "The surgeon saw us Friday night in hospital four weeks ago, and based on the surgery and the pathology report said, 'We believe you're cancer free.' We have to go through testing and what-have-you, but at this point, we feel like we're in a good place, you know dealing with some of the post surgical conditions you have to deal with. I'm very fortunate to be where I am right now." (Watch the raw interview)
PHOTOS: Arthur Blank
Blank spoke on a number of topics Thursday after receiving the Technology Association of Georgia's Captain of Innovation Award.
Blank, who is in the process of building of a new $1.5 billion Falcons' stadium in downtown in Atlanta, called the Atlanta Braves' decision to move to Cobb County "brave". He said he wanted his team to remain in the "heart of the city."
The Blank Foundation, along with Invest Atlanta, has committed $30 million to help revive areas around the stadium, which is called Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Blank said that he wants to provide real change to the Westside and "not a band-aid" approach.
Blank said the new stadium will be environmentally responsible. He said it will use 40 percent less water consumption than the Georgia Dome.
The new stadium will feature a retractable roof that Blank said will take only seven minutes to open. He said other stadiums' roofs can take up to an hour.
Blank said that building the stadium "has taken us a little bit long than what we anticipated," but "we feel like the schedule is in a good place right now."
The stadium is scheduled to open in June 2017. The new MLS team, which Blank also owns, won't make its debut in the new stadium. It's unclear where the team will play its home games when they begin play in the spring of 2017.
Blank said that technology has changed the game of football, cutting down concussions "40 percent", but said it still needs "the human connections."
11Alive's Duffie Dixon will sit down with Blank this afternoon. Check back for the full interview.