Atlanta Braves ditch Turner Field for suburban plan

[OPIchabod]

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/baseball ... obb/nbpNQ/

Pretty amazing on really all sides of the issue:

1) That government and team officials were able to keep quiet about the proposal for so long
2) Team says that demographics of ticket buyers are closer to the new stadium, but will those demographic hold true in 2037, which is presumably when the team would want its next new stadium?
3) Several stories point out the investment from Cobb County at being more than $400 million. Surely there's a better way to invest that.
4) There's really no functional use for Turner Field moving forward, as the town will soon have two relatively middle-aged sports stadiums (Turner Field and the Georgia Dome) without primary occupants.

What's most astounding is that this appears to be a done deal!

[pstokely]

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/29/us/co ... prise.html

Guess this means no gay days at the new stadium

[KCMax]

That's one of the heaviest trafficked highways in the metro, and there is no MARTA access. That should work out really well.

Another amazing aspect - the baseball stadium is only 17 years old. It was built for the '96 Olympics.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Not really a baseball stadium but a facility built for another use and converted,

[flyingember]

Not really a baseball stadium but a facility built for another use and converted,

indeed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Olympic_Stadium

[chaglang]

Not really a baseball stadium but a facility built for another use and converted,

Though lauded by MLB and the Braves as being the finest stadium in the bigs when it opened.

[pstokely]

That's one of the heaviest trafficked highways in the metro, and there is no MARTA access. That should work out really well.

Another amazing aspect - the baseball stadium is only 17 years old. It was built for the '96 Olympics.

the nearest MARTA station is a mile away from Turner Field

[OPIchabod]

The Braves put together a "informative" website outlining the details of their plan http://www.HomeoftheBraves.com, including the spiffy map showing there their tickets live.

I'd be interested in the Royals doing the same thing. Surely it would show a bias toward Johnson County?

But really, isn't the Truman Sports Complex merely the same thing - Kansas City style - as what the new Braves stadium would be? Out from downtown and at the interchange of two major interstates?

[chrizow]

But really, isn't the Truman Sports Complex merely the same thing - Kansas City style - as what the new Braves stadium would be? Out from downtown and at the interchange of two major interstates?

Yes, it is, and it's an awful location for a number of reasons. The stadium should be downtown.

[aknowledgeableperson]

The teams can't make parking revenues downtown like they can away from downtown.

[chrizow]

[aknowledgeableperson]

So sorry that you have to resort to abusing yourself. Hope it isn't something you are preoccupied with.

[KCMax]

That's one of the heaviest trafficked highways in the metro, and there is no MARTA access. That should work out really well.

Another amazing aspect - the baseball stadium is only 17 years old. It was built for the '96 Olympics.

the nearest MARTA station is a mile away from Turner Field

With bus service to the stadium.

There isn't a MARTA route anywhere near the proposed stadium in Cobb County.

Not really a baseball stadium but a facility built for another use and converted,

That still makes it a baseball stadium especially considering the millions spent to convert it and the millions spent in 2005 to upgrade features.

The Braves offered to stay in Atlanta in exchange for $200 million in publicly funded improvements, but the city of Atlanta is already building a billion dollar football stadium for the Falcons (just 20 years after they built the last one!) so they passed.

[KCMax]

That's one of the heaviest trafficked highways in the metro, and there is no MARTA access. That should work out really well.

Another amazing aspect - the baseball stadium is only 17 years old. It was built for the '96 Olympics.

the nearest MARTA station is a mile away from Turner Field

With bus service to the stadium.

Not really a baseball stadium but a facility built for another use and converted,

Actually, it is a baseball stadium considering the millions spent to convert it and the millions spent in 2005 to upgarde it.

The Braves were willing to stay in exchange for $200 million in publicly funded upgrades, but the city of Atlanta is already building a billion dollar football stadium (just 20 years after they opened the last one!) so they passed.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Actually, it is a baseball stadium considering the millions spent to convert it and the millions spent in 2005 to upgarde it.

Still yes and no. It would be like converting a multi-purpose stadium to a baseball stadium. Can be done but its guts is still multi-purpose and not as a stadium designed only for baseball. Given what was done for the Royals and Chiefs looks like the area got by rather cheap.

[chaglang]

Actually, it is a baseball stadium considering the millions spent to convert it and the millions spent in 2005 to upgarde it.

Still yes and no. It would be like converting a multi-purpose stadium to a baseball stadium. Can be done but its guts is still multi-purpose and not as a stadium designed only for baseball. Given what was done for the Royals and Chiefs looks like the area got by rather cheap.

It was designed to be converted after the olympics. It's not like they dreamed this up after the closing ceremonies. Further, the Braves enthusiastically endorsed the idea. Please explain how the guts of Turner Field are so markedly different from other baseball stadia that this is even an issue.