Braves planning new suburban stadium in 2017 | News OK (http://newsok.com/braves-to-build-stadium-that-opens-in-2017/article/feed/615114)

Am I the only one that finds this ridiculous? In this age of growing downtowns and transit options the Braves go and leave the city (moving 10 miles away) and its transit options ("despite the lack of any rapid-transit in Cobb County and the stadium site being located next to one of the city's most congested interchanges"), requiring fans to be car dependent to enjoy games (even though the MARTA stop is a mile away from the Ted, I know a lot of people would ride it to games). Don't get me wrong, I do think the city is a good degree at fault for not using the last 17 years to develop the surrounding area, but this just seems like the wrong way to go by the team. In 20-30 years will they be looking for a new site back downtown?

This would be the biggest Fail of all time. With the Falcons getting a new downtown stadium I think this has to be a ploy for Fulton County taxpayers fund another stadium (even though team ownership says it isn't). The current Turner Field is in a crappy area so I can understand them wanting a new location but this location would rule out attendance at any game starting before 8PM. I can't stress enough how bad the traffic is in this area. A much better use of taxpayer money would be to improve the existing area around Turner Field because the last thing that area needs is another vacant structure or giant open field.

Their existing stadium is only 17 years old!!

The throw-away culture in this country can be extremely appalling at times.

As someone who lived a short time in Atlanta, this is not surprising. Only in Atlanta is something that is 17 years old considered "outdated." FWIW they are scrapping the barely 20 year old Georgia Dome for a new stadium. And yes traffic where they are going (75/285) is nothing short of abysmal.

I actually remember them building the Olympic Stadium, then retrofitting it to Turner Field as a kid and what a hoopla was made about their new "state of the art" stadium.

And I wouldn't say this is a done deal. Cobb County is hardcore Tea Party territory and it will be a heavy lift for the Braves to convince the voters to authorize the several hundred million to pay for this.

NM - Adaniel beat me to it.

From an evaluation on what financing information is publicly available, either something is missing from where the sources to pay for it are coming from or they have only budgeted enough that the best case of the proposed tax will only cover 1/3rd of the proposed subsidy on building it.

Deadspin sheds more light on situation Braves Announce Plans To Leave Atlanta For Cobb County [Updates] (http://deadspin.com/reports-braves-leaving-atlanta-for-cobb-county-1462167449)

The AJC article referenced in your link is actually the first one I read but I thought I'd post something local. Even if they spent the exact same amount of money refurbishing the Ted, I think they'd be better off long term.

I am thankful everyday that we didn't close on our house in metro Atlanta back in 2007. This just gives me another reason to be thankful.

Covered this on Morning Joe today saying the stadium would be closer to the majority of their season ticket holders so at least that part makes complete sense

To get to a game that starts at 7PM in this new stadium people will need to leave their work at 2PM.

How did they not require the lease last longer than 16 years, 20 year length is short for a project like these, 30 seems more standard

The way most Atlantan's make it sounds is that the majority of Braves ticket purchasers are in & around Cobb County. I don't agree with it myself, I'd much rather they stay at Turner Field, or at the very least build somewhere else around urban Atlanta. As much as I love & try to represent & defend Atlanta, there's no justifying this.

Mayor Reed made it sound like once Turner Field is demolished then they'll build some sort of development centered towards the middle-class. At least it's not going to be torn down & blend in with the rest of that massive parking lot, but given Atlanta's shortcoming on many things, I'm not gonna put it in the bank that anything will get built in it's place.

It makes some sense in that the majority of the population growth (and ticket holders) seem to be in North Atlanta and there are a ton of jobs up there as well. Still would be better more centrally located.

Architect Magazine - Atlanta Braves Moving to the Suburbs (http://www.architectmagazine.com/architecture/atlanta-braves-moving-to-the-suburbs.aspx)

Here is a graphic of tickets sales from the link.
The red dots on the map indicate game tickets sold in 2012.
http://www.architectmagazine.com/Images/1558506468_1112_BravesMAP_tcm20-2090891.jpg?width=600&404=404.png

Here's How Cobb County Will Pay For The Braves' Ballpark (http://deadspin.com/heres-how-cobb-county-will-pay-for-the-braves-ballpar-1464404976/@barryap)

My favorite of the comments


A town with money is a little like a mule with a spinning wheel. No one knows how he got it, and danged if he knows how to use it.

(Originally from The Simpsons)

This is a hard one, I agree that it should stay downtown and redevelop the area it is in. I will say the stadium is never full. There are other attractions nearby, always drive by the stadium to go to the zoo in Grant Park. There has been a resurgence of housing around this park as people are investing in the old houses and local pubs and theme restaurants. So there are reasons to stay. The state capital is within walking distance - and so is downtown. Now lets talk about the rest. The immediate area around the stadium has been the scene of frequent, particularly noted random violence (attack of young man because he was gay - another shot by preteens just to watch him die). In both cases these were individuals who lived nearby and were very familiar with the neighborhood. Nearby downtown is noted for the violence against Georgia State and Georgia Tech students. Now to traffic. The current location is as busy - if not more so - than where they want to move. It is a dead end corner of the intersection of I-20 and I-75. The only side streets that take you in or out go through dangerous neighborhoods or downtown - also dangerous and hard to get around (think Dallas on steroids - and I can say that having lived in both places). All the traffic from the north that comes to games is funneled into one very large combined I-75/I-85 Freeway with limited off-ramps at the most complicated freeway intersection in the Atlanta metro, think hour-long traffic jams without games. I used the metro to go downtown for business and would not want to get caught after dark anywhere near the stadium.

The proposed new location will have a more equal traffic distribution as the traffic will be coming equally from all directions (not predominately from the north). The neighborhood is much better. There are several 4-6 lane roads in the area that most of the locals will use instead of the interstates. I live 20 miles away (from the proposed site) and it would be easier to drive on local streets than take the interstates. Buses could be used to take traffic from the stadium to several stops on the north or west metro. Lastly, if it were my team I would put it in the best location to give it a chance to grow and succeed - and it's current location is not it. Atlanta could make promises to improve the area, and then forget about it after the deal is done. Cobb county location does not have to do anything other than help with the build funding. The locals near the proposed site are worried about traffic - understandable. But, the real '600 lb Gorilla in the closet 'is that most people - conservative anti tax, etc. - in the north metro are quietly saying 'thank God'.....no one wants to talk about that one.

A year or so ago, the city of Atlanta (I think it was the city of Atlanta; don't quote me on that) had an idea of developing the surrounding parking lots with housing, parks, restaurants, etc. to build up the area around The Ted. I was rooting for that, but it's obviously not gonna happen now.

There is so much wasted land at the current location - and underutilized space in the surround area that it isn't even funny.

There is so much wasted land at the current location - and underutilized space in the surround area that it isn't even funny.

That's what strikes me. Every time I drive by there, I just have to turn my head & keep from looking at it. The stadium isn't bad looking, but I can't stand how atrocious the surrounding area is.

Was the area that bad during the Olympics or has it just gotten that bad since then?

The Braves' Move From Atlanta Is An Affront To Baseball And Democracy (http://deadspin.com/the-braves-move-from-atlanta-is-an-affront-to-baseball-1464550469/@JonathanMahler)

Was the area that bad during the Olympics or has it just gotten that bad since then?

I don't think it's ever been an ideal environment when you consider how empty it is around the stadium, but I'm not sure that it's ever been considered an area people avoid at all costs. I will say that people don't think very highly of the adjacent neighborhoods, especially after dark.

Many people are optimistic that new development will spur where Turner Field currently is. In all honesty, where it's at isn't a very ideal place for such a national icon that the Braves are. I myself have become very hopeful in the future of the area around the current stadium as that area is one of the poorer area's of Atlanta & it needs something to go right for it, & as weird as it may sound, the Braves moving to a new stadium may be what it needs to develop.

I don't agree with the premise of teams going the suburban route, I didn't even before I became a "new urbanist", but metro Atlanta is massive & the same fans will go to the games & the area they're building is already developed rather nicely. I still don't really support them going to the Cumberland area, but with the shock wearing off of the Braves packing up & heading about 10 miles to the northwest, it seems like there is some good that can come out of this for the area around Turner Field.

This is a nice little article that I read earlier today that kinda makes this whole ordeal sound a little bit prettier than it actually is.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/us/with-braves-set-to-move-a-broader-look-at-atlanta.html?ref=todayspaper&pagewanted=all&_r=1&

EDIT: For the record, the population statistics aren't up to date. In the article, it states that the city of Atlanta has 423,000 residents, but at the 2012 census Atlanta is stated to have 443,775 people. Also, the article mentions the metro is 3.8 million, not counting the city of Atlanta, but the census shows metro Atlanta as having slightly under 5.5 million residents.

This is a nice little article that I read earlier today that kinda makes this whole ordeal sound a little bit prettier than it actually is.


They put a nice spin on it but I doubt they have been to the area the new stadium is being built if they think there is even the most remote chance it could ever be made walkable. Metro-Atlanta does have some great urban places outside of downtown/Midtown - but the Cumberland area isn't one of them. If it was me and I was going to move the team I would put it in West-Midtown (within a 1/2 mile of the intersection Howell Mill Road and Marietta St).

They put a nice spin on it but I doubt they have been to the area the new stadium is being built if they think there is even the most remote chance it could ever be made walkable. Metro-Atlanta does have some great urban places outside of downtown/Midtown - but the Cumberland area isn't one of them.

It definitely isn't. I read another article last week in the Atlanta Business Chronicle in which Cobb County chairman Tim Lee stated an idea of a bridge spanning I-75 going from the Cumberland Mall to the new stadium that would include transportation of some sort, as well as the bridge being promoted as pedestrian friendly. It's a nice idea, but the Cumberland area is light years away from being a walkable, urban paradise that the fine folks of Cobb County try to make it seem.

If it was me and I was going to move the team I would put it in West-Midtown (within a 1/2 mile of the intersection Howell Mill Road and Marietta St).

From the day I first heard about this, the question that has been ringing in my head is "why not Midtown???" & I've even thought of the Howell Mill Rd & Marietta St area. That has become a booming part of West-Midtown that would be a really good fit for a baseball stadium.

The Braves' New Ballpark Will Have Less Parking Than Turner Field (http://deadspin.com/the-braves-new-ballpark-will-have-less-parking-than-tu-1467646026/@barryap)

It's a smaller stadium, so that could correlate (though I doubt it). But it's sounding increasingly like a debacle. I hope the train-wreck of a first day is well documented and posted here for our viewing enjoyment...

It's a smaller stadium, so that could correlate (though I doubt it). But it's sounding increasingly like a debacle. I hope the train-wreck of a first day is well documented and posted here for our viewing enjoyment...

It's still about 3 1/2 years before it'll be ready to go, but as long as OKCTalk is still up & going & I'm living in Atlanta in 2017, then I'll get something for everyone's viewing pleasure.

For the record, I don't actually WANT it to be a debacle. But I think it will be.

For the record, I don't actually WANT it to be a debacle. But I think it will be.

I'm sure it's gonna be a debacle. The mayor of Atlanta & the chairman of Cobb County are already running into disagreements about transportation to the stadium.

Here's a funny picture I saw today that actually depicts the whole thing rather accurately.

http://www.atlantamagazine.com/EI/sharedobjects/handlers/ir.ashx?p=TgBpAHIAcABnAGEAUwBNAFIASgA0ADIANABjAHcA cABPAEIAQgBUAEwANwBrAFAAOABxAGEATwBJAGMAdQBVAHQAWA BkAEQAYQA0ADUATAB1AGQARwBEAEcAbABRAHoAYQBVAE8AcABD AG4AbgB0AG4AcAAyAGwATAA1AHIATwBBAGYAYgAxAGIAZgBoAD kASAA0AEUAdwBwAHMAcwBDAGwAbQBFAFkAMwB1AGEATwBUAHcA MwArAGQAMwB6AGEAcQB1ADgAYQBqACsAcQBoAGIAUABTAHEAWQ B6AE4ARwByAFoAagBDAEkAQwB4AHMASABoAGwAQwBlAFQAbgBu AHkAdABpAG4AVQBxADcAeABEAG0AMQBlAEgANgBWAHkASgBPAG EARQAyADYAOAAwAGcASwArAFYAegA3AHcAegBxAFQAaQBsAG0A cwBNAGwATABTACsAZgBaAFgAaQA0AGgAbAAvAEkAYwAyAC8AVQ BvADgASgBsAHAANgB6AHUAdgB3AG8AOAB2ADMAMABDAFcANQBS AG0AQgBFAEMATgBRADYAdwB6ADMAYgBtAC8AdABaADAAQQBYAD kAawBmAGsAQgA5AG4ATgArAEcAZgB1AEQAZQBQAEwAYgBoAE0A NgAwAEkAbgBWAGoAQwBuADcASwBwAEQAdQAzAEEAWAA=&w=800&mw=800

FYI: The Braves released some conceptual renderings (the above picture is one of the renderings, albeit edited obviously; there's four in total) that I'll post later unless someone else decides to do it before I'm able to.

I said there's four conceptual renderings, but there's actually three. The fourth picture is the site plan.

Here they are:

http://gamedayr.com/wp-content/mash/Braves-stadium-design1.jpg

http://gamedayr.com/wp-content/mash/braves_aerial_view_to_downtown.jpg

http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/lt/lt_cache/thumbnail/615/img/photos/2013/11/20/73/09/braves_plan_street_view.jpg

http://gamedayr.com/wp-content/mash/braves_stadium_master_plan.jpg

If only we had the renditions from 17 years of the current Turner Field. I'll bet they show shops and pedestrians as well.

If only we had the renditions from 17 years of the current Turner Field. I'll bet they show shops and pedestrians as well.

I'm sure. I'm not gonna get too down on them presenting a pedestrian friendly area around the new stadium, but I highly doubt it happens, & even if it does happen, I HIGHLY doubt it'll look anything like that.

This is a huge win for braves and braves fans.

This is a huge win for braves and braves fans.

I'm not trying to imply you're wrong, but why do you say that?

I think the stadium is fine where it is going. There is no need for everything to have to be 100% walkable or in an urban environment.

I think the stadium is fine where it is going. There is no need for everything to have to be 100% walkable or in an urban environment.

The problem isn't walkability. The problem is the area it's going in at. Not because it's in suburban Atlanta, Mr. defend-the-suburbs-at-the-drop-of-the-ball (pun intended):tongue:, but because it's in a part of Atlanta with incredibly bad traffic. I don't know how well you know Atlanta, but as someone who travels this section of roadway regularly (not daily, just regularly), it's a pain in the arse & that's why I'm not standing at the future site (which is pretty much a forest currently) with my sign saying "build this beesh already!!!" Not because it's not walkable or urban, but because it's going to suck trying to get in & out of the area.

The problem isn't walkability. The problem is the area it's going in at. Not because it's in suburban Atlanta, Mr. defend-the-suburbs-at-the-drop-of-the-ball (pun intended):tongue:, but because it's in a part of Atlanta with incredibly bad traffic. I don't know how well you know Atlanta, but as someone who travels this section of roadway regularly (not daily, just regularly), it's a pain in the arse & that's why I'm not standing at the future site (which is pretty much a forest currently) with my sign saying "build this beesh already!!!" Not because it's not walkable or urban, but because it's going to suck trying to get in & out of the area.I've been to Atlanta once or twice, so I don't know the city that well. It just gets incredibly annoying that whenever something nice is proposed in the suburbs, a lot of people around seem to love to bash it and complain that it isn't being built in downtown or closer to downtown. Same thing happened with the new Edmond Sportsplex with people saying it should be in the ring off of I235.

I don't always defend the suburbs, I just try to look at it from a different perspective I guess. I honestly wouldn't care if it were built in Midtown Atlanta(which I know nothing about), I just find it funny that people are upset it is in suburbia. The stadium seems really nice and with the right marketing and developers, I'm sure you could get those buildings built there.

Anyhow, ATL is your city dude, you'd know it better than me. I honestly didn't realize you live(d) there so I'm not going to argue with you haha. . . From the pics I've seen, ATL looks awesome and a great place to live. I would love to explore the city in depth eventually!

I've been to Atlanta once or twice, so I don't know the area that well. It just gets incredibly annoying that whenever something nice is proposed in the suburbs, a lot of people around seem to love to bash it and complain that it isn't being built in downtown or closer to downtown. Same thing happened with the new Edmond Sportsplex with people saying it should be in the ring off of I235.

I don't always defend the suburbs, I just try to look at it from a different perspective I guess. I honestly wouldn't care if it were built in Midtown Atlanta(which I know nothing about), I just find it funny that people are upset it is in suburbia. The stadium seems really nice and with the right marketing and developers, I'm sure you could get those buildings built there.

Anyhow, ATL is your city dude, you'd know it better than me. I honestly didn't realize you live(d) there so I'm not going to argue with you haha. . . From the pics I've seen, ATL looks awesome and a great place to live. I would love to explore the city in depth eventually!

No, it's all good my man. A lot of what I said was tongue in cheek. I don't mind that it's in the suburbs, it has a lot of potential if the renderings released ever come to fruition. I don't mind that you defend the suburbs sometimes, I generally like your perspectives. I wasn't meaning to sound rude about it or anything.

The thing about Midtown Atlanta is there's a lot of housing there & there's a ship load more coming online (two 46 story residential skyscrapers & one 56 story residential/hotel skyscraper were announced the other day on top of the numerous residential units already U/C or proposed, Georgia Tech's main campus is in & around Midtown, there's a number of tourist attractions, high paying jobs, retail, dining in Midtown, etc., etc.) & that's why I like Midtown more than I do Cumberland. It's the place to be, so to speak, & is kind of a duh choice for something like this (at least you'd think).

I'm just here for college, but I may end up staying in Atlanta for good once I graduate. I'm between ATL & OKC a lot & I'm almost always on OKCTalk when I'm not busy with life. ATL is a really nice place & the natural beauty is top of the line for a city so massive. It has its flaws just like every city & if you're a borderline obsessive urbanist then its definitely not a place you'll want to be in for a very long time, but it's making incredible strives to become more transit friendly & less car dependent, although that's remarkably hard & enduring for a city of 5.5 million that doesn't have much of a transit system already in place (MARTA is kind of hit & miss but is reliable if what you need is along its lines).

The Atlanta Braves Are About To Get Teabagged (http://deadspin.com/the-atlanta-braves-are-about-to-get-teabagged-1485695970/@JonathanMahler)