RE: Atlanta Braves move their stadium .... W T F ?
I was just as shocked to read this in my morning check of the local news. It came completely out of nowhere. Usually stuff like this is rumored/alluded to in the negotiating process. The Braves are near the end of their original 20 year lease of Turner Field, which is the remade Olympic Stadium that was then given to the city of Atlanta afterwards.
www.homeofthebraves.com
This appears to be real, a done deal, and not just a negotiating tactic. There is a website up detailing more extensively than I thought the decision had been made, the land purchase and the reasons. It is the reasons stated that sound a bit ridiculous. But if you are a local, you know that they are not the real reasons.
The main reason is that the vast majority of those who regularly follow and support the Braves and are also season ticket holders, live on Atlanta's north side (with the exception of those who live far south of the city in Peachtree City.) The highway traffic to get to the games from the north through the city is already abysmal, so that's kind of a wash with the move. While there is no heavy rail by the new location, there is none by the old one either. You have to take a bus to either location, which will remain the same, just through CCT instead of MARTA (which hooks up to CCT at several stations already. I've actually taken this very ride on buses coming back from airport trips to Cobb and it's not any more of an ordeal than walking to the present MARTA shuttle and taking the bus to the stadium.)
The other thing and far more important to the Braves or any business, is that the Braves will be directly involved in ownership of the property and surrounding area of their new stadium development without as many detractors (the area noted for purchase is 60 acres). The Braves can reap the economic windfalls of developing a fully integrated area instead of the chasm of vacant lots and lack of development around the Turner Field area, which they do not own, and in which redevelopment has been contentious at best due to the may competing factions, some of which are highly vocal and not interested in cooperation with the Braves and any progress the area could make toward improvement.
The Braves watched the very recent Atlanta Falcons stadium process and decided they are just not interested in dealing with the perceived boondoggle and remaining stuck out of easy access to the majority of their fan base for another 20 or 30 years down the road when they have better options. The Braves have had issues with attendance decline and hard to sell playoff tickets, not only due to their record. A north side location gives them a better opportunity to increase ticket sales and attendance, which means more revenues, which could lead to a higher team payroll to pay better players or keep ones who now leave via free agency. All positive things for the team and the region.
In fact, as the Cobb Energy Center showed with the Atlanta Opera moving there years ago, it can be successful in drawing attendance from the city. As well, the concentration of Galleria Convention Center and offices, Cobb Energy Center, Cumberland Mall, and now the Braves (The Weather Channel World Headquarters are located across I-75 already in the same area as well) might give impetus to finally extending Heavy rail into that area- in which case the Braves moving could finally help break the logjam of lack of widespread mass transit in the metro Atlanta area.
Yes, we'll miss the close up skyline views, but in the long run, if as stated, it will cost the Braves about $200 million to invest in Turner Field with no improvement in fan demographics or the surrounding area (neighborhood has improved little in more than 40 years the Braves have been there) , and they can invest $600 million instead to have their own deal right in the heart of their fanbase, well, that's kind of a no-brainer.
The downside for city of Atlanta is losing the prestige, but the upside, if they are real smart, is to actually help the city break the south-side development inertia by completely redeveloping the Turner field and surrounding area into a world-class mixed use live-work-play development center that will be located right next to downtown and offer easier commuting times for new residents. In the long run, it could turn out to be a win-win, but only if the city looks at the change progressively.
(This post was last modified: 11-11-2013 03:08 PM by GoodOwl.)
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