Turner Field to be sold to Georgia State and developer Carter
by: Katie Leslie and J. Scott Trubey
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2:24 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21, 2015 | Filed in: Business


Turner Field is going to be sold to Atlanta-based real estate firm Carter and Georgia State University.

The Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority board announced Monday that the Carter and Georgia State team has been chosen as the winning bidder for Turner Field. The board will begin negotiating a sale of the downtown baseball stadium and much of the surrounding parking lots.

The announcement comes just a little more than two months after the agency put the ballpark up for sale through a competitive bid process, and about two years after the Atlanta Braves announced their plans to move to a new ballpark in Cobb County.


Turner Field to be sold to Georgia State and developer Carter photo
The Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority has voted to sell the ballpark and parking lots to a group headlined by Georgia State University and real estate firm Carter. That group wants to transform the site into student housing, apartments, retail, and converting The Ted into a football stadium. A neighborhood planning effort also is underway that residents hope will help steer development in an area where stadiums haven't fulfilled the promises of jobs and growth. Brant Sanderlin/STAFF

The Carter-Georgia State team plan involves a $300 million mix of student housing, apartments, retail and the conversion of Turner Field into a football stadium. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed publicly endorsed the Georgia State team when it first announced its interest in the site early last year.

In October, the authority listed 67 acres, including Turner Field, for sale under a competitive bid process. Only two other bidders, both little-known, made a play for the ballpark and surrounding parking lots, making it apparent to most observers that Carter and Georgia State would be the winner.

Many residents of the neighborhoods surrounding The Ted have urged the authority to wait in selling the land, but the authority has said a sale must happen quickly, as the Braves will leave the ballpark by the end of next year. After that point, stadium upkeep and security would be on the taxpayers.

But to help assuage residents, the request for proposals made it clear that the community’s input must be included in the development plans. The request for proposals requires the potential buyer to “demonstrate a commitment to incorporating” recommendations from a pending community development study.

“After a through review of all the proposals, including in person presentations, the Board of the City of Atlanta and Fulton County Recreation Authority has a preferred bidder and will commence negotiations immediately,” board chairman William K Whitner said in a news release. “We will move forward expeditiously to ensure that we make meaningful progress toward determining the future of this historic neighborhood. AFCRA has been a long-time partner in this community and we fully appreciate the importance of negotiating with a developer that will have the community’s interest foremost in mind.”

Carter, GSU propose $300M Turner Field redevelopment
May 7, 2014, 5:06pm EDT Updated May 7, 2014, 5:26pm EDT


Atlanta-based real estate developer Carter and Georgia State University on Wednesday teamed on a proposal for a $300 million redevelopment of the property around Turner Field for multiple uses, including football and baseball stadiums, retail, residential and student housing.

The redevelopment of the 77-acre site would be funded by public and private sources, the organizations said in a statement. DOWNLOAD a PDF of the concept here.

Carter and Georgia State University on Wednesday teamed on a proposal for a $300 million redevelopment proposal for the property around Turner Field for multiple uses, including football and baseball stadiums, retail, residential and student housing.

Carter and Georgia State University on Wednesday teamed on a proposal for a $300 million… more

Carter’s preliminary proposal would include a 30,000-seat football stadium on the Turner Field site and a Georgia State baseball complex.

The baseball stadium would be designed in the former location of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and would incorporate the Hank Aaron wall.

Residential and student housing, retail businesses, green space and plazas also would be added to the property.

“The acquisition of the Turner Field property would represent a major step towards strengthening Georgia State University’s position as one of the leading universities in the nation,” said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, in the statement. “The acquisition would not only expand the university’s current footprint in the city, but would significantly increase its appeal to students looking for a more traditional, campus-centered experience in the heart of a great American city. The benefits to our city and to the university would be substantial.”

Georgia State: Build two new stadiums at Turner Field
From: USA TODAY
by: Doug Richards, WXIA 6 p.m. EST November 23, 2015

ATLANTA-- When the Braves are gone next year, Turner Field could transform into a housing and retail building-- with two new stadiums built across the street.

That's one option under a plan formally submitted by Georgia State University. The plan itself is still under seal, but a GSU spokeswoman confirms the plan contains two separate options for the site.



One option would be to convert the 20-year-old Turner Field building into the framework for a mixed-use development, with housing and retail. That option would include construction of a new football stadium, and a new baseball stadium, north of Turner Field.

Another option pitched by GSU was one originally revealed to 11Alive News in April 2014 -- which would retrofit Turner Field into a college football stadium, and construct a baseball stadium on the old Atlanta Fulton County Stadium site.

Both options submitted Friday by GSU include the new baseball stadium. The variable now is the location of the football stadium GSU wants, which would extend the university's campus across I-20.

Friday, the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority received an unknown number of bids for the 77-acre Turner Field property. AFCRA executive director Keisha Lance Bottoms hasn't responded to requests for information about the proposals received.

GSU declined to release the proposal it sent Friday, but did reveal details about the stadium pitches. Each GSU plan would also include student housing, residential housing and retail, said GSU spokeswoman Andrea Jones.

Jones said GSU and AFRCA could potential chose among the plans as the selection process plays out in the coming months. The Braves will play their final season at Turner Field in 2016, moving to a new stadium in Cobb County in 2017.

Monday, Mayor Kasim Reed said he wants to let the competing proposals get full consideration by AFCRA's board, most of whom are Reed appointees. Reed has long viewed GSU's $300 million interest in the site favorably. "It's very important while we listen to the neighborhood very carefully that we not lose an opportunity," Reed said.

Reed says he wants to see competing proposals as well. So do residents – many of whom are not big fans of GSU's plan to keep two stadiums in their neighborhood.

"Since the mid to late sixties these neighborhoods have had stadiums," said John Colabelli of the Organized Neighbors of Summerhill Monday. "Those in the long term have not been highly beneficial to the development of the community."

(12-22-2015 03:35 PM)panama Wrote:  This was in the works and a lock before this season. The impact I think is that had Miles not won 6 games and gone to a bowl we would be introducing a new HC right now. But it has been an incredible year and we are definitely on an upward trajectory.

So you're saying Ga State, a school which did not even have a football team a few years ago, would not have been satisfied with a 5-7 season from its head coach of only a few years; meanwhile, Rice is apparently pretty chipper about its wildly successful 5-7 season featuring wins over some of the very worst teams in college football this past season under its nine-year head coach. Pardon me while I barf , panama but I see more going on with GA State athletics in the last year than with our school, which is over 100 years old.

Kudos to your school's leadership, from GA State's President expanding the student base, to all the building and expansion of your increasingly impressive downtown campus (your brand new Law School building is beautiful and located on a historic park in downtown where tons of people can see it), to your just announced winning acquisition of Turner Field and its upcoming remodeling of that and the surrounding area into two stadiums for your football and baseball programs as well as numerous additional buildings next to these to house students and classrooms, etc... Combined with your national success in getting your football program quickly on its feet and going from worst to a bowl game under your recent head football coach in 1 year, as well as your Athletic Director Cobb, who enjoyed much success and a nationally-recognized (and still remembered) Signature win for that school on the road against Michigan in the Big House, your success in the NCAA basketball tournament this past season, you guys are really putting your school's name and image on the national map. GA State is an asset to Atlanta.

I know some people in the area who laughed when GA State said it was going to commit tons of dollars and resources to its athletic programs, and start a new football team, but ya'll have done wonders in just a few short years with financial commitment from the school and winning coaches. Ya'll won't be in the SunBelt forever, as you clearly get it, and you have the major-city location and growing student base to keep moving up.


GA State University's new Law School building in downtown Atlanta's historic Woodruff park area link: http://building.law.gsu.edu/
New GSU law school to be ‘showplace’ on key downtown block

(12-22-2015 04:08 PM)panama Wrote:  Yeah, would not have been satisfied BECAUSE what happened yesterday was coming. The administration knew we were getting the Ted before we put in the bid. You have to sell suites and club seats and get donors which is not possible if people do not feel good about the direction of the program. And that law building is jaw drop astonishing. The pictures do not do it justice. Great time to be a Panther.

GA State's Law school is beautiful. Rice doesn't have one. We have a business school, but so do you. And ya'll are located right next to GA's biggest level 1 trauma center--I believe you have a pre-med program? Rice is located next to the country's largest medical center, yet does not have a pre-med program, although we did build a collaborative center that interfaces some with med center workers. We kicked the tires on merging with am ed school (Baylor College of medicine) a few years ago, but it did not seem like a good financial deal at the time so we declined. Don't know why we didn't keep looking right next door (literally across the street) for another partner, but maybe there were none others to be had?

Besides football, it is frustrating to watch from close-by a university that was formerly the night school program for Georgia Tech fly up out of nowhere and basically begin to pass a school like Rice by on so many levels right in front of my face. Rice is still academically rated higher than GA State, and Rice tons more dollars available than GA State probably ever will, but GA State is sure hitting on all cylinders these past few decades and has come a long way in a relatively short time.

What your university has done for downtown Atlanta is amazing, and I never would have believed it ten years ago. But then, I never would have believed your football coach would have recovered and destroyed GA Southern on the road in Statesboro to get to its first bowl so quickly. Once you get out of the Ga Dome and get Turner Field converted to your on-campus football stadium, you are going to really explode. Of course, looks like your head coach is not necessarily waiting for great facilities to start his winning tradition for your youthful program.

I wish our admin would invest in sports the way you guys have. Ga State's overall university brand is on an upward trajectory, same as I saw from a little commuter college in Orlando I lived nearby go from nothing to a better conference and national recognition: that would be UCF, who is renovating their football stadium with a very unique and innovative sports bar addition to lure even more non-alumns to its on-campus Saturday football games:

Former conference-mate UCF doing something interesting in their Stadium:

Time for Rice to put a Hooters in Rice Stadium to lure ticket-buyers and patrons?

Dr. Saturday
UCF stadium expansion includes new 10,000-square foot beach bar
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-s...38023.html
By Sam Cooper Monday, January 26, 2015

UCF announced Monday that it is expanding Bright House Networks Stadium with a new feature that will create one of the more unique environments in all of college football.

(via UCF athletics)

That new feature is the East Side Club (ESC), a “10,000 square-foot, Florida-themed social area and lounge located between the 30-yard lines.” According to a release, it will feature “chair-back stadium seating, as well as an open-air sun deck to enjoy the game.” Additionally, “refreshments, televisions, private restrooms and other amenities” will be available.

It is expected to be ready for the Knights’ first game on Sept. 5. Here’s what it will look like:

(via UCF athletics)

(via UCF athletics)

“The ESC gives us an opportunity to expand our premium experience offerings,” UCF Vice President and Director of Athletics Todd Stansbury said. “The Florida-themed ESC gives us an opportunity to reinforce our location, which I believe is a major asset. The ESC will provide a window into the UCF and Central Florida culture and personality to potential students, recruits, fans, friends and supporters.”

(via UCF athletics)

The ESC, which has a capacity of 950, will also feature “pre and post-game hours.” According to the Orlando Sentinel, club members who “pay premium access to the new beach bar” will be allowed to bring their alcoholic beverages to their seats, an amenity not available at the stadium since it opened in 2007.

Per the Sentinel, school officials say the project will cost $2.6 million.

For more UCF news, visit UCFSports.com.

Comments:

[Who Me] I thought you couldn't have alcohol in college stadiums. When did that rule change?

[Brandon] Not an NCAA rule. Institutional level. While most colleges don't allow it, there are a few that do.

[Who Me] Thanks, I didn't know that. I thought it was an NCAA rule.

Is this the future look for Turner Field?
12:42 p.m. Monday, July 25, 2016 | Filed in: Local News


A park in honor of Braves legend Hank Aaron and his record breaking home run is one of the concepts in the Livable Center Initiatives draft master plan. Source: Perkins+Will

The Turner Field area — now a stretch dominated by a stadium and parking lots — could be a denser more walkable community with a street grid much like what was lost decades ago through development of two stadiums and freeways.

That’s the vision of a 92-page draft of a Livable Center Initiative master plan, released online. It shows higher density housing, retail, office space, parks, a football stadium for Georgia State University where Turner Field now stands and transit linking neighborhoods south of I-20 to the rest of downtown.

The planning exercise features puts more meat into concepts unveiled a few months ago and championed by the community through a series of workshops over recent months.


Rendering of master plan concepts for the Turner Field area. Source Perkins+Will

They plan to convert the ballpark into a Georgia State football stadium, and build student housing, market rate apartments, senior living, single-family homes and retail. They’ve also proposed for a Panthers baseball field to go in the footprint of the former Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and preserving the Hank Aaron home run wall.

“With the Braves playing their final season downtown and the City actively negotiating the sale of the property, this is a highly anticipated community plan with the potential to reshape the south side of Atlanta,” the 92-page report said.

“The redevelopment of Turner Field and the core area presents an unparalleled opportunity to mend some of the unfavorable consequences previous developments have brought to the area while effectively anticipating for the challenges a growing city like Atlanta will continue to face,” the report said.

The Atlanta City Council recently approved a rezoning request to permit student housing and larger retail spaces that would allow for a full-service grocery.

I wonder if you could build a basketball facility out of the upper deck in RF. A suite / stadium club between.

A nutty idea.

Congrats GSU

(07-25-2016 03:43 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Is this the future look for Turner Field?
12:42 p.m. Monday, July 25, 2016 | Filed in: Local News


A park in honor of Braves legend Hank Aaron and his record breaking home run is one of the concepts in the Livable Center Initiatives draft master plan. Source: Perkins+Will

The Turner Field area — now a stretch dominated by a stadium and parking lots — could be a denser more walkable community with a street grid much like what was lost decades ago through development of two stadiums and freeways.

That’s the vision of a 92-page draft of a Livable Center Initiative master plan, released online. It shows higher density housing, retail, office space, parks, a football stadium for Georgia State University where Turner Field now stands and transit linking neighborhoods south of I-20 to the rest of downtown.

The planning exercise features puts more meat into concepts unveiled a few months ago and championed by the community through a series of workshops over recent months.


Rendering of master plan concepts for the Turner Field area. Source Perkins+Will

They plan to convert the ballpark into a Georgia State football stadium, and build student housing, market rate apartments, senior living, single-family homes and retail. They’ve also proposed for a Panthers baseball field to go in the footprint of the former Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and preserving the Hank Aaron home run wall.

“With the Braves playing their final season downtown and the City actively negotiating the sale of the property, this is a highly anticipated community plan with the potential to reshape the south side of Atlanta,” the 92-page report said.

“The redevelopment of Turner Field and the core area presents an unparalleled opportunity to mend some of the unfavorable consequences previous developments have brought to the area while effectively anticipating for the challenges a growing city like Atlanta will continue to face,” the report said.

The Atlanta City Council recently approved a rezoning request to permit student housing and larger retail spaces that would allow for a full-service grocery.

The full area may look like that. We should know before Labor Day what the stadium will look like. At any rate we will play in 2017 in Turner Field pretty much as is and then major renovation work will start after the 2017 season.

(08-18-2016 04:49 PM)indianasniff Wrote:  I wonder if you could build a basketball facility out of the upper deck in RF. A suite / stadium club between.

A nutty idea.

Congrats GSU

I think ...likely...the plan for MBB will be move to Phillips or redo the Sports Arena. Phillips has plenty of open dates since the Thrashers left. As for Turner Field I want to see that space built out as a major football stadium with football operations buildinga and IPF.