Goodbye, Turner Field; Braves to Cobb in 2017

[Matthew]

This likely goes back to the fan who was killed walking from a baseball game. I've heard many Braves fans speak of that neighborhood as a bad place for a ballpark, due to perceived crime, and complain about having to go to the Underground to transfer, which they also view as a bad place. Someone killed, leaving a game, was the bad publicity that likely led to this. I think the Tea Party woman, who is against projects like this, is in Cobb County? They almost stopped their courthouse's construction over demands for using E-Verify. This is almost Georgia Republican Headquarters territory. Is the money a sure thing, or will they have meetings and a vote, with Tea Partiers protesting and trying to find or pass laws to block it?

A lot of the talk I've heard was connected to the area not developing into a mixed-use destination. They also said state law, if I heard correctly?, prevented the team from developing the sites around Turner Field. Again, I think it goes back to fans who think the neighborhood is dangerous. In Cobb County, they will need an extreme amount of parking and people will drive to the game and leave. I'm not sure if it's worth it (big taxpayer incentives) to Cobb County? The ballpark belongs close to a heavy rail line (HRT), near other tourist attractions, and in an area with highrise apartment/condo towers, hotels, and bars/restaurants. If 100,000 people are in walking distance of the ballpark, it increases the chances of a sell-out, from someone walking or riding their bike to a game. A Braves game can become a last minute decision. Someone will see the ballpark, as they walk near it, and say, lets go! In a place with maybe 2,500 people in walking distance of their (guessing the size?) 38,000 seat stadium, people will have to drive there and that is planned, not a last minute decision. This is a mistake and I hope it's an effort to gain more money from the city and not a final decision. I remember the Falcons using the GM site in Doraville like this. I rarely go to games (I'm not really a baseball fan), but when I do, I mostly enjoy seeing the skyline (which tells people they are in Atlanta!) and I complain about the lack of HRT access to stadium in a major city. The researchers/consultants say suburban stadiums are a mistake that result in low attendance and what will the view be? An office park? Before commercial breaks, will they show trees and cul-de-sacs, instead of the skyline behind the videoboard? Your Sprawlanta Braves, brought to you by Wal-Mart. Always bad land-use, Always! Prepare yourselves for the jokes from SSP urbanites.