NorthSideSox72 Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Surprised no one started a thread on this. The Braves have decided to build a new, $670M stadium, in suburban Cobb County, and leave Turner Field. Turner, by the way, isn't even 20 years old yet. 20. Best part - Cobb County voters will be forking over $450M in public funding, to be covered by a tax increase (or a few), and they will NOT get to vote on it. If it was an entirely new tax type, they'd get to vote. But instead, the plan goes to the county board without referendum, with a plan to increase some combination of EXISTING taxes, which does not require a public vote. This is a county that, by the way, has been cleaving off teaching jobs and requiring public employee furlough days because they can't afford their budget. It is difficult to describe how many ways I hate this. 20 year old stadium, and they are leaving??? No public input on funding? Building a park in the suburbs, no where near transit? If I was in Atlanta and a Braves fan, I'd be livid. And here is a nightmare scenario: what if there is a huge public outcry over the funding, and the board doesn't vote for it? Or they do vote for it, and lawsuits pop up left and right, and the deal is eventually killed? The Braves have now made enemies of the City of Atlanta (who owns Turner field) and a lot of their fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigruss Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 In regards to that last point, it's not like they have a ton of fans showing up already (even for playoff games). I don't think they are too worried about pissing off fans that live in the city since those fans aren't showing up now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 11, 2013 -> 02:57 PM) Surprised no one started a thread on this. The Braves have decided to build a new, $670M stadium, in suburban Cobb County, and leave Turner Field. Turner, by the way, isn't even 20 years old yet. 20. Best part - Cobb County voters will be forking over $450M in public funding, to be covered by a tax increase (or a few), and they will NOT get to vote on it. If it was an entirely new tax type, they'd get to vote. But instead, the plan goes to the county board without referendum, with a plan to increase some combination of EXISTING taxes, which does not require a public vote. This is a county that, by the way, has been cleaving off teaching jobs and requiring public employee furlough days because they can't afford their budget. It is difficult to describe how many ways I hate this. 20 year old stadium, and they are leaving??? No public input on funding? Building a park in the suburbs, no where near transit? If I was in Atlanta and a Braves fan, I'd be livid. And here is a nightmare scenario: what if there is a huge public outcry over the funding, and the board doesn't vote for it? Or they do vote for it, and lawsuits pop up left and right, and the deal is eventually killed? The Braves have now made enemies of the City of Atlanta (who owns Turner field) and a lot of their fans. While I couldn't agree more about teachers getting laid off and furloughs days being taken making it impossible to justify a baseball park, especially when the one they are playing in is only 16 or 17 years old now, I saw a chart, and this stadium will actually be closer to a majority of their ticketholders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1845737...-for-their-fans Seems that intersection (of the two ring interstates) is already a disaster. But it's also where the majority of their fans are coming from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxfest Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 11, 2013 -> 02:57 PM) Surprised no one started a thread on this. The Braves have decided to build a new, $670M stadium, in suburban Cobb County, and leave Turner Field. Turner, by the way, isn't even 20 years old yet. 20. Best part - Cobb County voters will be forking over $450M in public funding, to be covered by a tax increase (or a few), and they will NOT get to vote on it. If it was an entirely new tax type, they'd get to vote. But instead, the plan goes to the county board without referendum, with a plan to increase some combination of EXISTING taxes, which does not require a public vote. This is a county that, by the way, has been cleaving off teaching jobs and requiring public employee furlough days because they can't afford their budget. It is difficult to describe how many ways I hate this. 20 year old stadium, and they are leaving??? No public input on funding? Building a park in the suburbs, no where near transit? If I was in Atlanta and a Braves fan, I'd be livid. And here is a nightmare scenario: what if there is a huge public outcry over the funding, and the board doesn't vote for it? Or they do vote for it, and lawsuits pop up left and right, and the deal is eventually killed? The Braves have now made enemies of the City of Atlanta (who owns Turner field) and a lot of their fans. It was mentioned this morning in another thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Nov 11, 2013 -> 04:41 PM) While I couldn't agree more about teachers getting laid off and furloughs days being taken making it impossible to justify a baseball park, especially when the one they are playing in is only 16 or 17 years old now, I saw a chart, and this stadium will actually be closer to a majority of their ticketholders. You can move a stadium closer to your ticketholders and make it harder for them to get there at the same time if the transit options aren't there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 11, 2013 -> 04:33 PM) You can move a stadium closer to your ticketholders and make it harder for them to get there at the same time if the transit options aren't there. I don't think that is true in this case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Nov 11, 2013 -> 05:43 PM) I don't think that is true in this case. I know little of the area but NSS did say this: Building a park in the suburbs, no where near transit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 11, 2013 -> 04:54 PM) I know little of the area but NSS did say this: Atlanta isn't a big public transportation town. Do you really think the Braves would spend some of their own money, a bunch of public funds, just to build something that will be harder to get to for the majority of their fans? They really aren't dumb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Nov 11, 2013 -> 05:57 PM) Atlanta isn't a big public transportation town. Do you really think the Braves would spend some of their own money, a bunch of public funds, just to build something that will be harder to get to for the majority of their fans? They really aren't dumb. If a suburb offered to build them a new stadium and mostly pay for that stadium on its own? Yeah, I'd do that too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 11, 2013 -> 04:59 PM) If a suburb offered to build them a new stadium and mostly pay for that stadium on its own? Yeah, I'd do that too Even if it would hurt your already questionable attendance? Money is the motivation. They obviously feel they will make mor money in the suburbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabiness42 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I have an uncle that has lived in suburban Atlanta for 20 years, and I've been down there several times. The Braves have always been the team of 'The South' and not the team of Atlanta. You could make a case that the Braves are the most popular team in 10 states. Their #1 revenue stream has always been TV and not attendance. Also, traffic in Atlanta is terrible and so is public transit. Yes, the Braves will lose some attendance from the city, but they will gain more from Cobb. It sucks for the residents of the county that they didn't get a say in this, but it's definitely a good deal for the Braves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyyle23 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Its just crazy to me that the Braves are moving 20 years after they built a new stadium. And the media outcry i am reading is more "I cant believe they are moving to the suburbs" more than "i cant believe they are MOVING". Could you imagine if all the sudden the Sox were like "Lease is up, We are out, Rosemont here we come!"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 12, 2013 -> 09:53 AM) Could you imagine if all the sudden the Sox were like "Lease is up, We are out, Rosemont here we come!"? You're not expecting this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyyle23 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 12, 2013 -> 09:21 AM) You're not expecting this? Maybe in 20 more years, but not now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 12, 2013 -> 08:53 AM) Its just crazy to me that the Braves are moving 20 years after they built a new stadium. And the media outcry i am reading is more "I cant believe they are moving to the suburbs" more than "i cant believe they are MOVING". Could you imagine if all the sudden the Sox were like "Lease is up, We are out, Rosemont here we come!"? That would be so awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyyle23 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Nov 12, 2013 -> 09:28 AM) That would be so awesome. It would be, but I think the illinois politicians would have a stroke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flavum Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Sox lease runs through 2029. At that point, they will have been at that park for 39 seasons. Then, who knows, the Havana White Sox? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyyle23 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Its also kind of funny/weird that the owner of the team builds the stadium, puts his name on it, and gives the team only a 20 year lease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Scott Tobias @scott_tobias Follow It's actually pretty funny that the Braves are building at the I-75/I-285 interchange, because that's the very spot where all hope dies. 11:28 PM - 11 Nov 2013 29 Retweets 17 favorites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flavum Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Turner Field will be demolished after 2016. 'Merica. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyCaucasian Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Stuff like this pisses me off. It's so America to spends crap loads of money and resources on things, then throw them away. Turner Field is still a great park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyCaucasian Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 12, 2013 -> 08:53 AM) Its just crazy to me that the Braves are moving 20 years after they built a new stadium. And the media outcry i am reading is more "I cant believe they are moving to the suburbs" more than "i cant believe they are MOVING". Could you imagine if all the sudden the Sox were like "Lease is up, We are out, Rosemont here we come!"? A stadium should have a MINIMUM of a 30 year life. Minimum. When the Sox lease runs out in 2029, I'd welcome them to the NW suburbs (but I am a bit selfish, being a resident of the NW burbs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benchwarmerjim Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 The Olympics built Turner Field, not the Braves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamshack Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 QUOTE (Benchwarmerjim @ Nov 12, 2013 -> 10:37 AM) The Olympics built Turner Field, not the Braves. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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