The Atlanta Braves plan to leave Turner Field after the 2016 season and move to a new $672 million stadium located in Cobb County, GA. The team announced their decision on Monday, MLB.com and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution report.
"We believe the new stadium location is easy to access while also giving our fans a first-rate game day experience in and around the ballpark and making it a 365-day-a-year destination," Braves president John Schuerholz said, via MLB.com.
The club will leave downtown Atlanta and move about 14 miles northwest to Cobb County, where the stadium will be located on 60 acres of land northwest of the I-75 and I-285 intersection, according to MLB.com. The new stadium, which would seat 42,000 fans, is expected to be ready for the 2017 season.
Cobb County and the Braves will be the primary financers of the stadium. Construction is slated to begin in the second half of 2014.
With the Braves' lease at Turner Field expiring at the end of 2016, the Journal-Constitution details several reasons why the team believes moving to a new stadium in 2017 is the right decision.
"[Turner Field] needs $150 million in infrastructure work (replacing the seats, reparing and upgrading lighting, etc.), none of which would significantly enhance the fan experience. If the Braves were to pay for additional projects focused on improving the fan experience, the additional costs could exceed $200 million.
"Even with a significant capital investment in Turner Field, there are several issues that cannot be overcome - lack of consistent mass transit to the facility, lack of adequate parking and lack of access to major roadways.
"The Braves also do not have control over the development of the area surrounding Turner Field."
As of now, the plans name Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority as the stadium's owner.
