The Metro PCS Corky Kell Classic, the weekend of football games that has signaled the start of the local high school season since 1992, will help open Georgia State’s new football stadium, the former Turner Field, with seven games to be played there Aug. 18-19.
They are expected to be the first football games contested at the former Braves baseball stadium, which was purchased officially by Georgia State in January.
‘’We’re super excited about playing there,’’ said event co-founder Dave Hunter. “They’ve extended their hand to us, and it’s a great opportunity to play outdoors in what is going to be a first-class facility.’’
The Kell Classic will begin Thursday, Aug. 17, with two games at Mercer University in Macon. They match Lee County vs. Mary Persons and Jones County vs. Houston County.
On Aug. 18, South Forsyth and Roswell will play the 5:30 p.m. opener at Georgia State Stadium. Buford vs. Hillgrove will follow.
The Aug. 19 games will have Tucker vs. Kell (9 a.m.), Brookwood vs. Archer (11:45 p.m.), Colquitt County vs. Norcross (2:45 p.m.), McEachern vs. Mill Creek (5:45 p.m.) and North Gwinnett vs. Walton (8:45 p.m.).
For virtually every season since 1992, the Kell Classic has been played in the Georgia Dome, which is set for demolition. The Kell Classic’s 1992 games were the first regular-season football contests ever held in the Dome. The Kell Classic is expected to hold that same distinction at Georgia State’s field.
Kell Classic officials talked with the Falcons about playing at the soon-to-be-completed Mercedez-Benz Stadium, the Falcons’ new home. Hunter said that schedule conflicts with the Falcons and Atlanta United of Major League Soccer (MLS) made a move there impractical.
Reconstruction of Turner Field began last month. Georgia State’s first announced football game in the stadium is scheduled for Aug. 31 against Tennessee State. The newly configured stadium initially would seat 23,000 with plans for another 10,000 seats.
