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As Braves’ opening day nears, SunTrust Park and The Battery spur optimism

March 31, 2017, Atlanta: Excited Braves fans David Swinehamer, his son Austin, 4, and wife Amber enter the gates for the first time for the MLB exhibition game against the N.Y. Yankees for the soft opening of SunTrust Park on Friday, March 31, 2017, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

March 31, 2017, Atlanta: Excited Braves fans David Swinehamer, his son Austin, 4, and wife Amber enter the gates for the first time for the MLB exhibition game against the N.Y. Yankees for the soft opening of SunTrust Park on Friday, March 31, 2017, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com
By Meris Lutz
April 7, 2017

By the time some 40,000 fans arrive at SunTrust Park and The Battery for opening day April 14, most evidence of the scramble to complete the billion dollar project will be gone or hidden from view.

About half of the restaurants and stores that have announced partnerships with the team are expected to be open and operational, including the ones closest to the stadium, with the rest opening over the coming year.

The success or failure of the ballpark and The Battery, an adjacent mixed-use development owned by the team, could have far-reaching consequences for Cobb County.

READ MORE: Get the full story on MyAJC.com

About the Author

Meris Lutz is a contributing writer covering climate, the environment and the economy. She is particularly interested in stories that explore the intersections between climate change and labor, markets, health, biodiversity, government transparency and public access to natural resources.

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