SunTrust 'backbone' complete
The “backbone” of SunTrust Park was completed last month, and the construction team says it is a major milestone toward having the stadium open for the first pitch of 2017.
American Builders 2017 completed the structural concrete Nov. 17. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported that the structural concrete would be finished in November and the steel work will be finished in February.
“The structural concrete is the backbone of the ballpark — it’s what holds everything together and allows for the exhilarating fan experience the Braves are creating with the aesthetics of SunTrust Park’s design,” American Builders 2017 Project Director Chris Britton said.
Mike Plant, the team’s executive vice president of business operations, said completion of the structural concrete means the Braves are ever closer to the April 2017 opening.
“The American Builders 2017 team and all of the contractors have worked incredibly hard to reach this point so quickly, and this moment is a testament to their dedication to this project,” Plant said.
To date, the construction team has logged more than 845,000 man hours on the project and poured 43,000 cubic yards of structural concrete, according to a release from the Braves.
Cobb County, which is contributing more than $400 million in taxpayer funds to the project, will host an open house on the project Dec. 7 at the county administration building.
About the Author
Dan Klepal is editor of the local government team, supervising nine reporters covering county and municipal governments and metro Atlanta. Klepal came to the AJC in 2012, after a long career covering city halls in Cincinnati and Louisville, Ky. He has covered Gwinnett and Cobb counties before spending three years on the investigative team.
