A piece of Ted Turner’s legacy is disappearing from Atlanta

AT&T announced Monday it will divide up Atlanta-born Turner Broadcasting.

A drive along the Downtown Connector used to be all you needed as proof Ted Turner built his empire in Atlanta.

TNT, TBS and Turner Field were reminders in big letters on buildings and a stadium.

But Turner’s name —in some prime locations —will potentially disappear from Atlanta.

AT&T announced Monday it will divide up Turner brand, which will be phased out and absorbed into WarnerMedia.

» EXCLUSIVE: AT&T top execs personally reassured Ted Turner his legacy will be maintained

» Atlanta's Turner operations face uncertainty as name disappears

TNT, TBS and truTV will become part of WarnerMedia Entertainment. Turner Sports will be a part of WarnerMedia News & Sports.

So the signs will likely come down from the Turner Broadcasting building on Techwood Drive.

Turner Broadcasting, headquartered in Atlanta, is part of the $85 billion acquisition that was ruled on Tuesday.

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Just a couple of years ago, a trip farther down the Connector revealed Turner Field, affectionately called "The Ted." After the Braves moved to Cobb County in 2017, Georgia State University and a private development firm bought Turner Field, and the sign on the stadium came down. It is now Georgia State Stadium.

» Turner Field officially belongs to Georgia State and development team

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But Turner's name won't vanish from Atlanta. There is still Ted's Montana Grill, with locations throughout Atlanta. The downtown restaurant is in the Turner Building, which houses Turner Enterprises.

The Turner Building sits at the corner of Spring Street and Ted Turner Drive. In July 2015, a portion of Spring Street between Whitehall and West Peachtree streets was named for Turner.

» Ted Turner Drive unveiled in downtown Atlanta

» Photos: It's officially Ted Turner Drive

From his 8th-story office above Ted’s Montana Grill in downtown Atlanta, Ted Turner can look down on the stretch of parking lots along the stretch of Spring Street that will be renamed Ted Turner Drive. AJC FILE PHOTO

Credit: Jason Getz

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Credit: Jason Getz

Still, it’s the end of an era in Atlanta.

“Given I have been out of the cable and television industry for many years now, I trust Randall Stephenson, John Stankey and the executive team will do what is best for the company, its businesses, and most importantly, its employees,” Turner said in a statement.

» A Turner Broadcasting timeline