For the past 20 years, season ticket holder Hal Jung has traveled down one of the Southeast’s most congested corridors to watch his beloved Atlanta Braves.
Starting in 2017, Jung will be able to make the trip in five minutes, on foot, from his office on Cobb Parkway to the Braves’ planned stadium at the northwest intersection of I-75 and I-285 near Cumberland Mall.
“I liked Turner Field. I was happy with it,” said Jung, 64. “But (a new stadium) will be great for the community. And anything that creates more jobs, I’m for.”
Most Cobb County residents interviewed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday voiced enthusiasm for the proposed Braves ballpark, though many questions remain. Traffic seemed to be a bigger concern than financing, something of a surprise in one of the state’s most conservative enclaves, where just one year ago 69 percent of voters rejected a regional transportation sales tax.
“It’ll bring in more revenue in the long run,” said east Cobb resident Steve Klenrichert, 53. “We have two sons, 10 and 13, who are huge Braves fans, so we’re very excited.”
The move was not as popular with Braves fans inside the Perimeter.
“It’s sad that the Braves will no longer be playing in the city of Atlanta,” Ormewood Park resident Charles Davidson said. “And for me personally, it’s unfortunate. We can be in seats at Turner Field in 15 minutes. From the standpoint of the Braves, it’s probably a smart business decision.”
State Rep. “Able” Mable Thomas, D-Atlanta, said the team’s move out of downtown will leave a hole in the community that will be difficult to fill.
“We believe that stadiums that are just left in the community would have a double-negative effect on the community,” said Thomas, whose House District 56 includes areas near Turner Field but not the stadium itself. “That’s why, even when conversations were held, the community was very clear it did not want a gigantic structure such as that in the middle of their community with no particular purpose.”
The entire community will be affected, she said. Many Braves employees live nearby, and parking lots operated by residents of the low-income neighborhood brought a welcome infusion of cash.
“Those revenues might not have been all you wanted,” Thomas said, “but there was revenue coming.”
The 60 acres the Braves acquired for a new stadium consist mainly of office parks and green space neighboring busy Cobb Parkway, home to strip malls and fast-food restaurants. The Towns of Crescent Park condominiums is one of the few housing developments adjoining the property, and residents there were much more circumspect about the news.
“I think it’s very bad news,” said Aaron Lamb, 30. “Property values could go up, but traffic’s going to be a nightmare. And I can think a lot of things we could spend our money on besides a new stadium.”
Ronnie Byington said he’s taking a wait-and-see approach.
“They’re going to have to make a lot of changes (in the infrastructure) to make this work,” said Byington, 40. “It could be awesome, or it could be a disaster.”
The bottom line, fans say, is the bottom line.
“Sports is about money, even though we might not like that aspect of it,” Davidson said. “If the Braves make more money, and they spend more money on players, then I guess I’m OK with it. Still, I think the whole thing is a little sad.”
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