John Eaves, chairman of the Fulton County Commission
“I’m shocked. I’m shocked and I’m disappointed. Fulton County and the city of Atlanta have been extremely loyal to the Braves and have a major investment of resources in the stadium and the maintenance and oversight of the stadium. We have made accommodations in terms of MARTA providing attendees with access to the facility. … And I feel that the citizens of the city of Atlanta and the county now have a big potential eyesore just south of downtown. It is just shocking. There certainly is no MARTA access to where they are potentially going to go. And you have these communities … that were impacted by this stadium, and now, for the Braves 17 years later to walk away, it’s just disappointing. Peoples’ lives in terms of their community have been changed and impacted as a result of this stadium. And modifications and adjustments were made for the Braves, and now (for the Braves) to just walk away from it, that is just incredibly disappointing.”
Lance Lamberton, Cobb Taxpayers Association
I can’t say that I’m necessarily against it, but I’ve got some concerns, such as how much Cobb County will be paying towards this, and will it result in tax relief for Cobb? Also, I’m concerned if this is going to be an opening to allow MARTA to expand into Cobb County. If it’s a $450 million price tag to Cobb County taxpayers, how is that cost going to be recouped? If it could result in a net tax cut to the county, then we would could support that, but with a price tag that high, the likelihood is just the opposite: More taxes.
Basically, the position of the Cobb Taxpayers Association is that public money should not go to pay for a private entertainment venue, which this obviously is. And I’m concerned about MARTA. I think MARTA in and of itself is a white elephant. It’s been a very costly boondoggle. It has not performed at all the way it was promised. It costs way too much to transport people. It’s an underutilized facility. I think bringing it into Cobb County, there’s the issue of, would crime follow? It would also necessitate a permanent 1 percent dedicated sales tax.
Moreover, the location of the stadium is going to put real stress on commuters in Cobb County at certain times when there are certain games. It’s going to make my commute more difficult and, I’m sure, (for) a lot of other people in Cobb County. If anything, this is may be part of a plan to make traffic so unbearable, Cobb voters will be clamoring for a MARTA extension. As such, it would be a Trojan horse. And yet MARTA only accommodates 7 percent of the people that go to Braves games. And don’t believe the Cobb Chamber hype that this is going to bring economic growth and prosperity to Cobb. Historically, these projects over promise and under deliver. Just think of what its done, or not done, for the neighborhoods around Turner Field. The more I think of it, the more I think this is a gambit to get a better deal out of Fulton County and the city of Atlanta.
