UPDATED:
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed told Channel 2 Action News on Wednesday that an agreement to sell Turner Field to Georgia State University and its development partners is complete.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported Wednesday that Reed planned to announce a deal at a press conference scheduled for Thursday morning. Georgia State and its partners plan to convert Turner Field into a football stadium for the Panthers, build a baseball field for the university and develop a southern extension of the campus as well as a mix of residences and retail.
“We’re actually going to achieve what folks talked about what should have occurred after the 1996 Olympics,” Reed told Channel 2 during the station’s 11 p.m. newscast.
Channel 2 reported the Panthers hope to have the stadium ready for football to begin play in fall 2017.
ORIGINAL POST:
The deal to sell Turner Field to Georgia State University and its development team may finally be done.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s press office issued a terse advisory Wednesday afternoon stating simply that the mayor would make a “major real estate announcement,” at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Turner Field Plaza.
The mayor’s office and city officials have been mum, but persons close to deal, but unauthorized to comment publicly, told the AJC Wednesday that a deal to sell the 20-year-old stadium will be announced.
A formal deal on that sale has been expected for some time, with people familiar with the matter saying in recent weeks that a contract was expected soon.
Georgia State and development partners Carter and Oakwood Development have been negotiating with the city to purchase 67-acres in the downtown area, including the stadium and surrounding parking lots for future development.
They plan to convert the ballpark into a Georgia State football stadium, and build student housing, market rate apartments, senior living, single-family homes and retail.
They’ve also proposed a Panthers baseball field to go in the footprint of the former Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and preserving the Hank Aaron home run wall.
Top Carter and Georgia State officials are expected to attend the announcement, as well as members of the Atlanta City Council and Fulton County Commissioners.
Officials with the University System of Georgia declined to comment. Calls to Carter and Oakwood Development were not returned by deadline.
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