Six things we learned in Atlanta sports business this week:
1. The Braves moved a significant step closer to getting a new spring-training home when the Sarasota County, Fla., board of commissioners approved an agreement outlining key terms of a deal to build a $75.4 million complex. Despite voicing concerns about some aspects of the deal, the commissioners in the southwest Florida county voted 4-1 to approve a 27-page term sheet/letter of intent previously accepted by the Braves. The deal includes more than $40 million in taxpayer money. Final (and more detailed) contracts still must be negotiated and approved. See full story here.
2. The Braves announced a tentative opening schedule for the mixed-use development adjacent to SunTrust Park, including six new additions to the dining and shopping lineup there. Click here to see what's new — and what will open in April and May.
3. This is it — the final event in the Georgia Dome. This weekend, the soon-to-be-demolished Dome will hold its last public event of any kind. A doubleheader of Monster Jam trucks shows on Saturday and Sunday will close out the 25-year-old building, which is slated for implosion this summer. See full story here.
4. Atlanta United announced it has sold out 55,000-seat Bobby Dodd Stadium for the first match of its inaugural season Sunday night. That includes 30,000-plus season tickets, according to team officials. Click here for everything you need to know about Atlanta United.
5. Braves owner Liberty Media disclosed the team's financial results for 2016, showing a large operating loss despite an increase in revenue. Liberty Media said the Braves brought in revenue of $262 million last year, up $19 million from the previous year. But the company said the Braves' operating income before depreciation and amortization fell $23 million, from a profit of $3 million in 2015 to a loss of $20 million in 2016. See full story here.
6. Sod — 109,000 square feet of it — is being installed this weekend on the field of SunTrust Park. Click here for everything you might want to know about the new ballpark's grass.
