Georgia State President Mark Becker said they aren’t far along in the feasibility study for the proposal to buy Turner Field and the surrounding area, but he is confident the project is within the university’s financial capability.
Becker unveiled the proposal, which included mixed-use retail, dorms and residential living, in May with a proposed price tag of $300 million, a portion of which Georgia State would be responsible for.
“We are in a mode where we think we have the best proposal and we have to go forward with working on the feasibility study,” Becker said.
The biggest unknowns remain the Braves’ pending decision on the lease on the stadium, which has a deadline of the end of 2015, the cost of the converting Turner Field into a football/soccer stadium, and when the bidding process will begin on the property.
Becker said they don’t yet know if they can get into Turner Field to determine the expense and possibility of retro-fitting or tearing down the stadium.
He said the project would be paid for from a variety of sources.
“The numbers aren’t numbers that we expect to choke on,” Becker said.
Support real journalism. Support local journalism. Subscribe to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today. See offers.
Your subscription to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution funds in-depth reporting and investigations that keep you informed. Thank you for supporting real journalism.