Since the day the Atlanta Braves announced plans to move out of Turner Field, Georgia State was very motivated to make the former Olympic-turned baseball stadium its new home. According to The Atlanta Journal-Consitution, Georgia State and Atlanta-based real estate firm Carter will be the proud new owners of a pre-owned baseball stadium.
The official sale is still in development, but Georgia State and Carter have been announced as the winning bidders for the venue. The plan was previously reported to be a joint venture in renovating the stadium into a football facility while also developing student housing, apartments, retail locations and more. he plan was supported by the mayor of Atlanta, and there were apparently not too many bidders standing in the way. The AJC reports two other bidders had interest in Turner Field location, but not much is known about those bids.
“After a through review of all the proposals, including in person presentations, the Board of the City of Atlanta and Fulton County Recreation Authority has a preferred bidder and will commence negotiations immediately,” board chairman William K Whitner said in a news release. “We will move forward expeditiously to ensure that we make meaningful progress toward determining the future of this historic neighborhood. AFCRA has been a long-time partner in this community and we fully appreciate the importance of negotiating with a developer that will have the community’s interest foremost in mind.”
Georgia State currently plays home game sin the Georgia Dome, which itself will soon be left vacant by its pro sports tenant. The Atlanta Falcons of the NFL are moving into a brand new football stadium in 2017. That is the same year the Braves are expected to open the doors on their brand new stadium in Cobb County.