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One of the most vocal anti-stadium activists argues that this is just a back door way for the commision to get MARTA into Cobb. He's also opposed to "live-work-play" developments and feels that this is tied into Obamacare and shipping our factories to China.
HA! I doubt that entirely. Cobb has made it very clear they don't want rail of any kind.
One of the most vocal anti-stadium activists argues that this is just a back door way for the commision to get MARTA into Cobb. He's also opposed to "live-work-play" developments and feels that this is tied into Obamacare and shipping our factories to China.
The AJC has some opinions from Schuerholz and some Common Cause guy that opposes the stadium. He is much nicer on the commission that I have been He is politicking a bit, so I'm not sure if he was really that nice at the meeting or not. Regardless, he made some good points.
Schuerholz said nothing new and everything you would expect.
Quote:
we will continue to wear “Atlanta” across our chests, wear the “A” on our hat. We will represent the great city of Atlanta.
Yeah well, change it to a C on the hat. Not sure if the city wants its name attached with the team anymore.
Because in the case of the City of Atlanta and Falcons, "the city" didn't have a taxpayer give away. Public funding end of the the new stadium is being built using Hotel Tax that was originally setup by the State to build the Georgia Dome. The only part the City (in the form of the Mayor) had in this was getting the City Council and the neighborhood to agree to the new stadium.
Overall, this is nothing like the Braves situation. The Falcons have been out in the open for years that they wanted to do this, and though it was rammed through, they didn't have critics arrested at planning meetings when they were vocal.
Exactly. Arthur Blank had made no secret of the fact that he was looking for a new venue. The time between his early statements on the matter and final approval for the new Falcons stadium was several years--which is the norm.
By contrast, from Schuerholz's initial announcement of the new Braves stadium to the final vote was six months. I've never heard of such a rush job with a new major league stadium before. And the first major vote followed the initial announcement by just a few WEEKS?
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Originally Posted by arc-lang
I can tell you one thing right now, there is no way this mixed use development crap outside the stadium is going to be built, not anytime in next 20 years at least, there is no money for it. Secondly, every firm the Braves have hired to develop this area around the stadium has pulled out. This tells me there is no money in it for the firm that would take the job. I think a lot more people are starting to learn how Liberty Media does business, and when they get to see it up close they are very much disturbed. Liberty Media could careless about the city of Atlanta, and for that matter Cobb County. The Braves are nothing more than expenditure on a line item for Liberty Media. If and when this deal and new stadium turns to crap, Liberty Media will suck every last penny out of the tax payers and then will sell the Braves off and somebody, probably MLB itself, is going to get stuck cleaning up this mess.
Source that isn't a blog?
Quote:
At the end of of all this Cobb County is going to get a rather generic looking, probably poorly built stadium, with lots and lots of issues. Then 10 years from now when there is no revenue coming from any development around the stadium, because there wont be any, Liberty Media is going to be talking about how Cobb failed to step up and fund this "wonderful" development that would have brought Liberty Media all this extra money. At first when this deal was announced I actually thought that it was the city of Atlanta that was being "played". Now I realize that the city of Atlanta was smart in saying no to Liberty Media, very smart. Atlanta saw what this joke was a long time ago, and they were not about to give a dime of money to pathetic Liberty Media. I feel bad for the people of Cobb County who fought this, because they are going to be dealing with this "white elephant" for decades to come.
I hope you're wrong, but I fear you could be right.
Exactly. Arthur Blank had made no secret of the fact that he was looking for a new venue. The time between his early statements on the matter and final approval for the new Falcons stadium was several years--which is the norm.
By contrast, from Schuerholz's initial announcement of the new Braves stadium to the final vote was six months. I've never heard of such a rush job with a new major league stadium before. And the first major vote followed the initial announcement by just a few WEEKS?
Source that isn't a blog?
I hope you're wrong, but I fear you could be right.
It details some of the problems the Braves have had finding firms to develop the mixed use.
But aside from those firms that are still in on the project, it's all contingent on on the funding the Braves expect to get from private sources to the tune of $400 million plus. When you consider that the money needed for this mixed use is almost 2/3 the cost of the new stadium alone, I have a hard time believing this money is going to be found. I mean if there is money in place for this mixed use project, and perhaps there is - but nobody knows for sure since the Braves are being so secretive.
Something just doesn't seem right. At least three firms pulled out of the deal to build the mixed use development, and last I checked firms don't just pass up good money, not that many at least, unless there are some larger issues. I mean firms are in the business of making money, not passing it up. So I am skeptical at the moment as to whether this deal is going to come through. Maybe it will, but until the Braves show some documentation on where this $400 million is coming from, I can't put much faith in it. Last I heard the only money that had been collected for this project was $10 million the Cumberland Area Business district had doled out.
I don't think stadiums are great at supporting retail next to them. And this development in Cobb is no exception. But Tim Lee will be moving heaven and earth to get something built next to the Braves even if it costs the county another $400M in tax dollars. If they do not have the mixed use component at least under construction by the time the Braves open in 2017 then this whole stadium project will be seen for the boondoggle it is and a total failure and none of the Cobb commission will be able to live it down. There is no way Tim Lee's ego will allow that. They are now committed to throw as much under-the-radar tax money as it takes to get the mixed use part built.
But man, Tim Lee and Cobb Commission really do deserve this public failure.
Watch how quickly the $400 million "entertainment and retail development" that Liberty Media is in no way obligated to actually develop turns into parking when their corporate numbers people get finished with it. Assurances are not developments.
It details some of the problems the Braves have had finding firms to develop the mixed use.
But aside from those firms that are still in on the project, it's all contingent on on the funding the Braves expect to get from private sources to the tune of $400 million plus. When you consider that the money needed for this mixed use is almost 2/3 the cost of the new stadium alone, I have a hard time believing this money is going to be found. I mean if there is money in place for this mixed use project, and perhaps there is - but nobody knows for sure since the Braves are being so secretive.
Something just doesn't seem right. At least three firms pulled out of the deal to build the mixed use development, and last I checked firms don't just pass up good money, not that many at least, unless there are some larger issues. I mean firms are in the business of making money, not passing it up. So I am skeptical at the moment as to whether this deal is going to come through. Maybe it will, but until the Braves show some documentation on where this $400 million is coming from, I can't put much faith in it. Last I heard the only money that had been collected for this project was $10 million the Cumberland Area Business district had doled out.
I tend to think these developers did their due diligence and determined additional retail in the area is a shaky proposition. In the immediate vicinity, you have Cumberland Mall and the redeveloped Akers Mill Square (which was repositioned very effectively with many new stores and restaurants), and there are also couple other lesser shopping centers nearby. Of course, the irony is that the Braves seem serious about pursuing mixed-use development near a yet-to-be-built stadium which is nearby plenty of existing mixed-use development, but never seemed motivated to do that in the neighborhood around Turner Field, an area in desperate need of an infusion of investment and development. Great corporate citizens!
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He is politicking a bit, so I'm not sure if he was really that nice at the meeting or not. Regardless, he made some good points. 
