Why Kasim Reed Is Bullish on Infrastructure and Happy to Bid Adieu to the Braves (Atlanta: rental, layoffs)

[DawgPark]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

The so called "ball" in this case was $400 million in public funds and selling public land in a non-competitive process.

I'll give you the $368 million, but what "public land in a non-competitive process" do you speak of?

The Braves?

BF Saul is a private REIT in Bethesda, Maryland that owned the Circle 75 land since the 80's. The Braves went to Saul directly and purchased 57 acres, then another 25 acres in April.

Saul has been the major land owner in that area for over 25 years. Apparently, they are finally ready to ring the register because they also sold a 17 acre tract on Herodian and Circle 75 to Ryland that is becoming 74 town homes.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

With nothing but respect, just because you keep repeating that doesn't make it true. The so called "ball" in this case was $400 million in public funds and selling public land in a non-competitive process.

Since DawgPark already covered BF Saul, I'll just say that Atlanta had plenty of time to prepare for this.

Just thank Cobb for the Braves not leaving the state. Atlanta had plenty of time to come up with a few hundred million dollars and dropped the ball. And btw, I'm not going to naively say that Cobb may have accelerated things a bit as far as the Braves leaving CoA. Cobb is competitive with Fulton county, for sure, and Cobb needed it much more than Atlanta, and Atlanta was more focused on the Falcons which bring in more money. However, it would have happened one day and the Braves would have stopped extending their lease a year at a time after they put something up in another state.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by DawgPark

I'll give you the $368 million, but what "public land in a non-competitive process" do you speak of?

tikigod was likely referring to Turner Field and its parking lots. As you've stated the Cobb site was private land.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by netdragon

Since DawgPark already covered BF Saul, I'll just say that Atlanta had plenty of time to prepare for this.

Just thank Cobb for the Braves not leaving the state. Atlanta had plenty of time to come up with a few hundred million dollars and dropped the ball. And btw, I'm not going to naively say that Cobb may have accelerated things a bit as far as the Braves leaving CoA.

As a City of Atlanta resident, I don't consider Reed and Co. not forking over hundreds of millions of dollars to the Braves "dropping the ball."

[DawgPark]

Originally Posted by Gulch

As a City of Atlanta resident, I don't consider Reed and Co. not forking over hundreds of millions of dollars to the Braves "dropping the ball."

As a Cobb resident, I actually agree with you. I don't think Reed "dropped the ball". As stated many times, the Falcons were just a higher priority for him to keep. And he did.

The Braves were Tier 2 on his priority list and they were #1 on Cobb's list. As Net said, Cobb needed the Braves more than ATL.

And I've heard from more than one source that the Braves move to Cobb was something Schuerholz and the Braves leaders had envisioned for nearly 10 years. This was not the spur-of-the-moment, walking out of negotiations w/ Reed decision that some make it out to be.

[cqholt]

I'm just glad Cobb was there to pick up the slack when COA dropped the ball. But that's the advantage of having a strong metro -- when one area gets in trouble another part of town is usually able to fill the breach.

As a city of Atlanta residents I am shocked you would say this. You would rather have your tax money spent on a privately owned team full of millionaires? The New Atlanta stadium is a much better deal. The Dome is taxpayer funded, owned by the state agency, GWCC. It was built with 100% taxpayer money and maintained with taxpayer money, with some coming from the Falcons, GSU, and other events. Now the state of Georgia is getting a new multi-use stadium on its premiere convention center property, for a lot less than it would have cost to upgrade the Dome.

[arjay57]

One thing I don't understand is COA people fretting about the financing details in Cobb. It's not costing them a dime and they still have great access to the team.

It's not like COA is any stranger to taxpayer funding of private business anyway. They've been doling out hundreds of millions (if not billions) for many years. They could just as easily have used their portion of the hotel tax for the Braves like they do for the Falcons.

[cqholt]

One thing I don't understand is COA people fretting about the financing details in Cobb. It's not costing them a dime and they still have great access to the team.

How is building a stadium that is only accessible by car 'great access'?

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by arjay57

One thing I don't understand is COA people fretting about the financing details in Cobb. It's not costing them a dime and they still have great access to the team.

On a personal level, it's because my dad, uncle, and cousin own homes in Cobb County and will be paying for this through their property taxes without a say in the matter (all three of them also oppose the deal).

They could just as easily have used their portion of the hotel tax for the Braves like they do for the Falcons.

And it would've been a horrible decision, particularly since the city would've had to make up the cut to the general fund somewhere else.

[Zanarkand A East]

Originally Posted by netdragon

Actually, the city dropped the ball. The Braves were very clear to the city that they needed to make a decision right then and there, that they couldn't wait until 2016 since they needed years to build the replacement if it came to that. The city put all their eggs in the Falcons basket, and you can't fault them for that, but you can't also blame the Braves for the city making that decision. Furthermore, the city had done nothing with the surrounding area of the stadium, which actually violated their agreements with the Braves.

Not even close, but don't let the facts (the Braves' unreasonable and unethical demands for developing Summerhill) get in your way.