Braves stadium/development to cost $1.1 billion (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: live in, cost of, vs)

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Then ask yourself the question: Why is it that this only happens in Atlanta? Why don't baseball stadiums in the cities I mentioned try to bribe their cities to give them money to stay in the city? Because those cities are actually bustling, their stadiums are near or in vibrant, urban walkable neighborhoods and close to the center of action.

Seattle's Safeco Field is near downtown, a vibrant neighborhood of the city.

The Mariners threatened to leave Seattle unless King County forked over the cash to build Safeco Field (which they did). NYC paid over a billion dollars to fund Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, the latter of which is in the middle of a massive parking lot like the Ted.

Bilking taxpayers to fund stadiums is nothing new nor is it unique to Atlanta.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by Gulch

Bilking taxpayers to fund stadiums is nothing new nor is it unique to Atlanta.

Doesn't make it OK.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Doesn't make it OK.

Didn't say it was.

[Big L]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Do you think Atlanta no longer has an opera or ballet company since they moved to Smyna?

Can we no longer claim to have a major daily newspaper because the AJC moved to Sandy Springs?

Did Atlanta lose a bunch of prestigious corporate headquarters when they settled outside the city limits?

Does Atlanta have no claim on the most prestigious private university in the state?

Is Atlanta now dwarfed in population by Charlotte and Jacksonville?

In my opinion this Braves thing is ridiculous. Atlanta is a WHOLE lot more than the city limits.

Aside from that, the new stadium isn't even in Smyrna! It falls within the 30339 area code, which of course is an unincorporated area of Cobb County. Oddly enough, the United States Postal Service lists "Atlanta" as the preferred city name for mail to this zip code. Although this area is clearly not in the Atlanta city limits, my understanding is that businesses in the Galleria area fought to have an "Atlanta" zip code many moons ago.

I can understand people being upset about the cost of the stadium, but the location debate is really silly to me.

[JoeP]

Do you think Atlanta no longer has an opera or ballet company since they moved to Smyna?

Can we no longer claim to have a major daily newspaper because the AJC moved to Sandy Springs?

Did Atlanta lose a bunch of prestigious corporate headquarters when they settled outside the city limits?

Does Atlanta have no claim on the most prestigious private university in the state?

Is Atlanta now dwarfed in population by Charlotte and Jacksonville?

In my opinion this Braves thing is ridiculous. Atlanta is a WHOLE lot more than the city limits.

Jesus, calm down.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by Big L

I can understand people being upset about the cost of the stadium, but the location debate is really silly to me.

The "whether it's actually in Atlanta or not" is a red herring.

[JoeP]

Didn't say it was

.

It's terribly wrong and the entire way this came about is even worse.

[Big L]

Originally Posted by Gulch

The Mariners threatened to leave Seattle unless King County forked over the cash to build Safeco Field (which they did). NYC paid over a billion dollars to fund Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, the latter of which is in the middle of a massive parking lot like the Ted.

Dodger Stadium, affectionately known as "Chavez Ravine" after the ravine in which it was built, is also surrounded by parking lots.

I stayed at a hotel in Queens that wasn't far from Citi Field. You could see the stadium from our room, but it was pretty much as you described it.

[glovenyc]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Manhattan is not the only borough in NYC and it would be impossible to fit a stadium in the extremely dense Manhattan without tearing down thousands of units. I can understand NYC. It's so built out you have to a put a stadium in a secluded area.

It's not? I've never really lived there for 30+ years, and had no idea. With regard to Manhattan, there was a recent proposal to build a football stadium on the westside a few years ago so that's not the only reason. When Yankee stadium there was already a team in Manhattan (Giants) but when Shea stadium was built, there was plenty of room for a stadium in Manhattan they just chose to build in Queens.

[glovenyc]

Originally Posted by Big L

Aside from that, the new stadium isn't even in Smyrna! It falls within the 30339 area code, which of course is an unincorporated area of Cobb County. Oddly enough, the United States Postal Service lists "Atlanta" as the preferred city name for mail to this zip code. Although this area is clearly not in the Atlanta city limits, my understanding is that businesses in the Galleria area fought to have an "Atlanta" zip code many moons ago.

I can understand people being upset about the cost of the stadium, but the location debate is really silly to me.

It is extremely silly. You would think the Braves are moving to Rome, GA. Personally I feel the best place for a new baseball stadium would have been the area originally proposed for the Falcons up on Northside Pkwy and Ivan Allen. Being that the CoA wasn't in a position to fund another new stadium (which I understand), the Cumberland location isn't a bad alternative. The current location is cut-off from the downtown core, and the few times there it felt really unsafe. I felt safer attending NY Yankee games in the South Bronx back in the late 70s, than going to games at Turner Field in the 5 years I been here in Atlanta.