Cobb Stadium Mixed-Use is Gunning for ITP Restaurants (Atlanta, Marietta: 2015, leasing)

[glovenyc]

In news that could make Cobb County boosters swell with vindicated glee, the Atlanta Braves are reportedly gunning to fill the mixed-use development around SunTrust Park with local brands that are viewed as being emblematic of cool intown sophistication. The team and developer Jeff Fuqua aren't confirming anything, but the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that early lease negations are under way with such cherished local names as Anitco Pizza, Octane Coffee, Souper Jenny, Fado Irish Pub and a twin to Ford Fry's Krog Street Market concept Superica. Those names, if leasing deals materialize, could neighbor shops like L.L. Bean, Athleta and Field & Stream, along with national restaurant concepts like Shake Shake, CRÚ Food & Wine Bar and Asheville-based Chai Pani, a Decatur fave. Hey, it worked for Avalon, right?


Cobb Stadium Mixed-Use is Gunning for ITP Restaurants - Stadiumwire - Curbed Atlanta

Cheesecake Factory / Applebee's comments in 5,4,3,2,1....

[waronxmas]

The Braves are dead to me, but this doesn't seem like it will work too well. I'd imagine that the average fan would be more interested in filling their belly with something familiar than with some fare from an imported intown brand.

[evannole]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

The Braves are dead to me, but this doesn't seem like it will work too well. I'd imagine that the average fan would be more interested in filling their belly with something familiar than with some fare from an imported intown brand.

Then you're not paying attention, in several respects, two of which are as follows.

Smyrna, Vinings, Marietta and much of the rest of Cobb have many creative, independent restaurants that do very well. Every single restaurant on the Square in Marietta is a local one. No chains there. You've got The Butcher The Baker, Tsunami, Kiosco (Colombian), Stockyard Burgers and Bones, two French places (Douceur de France and Le Café Crêpe)... The list goes on and on. Same is true for Vinings and Smyrna, with the likes of Muss and Turner's, Zucca, Paces and Vine, just to name a few. So, yes, not only do non-chains that serve creative, local food do well in many parts of Cobb, but furthermore, they do very well, and we will welcome more of them than open arms.

Second, the article is not referring solely to the food that will be served in the ballpark. These will be stand-alone establishments that will be open every day, outside of the stadium, regardless of whether there is a game or not.

[tikigod311]

Sounds nice. Still curious if this thing will work out to be an off game day attraction. I just seems like folks would naturally want to avoid the area.

[whodean]

Really looking forward to having such quality options close by

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

Sounds nice. Still curious if this thing will work out to be an off game day attraction. I just seems like folks would naturally want to avoid the area.

If I still worked over there I wouldn't mind driving for lunch. Closer than some other stuff on Cobb Pkwy. Dare I say it, I would probably walk if the pedestrian bridge were built.

[AfternoonCoffee]

Sounds like it will be a nice place to go out on non-game days I look forward to meeting husband for drinks, and dinner!

[AfternoonCoffee]

Originally Posted by sedimenjerry

If I still worked over there I wouldn't mind driving for lunch. Closer than some other stuff on Cobb Pkwy. Dare I say it, I would probably walk if the pedestrian bridge were built.

Good point--restaurants around there are slammed at lunchtime as it is

[David1502]

The idea of ITP restaurants in Cobb County is not totally new. Atkins Park opened their second location at Smyrna Market Place probably almost 15 years ago and South City Kitchen has had their second location at the intersection of Atlanta Rd. and Cumberland Parkway for a long time as well.

People are forgetting that the Braves will only be playing 81 days of the year. What about the other 284 days when there is no ball game crowd to contend with? Also, not all Braves fans want to eat hotdogs and other overpriced concession food that you're forced to buy inside the stadium.

The big picture is that SunTrust Park will be a catalyst for other development. This is a big contrast to Turner Field for which I am hard pressed to see any benefit which it or its predecessor, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, has provided to its neighborhood in the 50 years of being there. Likewise, I can't see any spillover development which the Georgia Dome has created and I am curious if the new home of the Falcons, the Mercedes Benz Stadium, will generate an area of new restaurants, offices and retail along the Northside Dr. corridor.

Say what you like about the merits of the Braves move and SunTrust Park, it will bring along a lot of commercial and residential development which probably would not have occurred in that area otherwise.

[jsvh]

The mixed-use component has always been the best idea about this whole new stadium.

But these partnerships should not be a big surprise, the Turner Field already has partnerships with H&F Burger, Kevin Rathbun's, and Sweetwater to name a few. So no shock that there will still be the same sort of brands there.

However, this mixed-use area will not do enough to off-set the negative impacts of the stadium. Cumberland already seems to be lagging behind peer areas this development cycle. We will see how good business is on non-game-days after a few years.

And as noted above by others, the Braves are dead to me. So I will not be going there either way.