Citizens of Cobb County: Your reaction to the Braves move (Atlanta: sales, 2014)

[glovenyc]

Actually live off Circle 75 and I'm not sure how I feel yet. Personally I'm not opposed to the proposed mixed-use developments that will come along with the stadium, especially if it will urbanize the area (in a good way), and the land is used efficiently. Hoping that it will initiate a rail-type option to the area from Midtown and/or the Perimeter mall area. The major drawback is that the Braves are a National League team. It would be great to have my Bronx Bombers around the corner from me at least 6-12 times a year.

[arjay57]

Cobb ought to be able to gobble this up without batting eye.

[AnsleyPark]

Arjay, you missed an opportunity here: Cobb is on fire!

[lorilove]

I am cautiously optimistic - it is just over 2 miles from my front door to home plate.

For now, I have faith the Braves will do this right since the have development control over the area. But I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will have a great alternative solution to a sea of asphalt parking.

As for traffic - not my immediate concern. We are only talking 80+ games and not all of those are during weeknights.

Hoping for great improvement and development in the surrounding area such as Cumberland Mall.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

Arjay, you missed an opportunity here: Cobb is on fire!

You know I was thinking about it, Ansley.

I notice that Ant made a cogent observation about Midtown the other day. //www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...l#post32166596

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by arjay57

You know I was thinking about it, Ansley.

I notice that Ant made a cogent observation about Midtown the other day. //www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...l#post32166596

And you missed that opportunity, too! Don't slow down on us, now!!!!!

[WmMeeker]

If they brought MARTA or some kind of Bus Rapid Transit right of way to MARTA with it, I would not be as opposed.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

And you missed that opportunity, too! Don't slow down on us, now!!!!!

I promise I'll be more diligent!

[JoeP]

It's not overblown, For those of us who actually live in the area and have to live with the outcome, we have to deal with traffic of not just getting home, but Cobb Parkway will be significantly impacted by this and what might not ok traffic wise at times of the evening to go to Target or the area around the mall will be an absolutely mess.

I highly doubt that the Cobb decision makers have to live with this. This is complete b u l l s h i t. Period.

[cxbrame]

Good points all around. This is a definite loss for the City of Atlanta and a gain for Cobb County. How much of a
gain/loss it will be depends on what happens between now and 2017, and beyond.

Atlanta:
The area around Turner Field has sat vacant (with parking lots) since the Olympics. While this might not have been
the ideal location for another Atlantic Station type project, there has been continued opportunity to do something
here. The first goal should (have) be(en) connecting this area to Downtown and the MARTA rail lines. Better
connectivity (transit, pedestrian, streets) and a few anchors would make this area appeal to students, to
professionals, and service workers. The biggest problem with this site is not the highways per se, but the sheer
ingorance of the urban environmenta at interchanges (ie. Captiol Ave, Fulton Street, Pryor and Central, Windsor).
These exits feel a lot more suburban from the pedestrian and car perspectives than even the funky Spring Street /
Williams Street Interchange.

Cobb/Cumberland:
In terms of connectivity, the site chosen by the Braves is not much better than the current location of Turner
Field. Similar to 20/75/85, 75/285 provides a barrier to creating a viable lively mixed-use environment. Windy Hill
Road and Cobb Parkway are already strained and so new ramps will likely be built. The site still sits across the
highway from existing anchors for the area that include Cumberland Mall, the Galleria, the Performing Arts Center
and several hotels. In fact, the Cumberland CID has created a plan that would create a live-work-play community
with increased housing, reduction of superblocks, park space and improved transit connections. With the alleged
money from Cobb County, locating the stadium across I-285 would make a significant impact on this plan.
There are underused parking decks at the Galleria offices and a modified interchange at Akers Mill and Cumberland
Parkway would be cheaper than flyover ramps north of 75 while also maintaining a multimodal corridor between the
previously mentioned anchors.

All that being said, if Cobb County is offering this money to the Braves to relocate to this site, there should
have been consideration of sites that enhanced existing development efforts. Metro Atlanta deserves politicians that demands more of business and coporate organizations like the Braves.