Turner Field to be demolished after Braves move to Cobb County

Oct 3, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves fans cheer with tomahawks during game one of the National League divisional series playoff baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

In light of the hysteria surrounding the epic announcement of the Braves moving to Cobb County after the 2016 season, Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed took to the microphone on Tuesday morning, and in the midst of his long-winded explanation of the proceedings (to put it mildly), he did drop a “bomb” on the future of Turner Field once the Braves have departed.

The tagline of ESPN’s Tweet above says it all, but frankly, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to see plans of Turner Field coming down after the Braves vacate the premises. Outdoor baseball stadiums are notoriously specialized in that they really can’t hold much else (the circus, maybe?), and it would take a large sum of money to turn the building into a useful sports property of some sort.

In light of that, Reed had this to say about his specific plans for the area:

"“We’re going to have a master developer that is going to demolish the Ted and we’re going to have one of the largest developments for middle-class people that the city has ever had.”"

It will certainly be debated as to what exactly “developments for middle-class people” actually means, but it certainly doesn’t scream “stadium” or “sports property”. Comparisons to Atlantic Station (a central area just north of downtown that houses shopping, dining, etc.) have already begun, but any specific details would be pure speculation at this stage.

The headline is certainly that Turner Field will be no more, but we will have to wait (likely for months or years) for any firm plan about where that area is heading in the future.