Atlanta Braves will reportedly purchase stadium land for $34.2 million

Apr 13, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; A detail of the MLB Opening Day logo on first base prior to the Milwaukee Brewers facing the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Paul Abell-USA TODAY Sports

It has been a long time since we had an update on the Braves and their plans to move to Cobb County for the 2017 season, but on Friday morning, some interesting information surfaced. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Braves are set to actually purchase the land for the development of the stadium, and this transaction will happen sooner rather than later.

Here’s a quick excerpt from the AJC article:

"The Braves will pay about $34.2 million — $600,000 per acre — for a 57.1-acre parcel of undeveloped property near Cumberland Mall. The team has held an option since early last fall to buy the land from Bethesda, Md.-based real-estate titan B.F. Saul Co.The Braves plan to build the stadium on the back 15 acres of the property and, if the project goes as they hope, use the rest for a complex of shops, restaurants, bars, offices and residences that would lead from Cobb Parkway to the ballpark gates. Both the stadium and development are scheduled to open in 2017."

To be honest, $34.2 million sounds a bit like a bargain to me, but at the same time, there are many more millions needed to open what is believed to be a $672 million stadium project. All signs point to the franchise remaining on track for the big move, and this is the first time of many in order to lay the groundwork for what will surely be an incredible facility.

Stay tuned.