Report: Georgia State presents proposal to make Turner Field into a football stadium

Georgia State Panthers wide receiver Albert Wilson (2) carries against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Since the moment it was announced that the Atlanta Braves would be vacating Turner Field, there has been rampant speculation about what would happen to the stadium. On Wednesday, news broke that a proposal has been presented by Georgia State University to overhaul the facility to transform it into a football stadium.

Doug Roberson of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution brings the details:

"Georgia State is proposing repurposing Turner Field into a 30,000-seat football stadium and building another baseball stadium that will include Hank Aaron’s wall as part of the structure.University President Dr. Mark Becker and Atlanta real estate development firm Carter provided the Atlanta Journal-Constitution an exclusive look at the proposal on Wednesday. The idea is more than just a stadium. They want to build a $300 million development that will include retail, residential and student housing and will be paid for through a mix of public and private funds.Turner Field and the surrounding 77-acre area has been the subject of intense speculation since the Braves announced they were to going to build a new stadium in Cobb County that will open in 2017. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said on April 17 that he had already received as many as four proposals for the property."

Frankly, this is an incredible idea. No one wants to see Turner Field torn down completely, and Georgia State will likely never be able to build a legitimate FBS program without the use of their own football facility. It is important to note that this is simply one of the options presented to the city, but it will undoubtedly be a favorite of the sports community in Atlanta.

Stay tuned.