Rising Sun: Atlanta Braves announce name, break ground on 2017 park

Even though the 2014 season is looking to be one of shambles, bright things are just above the horizon. The Braves have seen some sunny days, but it looks like things will be ever brighter come 2017. You know what they say, it’s always sunny in Atlanta.

These “sun,” jokes doing anything for you?

With the Atlanta Braves breaking ground on their new ballpark, set to open in 2017 today, the name of the park was also unveiled. Come 2017, the Braves will be playing in Sun Trust Park. (Disclaimer: I’m fully aware Sun Trust is a bank, and has nothing to do with actual weather.)

Fans around the interwebz, including myself, obviously knew the days of not having a corporate name to the stadium were gone – Turner Field will probably be one of the last, ever, in any sport – and almost just as obviously assumed one of the Atlanta business giants (i.e. Chick-fil-a or Coca-Cola) would grab the naming rights. But Sun Trust (based in Atlanta as well) seemed to come out of nowhere – until you think about it, and realize there’s the flipping Sun Trust Club at the Ted. So it makes all the sense. For those wondering, there actually is already a Coca-Cola Park already, home to the Philadelphia Phillies triple-A affiliate (and member of the Gwinnett Braves’ International League) Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. So, there goes that.

Renderings of the new ballpark were also released, causing the popular twitter account @MLBCathedrals to draw a comparison to another newish park…

It should come as no surprise that the company behind Target Field, Populous, also has a hand in Sun Trust Park. However, while some have said the design is cookie cutter, I absolutely love Target Field, and if Sun Trust Park is half of what the Minnesota field is (at least, on TV and what was shown off at the All-Star game, I’ve never been in person), we are in for a great treat here in Atlanta.

Sun Trust Park will be the second field in the majors to be named after a bank, following in the footsteps of, of course, Chase Field out in Arizona.

So, what do you think of the renderings and the new name? I don’t hate it – it certainly could be worse and I like that the Braves will now play at a “Park” as opposed to a “Field.” Just a small difference I like.

Let us know, either below in a comment or on twitter @ATLBeatBlog (or at my personal account @FletchTopper) how you feel about the name and the new park.