COBB COUNTY. Ga. — Construction at SunTrust Park is moving along as the Braves prepare to kick off the 2017 season in just a few weeks.
The team says work on the new complex around the ballpark, which will be known at Battery Atlanta, is on schedule. The mix-use development will have shops, restaurants, a hotel and apartments right outside the gates.
Channel 2’s Steve Gehlbach spoke one-on-one with the team’s president of development about the impact the completed project will have on business and traffic.
Mike Plant says they've already seen others investing in the area even before opening, bringing 5,000 more residential units and five new class-A office buildings.
"That catalyst we created has spurred billions and billions of dollars of economic impact in this small little area of Cumberland,” Plant said.
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When it comes to traffic, Plant had a simple message for Cobb business leaders.
“We're not going to ruin your life every single day,” he told them at Monday’s chamber meeting.
He admitted that all that new development will bring traffic challenges, but he thinks less seats at the park and more access points will help.
"We feel pretty good that the system's going to work,” Plant said.
The Braves will release their full traffic management plan in the next two weeks as opening day gets closer, It will have specific details on how traffic will flow around the area, especially on weeknights when game traffic mixes with rush hour.
"We're going to load the marketplace up with information to understand how to operate in this area very effectively. Really focus on those Monday through Friday games, which are 50 days a year,” he said.
The first practice run, where they won't sell all 41,000 seats, will be an exhibition game March 31.
Opening day is two weeks later on April 14.
Single game tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.
Cox Media Group
