COBB COUNTY, Ga. — As the Braves get ready to head back to Atlanta for Games 3 through 5 this weekend, fans aren’t wasting any time taking advantage of the first World Series appearance in 22 years.
Channel 2 anchor Justin Wilfon has learned that with the increase of fans in the area, Cobb County is spending $350,000, most of which will increase police patrols to keep them safe.
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Fans are taking full advantage and spending hours in line to drop hundreds on merchandise and tickets.
“This was just shy of $600 and I spent $550 face value for my ticket,” one fan told Wilfon while showing him a single bag of merchandise.
Since the Braves moved to Cobb County’s Truist Park in 2017, County Commissioner Jerica Richardson said it’s been a home run for the county.
“It’s something to behold frankly. I know it’s one of the envies of the league,” she said.
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Richardson says that Truist Park and The Battery bring in about $18 million in annual financial impact to Cobb County.
Kennesaw State University economics professor J.C. Bradbury says those numbers are misleading. He has conducted several studies that show that Truist Park has little economic impact.
“The reason for that is that most of the people who are attending events at the venue are people who live in the area locally. So that when they spend money going to a game on tickets, merchandise, going to restaurants outside the stadium, most of it is just a transfer of spending from elsewhere in the community,” he explained.
While Richardson admits there may be some truth in the professor’s argument, she says the World Series is different because many fans from far and wide are traveling and opening their pockets.
“For events like these, you have people coming from out of town, you have people who weren’t necessarily following baseball and want to go and cheer. That’s new economic input,” Richardson said.
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The county says state and federal officials are also making sure those attending the World Series are safe.
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