WHAT THE WHAT? BRAVES MOVING TO COBB?#%

[Guest]

How far is I-75 from Atlanta? Sorry I'm 16, I haven't had the chance to master the roadways yet Lol.

16? Damn - I suddenly feel really old! SMH.

[macdaddy]

Quick... Top five baseball moments -- not counting "retirements" and such -- of the Turner Field era. Go!

(Well, don't go right now, wait until the Bobcats game is over!)

~lw3

Geez the first things that popped in my mind were not positive ones:

infield fly

eric gregg

andruw jones walk off walk against kenny rogers

chipper jones bobble head night

Greg Maddux - that's the biggest. One of the greatest pitchers of all time

[macdaddy]

Questions about the consequences of a Braves move to Cobb County began circulating among the tea party set last night. Here’s a Facebook posting from Steve Brown, the Fayette County Commission chairman:

“The I-75, I-285 and US 41 location for the new Braves stadium is one of the most congested sites in metropolitan Atlanta. The next stage will be asking for rail transit, count on it. And who will be asked to pay for it?”

Cobb County GOP Chairman Joe Dendy sent out a statement that included these thoughts on mass transit and taxes:

“It is absolutely necessary the solution is all about moving cars in and around Cobb and surrounding counties from our north and east where most Braves fans travel from, and not moving people into Cobb by rail from Atlanta.

“The other important part of the formula is for the citizens of Cobb not to experience any kind of tax increase. The influx of people into the county for the games should provide the revenue needed to make this a successful venture.”

Good lord. Could you be more blatant about this? So they want to create an easy way for fans from the north and east of cobb to get to the game as long as it doesn't allow 'people' from Atlanta into Cobb????? Because obviously by the unquestioned 'fan map' there are ZERO braves fans in the city. This is friggin unbelievably offensive. If the state puts any money toward running a friggin rail across the northern arc i'm going to hemorrhage.

Good friggin riddence. Enjoy dealing with these ass clowns who won't pay for anything and want to build a moat at 285

[macdaddy]

What a fustercluck

[HawkItus]

If you want more information from someone who does a lot of research on Stadiums, then go here: http://www.fieldofschemes.com/2013/11/12/6186/braves-stadium-mysteries-who-would-pay-for-it-and-is-the-site-workable/

I will add that Neil is very snarky and is slanted against public funding to a greater degree than what he should, IMO.

[*]

Ben on November 12, 2013 at 3:15 pm said:

Jason: There has been a common misunderstanding about the public funds in the Falcons deal and the size of the contribution from the city, directly. The city are “only” issuing about $200M in bonds to contribute. The other public portion comes from the existing hotel-motel tax for the GWCC/downtown district and has always been earmarked for these sorts of projects only. Unless that law was re-written, that ~$350M was already spoken for. The new Falcons stadium also, ostensibly, will have multiple uses, where as Turner Field serves one tenant. Also, what the Braves were actually asking for to stay was a bit absurd and wasn’t just the refurb cost they are kicking around; they wanted a ton of free work to build a light rail spur from the nearest MARTA station to their front door (NOTE: NO TRANSIT IN NEW STADIUM). They wanted major land acquisitions and renovations to neighboring privately held lots to allow for more parking but also, somehow, more night life (NOTE: NO NIGHTLIFE AT ALL IN THE CURRENT STADIUM). As to the Thrashers situation, hey, that was a situation Kasim inherited as it was basically already done and the city had no intention of becoming Phoenix and covering the losses since, sadly, no meaningful location ownership team was stepping forward that didn’t also want to purchase Philips from Spirit Group (the crown in their empire).

[WraithSentinel]

All I can say is WOOOHOOO NEW STADIUM!!!! Plus this new ballpark will likely look very cool. I can't wait to see the design they come up with.

Edited November 12, 2013 by Braves

[DJlaysitup]

The Elephant in the room that nobody from either side is talking about (Braves/City of Atlanta Pols) is the euphamistic term..."the fan experience".

I go to a couple games a year and my buddy and I usually just drive in-drive out...once we walked from the nearest Marta station and what the h#ll. I'm 6 foot - 200+ and my buddy is 6-3 and still we had panhandlers approaching us. I had a young fella come up beside me as I was walking to the game and ask me for money for his church...I nodded no...a few more steps and he asked me if I wanted to buy some weed...I nodded no...then he cursed at me and turned around - looking for another mark.

This is the kind of sh!t the Braves want to get away from. City of Atlanta can't seem to stop it but you can be assured Cobb County will.

Bottom line is - if a family goes to a game and they sense a potentially dangerous situation - whether it is truly dangerous or not - they will tend to stay away more. If they feel comfortable and there are added entertainment options, they will tend to come back...it's just business.

Edited November 13, 2013 by DJlaysitup

[DJlaysitup]

Yeah fanatic...I've heard of the "car protection" racket. One of my favorite stories was from a guy I used to work with. He was new at our organization but a nice fellow and he liked to talk sports so we became sorta friends. Once he told me that he had lived in the area of the field when he was younger and at the time he had a money pouch and a metal change clicker (that you wear around your waist).

He said that before the games he would just roam around right outside the parking lots and would approach people and say "That'll be $4.50"..and click out two quarters from his change machine. He said about every five times or so the "mark" would just hand him a five and take their two quarters change...sometimes they even told him to keep the change .

He said he was never aggressive and if they said they had already paid he just moved on...but he made about $50 a game on that scam.

I honestly thought it was pretty funny at the time.

[macdaddy]

So much blame to go around and i'm not absolving the city or the dumb mayor but you would think the Braves organization would have done something for the area in 50 years. Whatever. Its a terrible move all the way around. If they had moved somewhere sensible i wouldn't be as upset but this will be a typical Atlanta boondoggle and the blame will ultimately be misplaced.

[Guest]

Yeah fanatic...I've heard of the "car protection" racket. One of my favorite stories was from a guy I used to work with. He was new at our organization but a nice fellow and he liked to talk sports so we became sorta friends. Once he told me that he had lived in the area of the field when he was younger and at the time he had a money pouch and a metal change clicker (that you wear around your waist).

He said that before the games he would just roam around right outside the parking lots and would approach people and say "That'll be $4.50"..and click out two quarters from his change machine. He said about every five times or so the "mark" would just hand him a five and take their two quarters change...sometimes they even told him to keep the change .

He said he was never aggressive and if they said they had already paid he just moved on...but he made about $50 a game on that scam.

I honestly thought it was pretty funny at the time.

Ok - that is an instant Classic!!!

[WraithSentinel]

[WraithSentinel]

AJC Blog

http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/atlanta-braves/2013/nov/13/it-or-not-braves-planned-move-understandable/

[macdaddy]

The 'business' aspect is getting tired though. This isn't a free market enterprise. They don't play by the same rules that real businesses have to play by and in exchange they should have some responsibilities to the people that have supported them for decades.

I feel like they struck now at a mayor who didn't care and didn't have the political clout left to push through more sports welfare programs. They knew this which is why they went at this time. Because they knew they'd have a ton of excuses to lob and no opposition at city hall.

[EazyRoc]

The 'business' aspect is getting tired though. This isn't a free market enterprise. They don't play by the same rules that real businesses have to play by and in exchange they should have some responsibilities to the people that have supported them for decades. I feel like they struck now at a mayor who didn't care and didn't have the political clout left to push through more sports welfare programs. They knew this which is why they went at this time. Because they knew they'd have a ton of excuses to lob and no opposition at city hall.

They are all in on the new dome. Where was Atlanta going to get the money from ?

[macdaddy]

I'm about past the point of caring but here is an article on the Braves' plans

http://www.ajc.com/news/business/atlanta-braves-plan-400-million-entertainment-dist/nbyxr/

Two things strike me about this. One is that I find it hard to believe the Braves were 'negotiating' with the city in good faith considering how extensive their plans and deals with Cobb already are. Seems they were just trying to make the City refuse their demands and say 'we had no choice'

Second, the Braves are up in the $600 million of their own money range between the stadium and associated development. Probably more. Where was that willingness to invest that kind of dough the last 5 years. I understand they want to control everything but they would have gotten a lot more cooperation from the city had they extended this type of investment in Atlanta like they've done in Cobb.

I totally understand they want to make money and think this is the best way. I have a lot of issues with them trying to make this look like it was the city not working with them.

[Plainview1981]

Georgia really doesn't need teams other than the Bulldogs anyway.

[Guest]

Oh well this is just a lovely way to end your political career:

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/breaking-in-braves-fallout-city-emails-show-reed-t/ncP5C/

[lethalweapon3]

If you're gonna go out, at least go out in haiku!

I like Smyrna, for whatever that's worth. Don't go after any suburban towns at all, City of Atlanta. But, if you're stupid enough to do so, that's not the one to go after.

Utz, a former consultant with Bain & Co.

Of course, he is... Yeah, I'm thinking he'll manage somehow.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Kinda relevant. Maybe not.

~lw3

[DrReality]

Go figure