[gunnerjacket]

Originally Posted by netdragon

No, actually Atlanta used that money for other things, and didn't do what they were supposed to with some of the revenue that they and the Braves should go towards re-development. They didn't upgrade the roads around the stadium much, etc, etc..

The roads were the least of issues, though, and the haggling eventually bogged down over ancillary revenue opportunities for the team. They wanted to redevelop the parking lots or assume control of the parking. The City offered the former but that never panned out, in part because the Braves' demands on development forms and types stifled at least two proposals.

Were the City and the Parks and Rec Authority negligent? Absolutely. The P&R folks should never have been granted such autonomy over the property and certainly could've yielded more revenue back to the team. But the Braves held the City to basically an idealist, and very expensive vision for redevelopment for which they wanted revenue, as well. When that wasn't an option they sold themselves to the highest bidder.

First of all, MARTA goes there, by bus, and there will be a circulator to get them from the transfer station near the mall (as if it's needed, since it's already so close). So I should just stop there. But I should also remind you that the new stadium is right around most of the ticket-buyers, and also the roads around there are much better than what's around the current stadium

Fine, the location might match the existing site with regards to mass transit. But it's nowhere near the optimum of being on a rail line, which is what the Braves and their fans always griped about.

As to the proximity I agree the Braves are closer to the majority of their fans. And most traffic analysts have suggested that will mean INCREASED auto traffic to the games. Having lived off Windy Hill Road for a couple years I can guarantee that packed braves games will be traffic nightmares.

All of which means the Braves haven't addressed any of their public comments about transportation and accessibility. They've simply positioned themselves to reap a profit from that morass.

Originally Posted by netdragon

Note that even when Cobb has light rail / BRT on Cobb Pkwy, Fulton County's going to be slow in connecting it to anything else. Then it'll be Cobb people complaining that North Atlanta is so "against rail" hehe.

If this gets rail service into Cobb County then I'll actually applaud the move, but all the early comments from Tea Party factions have voiced their vehement opposition to the idea. If you can't afford to live in east Cobb they tend to fear you, apparently.

Originally Posted by arjay57

Actually, it was the city (not the Braves) that got the stadium for free from the Olympic Committee.

The Braves pay $2 million a year in operating and capital fees -- that's $40 million over the term of the lease. In addition, they pay 8.25% of their gross revenue. That's roughly another $300 million over the life of the lease.

I thought it was technically the Fulton Parks and Rec Authority. Either way, the Braves were playing in a fine facility for which they did not suffer up-front costs and only increased their revenues. They simply wanted more and found a sucker willing to pick up the tab. I don't blame them for asking, I blame Cobb County which apparently is fine with laying off teachers but has the cash to supplement a Colorado firms' bottom line. Yay.

The Braves are also responsible for maintenance. They've pumped in $150 million for that, and say they were facing another $200 million.

Own or lease most ball clubs anticipate those costs. The Braves weren't being caught unawares by some huge new bill and their revenues are solid according to MLB averages. They went fishing and got a bite, so for now they feast.

In the meantime metro Atlanta has $300M less that could go towards transportation improvements, school improvements, park space, or whatever.