Turner Field

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Lore & Background

The stadium's history began with the 1996 Summer Olympics and Paralympics before undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation by ACOG to become a baseball venue. The project cost approximately $209 million, with private entities like NBC covering roughly $170 million of that bill. Architecture firm Heery managed both stadium conversions. While the field of play was larger than most MLB stadiums due to track constraints, it hosted significant moments including Hank Aaron's 715th home run monument, which remains installed at its original location in the outfield wall. The site was named Turner Field after Ted Turner, though a local poll favored 'Hank Aaron Stadium,' leading the city to rename Capitol Avenue as Hank Aaron Drive with the street number 755. The Braves played their final game there on October 2, 2016, ending a lease that began in 1997.

In Their Own Story

By 2013, tensions rose regarding the stadium's future as executives cited downtown traffic and parking shortages as barriers to attendance. Team VP Mike Plant noted the location did not match where most fans lived and criticized the lack of control over surrounding commercial development. President John Schuerholz estimated $150 million was needed for structural upkeep alone, with an additional $200 million required for fan improvements. Negotiations with the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority to extend the lease failed because Mayor Kasim Reed stated the city could not afford such renovations. Consequently, the Braves began planning SunTrust Park in Cobb County, a public/private partnership costing $672 million. On August 13, 2015, the team officially notified they would vacate by December 31, 2016. Georgia State University eventually secured the site to build Center Parc Stadium, while the old Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium site became a parking lot painted with the old field configuration.

Reader's Guide

Visitors to Turner Field could find it located across from the former Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium in Summerhill. The facility contained 5,372 club seats, 64 luxury suites, and three party suites. Between 2002 and 2004, a Fanplex entertainment center operated adjacent to the parking lot. For those traveling by public transit, the nearest Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) stop was 3⁄4 mile away. The stadium's layout featured an outfield fence line beyond left field that marked the original extent of Centennial Olympic Stadium. After the Braves departed in 2016, the venue was reconfigured for college football, opening as Center Parc Stadium in 2017 with a capacity of 30,000 seats. The site also included plans for mixed retail and housing development, managed by Georgia State University and real estate firm Carter.

Did You Know?

• The stadium was originally built with an 85,000-seat capacity for the Olympics before being reduced to 49,000 seats for baseball.
• A poll by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution showed residents preferred naming the stadium 'Hank Aaron Stadium' over 'Turner Field'.
• The street address of Turner Field is 755 Hank Aaron Drive, referencing Hank Aaron's career home run total.
• Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium was demolished in summer 1997 and replaced by a parking lot that features the old field's configuration painted on the ground.
• Turner Field was the second former Braves ballpark converted to college football, following the 1955 conversion of Braves Field into Nickerson Field.