How about something a little more Southern? Originally known as Centennial Olympic Stadium, the venue was constructed for track-and-field events for the 1996 Olympic Games and was subsequently remodeled by architect George T. Heery to become a baseball park in time for the 1997 major league season. [1] This was considered a good agreement for both the Olympic Committee and the Braves. Cox managed the team for 25 seasons in all, including its first 14 seasons in Turner Field. Other record-setting attendance days include July 4, 2005 (52,274 fans; Braves beat the Chicago Cubs, four to zero); July 3, 2004 (51,831 fans; Braves lost to the Boston Red Sox, six to one); September 24, 2005 (51,775 fans; Braves beat the Florida Marlins, six to one); April 1, 2002 (51,638 fans; Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies, seven to two); and July 31, 2004 (51,125 fans; Braves beat the New York Mets, eight to zero). The highest recorded attendance for a playoff game, and overall, was 54,357 and was set on October 5, 2003, against the Chicago Cubs. With built-in TV monitors and only 150 seats, The SunTrust Club is the most exclusive space in baseball. [57] A slightly smaller second section, sponsored by Superior Plumbing and featuring 72 seats, was added for the 2013 season on the opposite side of the press area. The stadiums parking lot hosted vehicle ride-and-drive events, road races, and acircus. Not having any forced quirkiness in terms of the dimensions is just about Turner Fields only asset. Links: www.mlb.com, en.wikipedia.org. Enter your email address to subscribe to Ballpark Digest and receive notifications of new posts by email immediately when a new story is posted. The original club, sponsored by Georgia's Own Credit Union and featuring 80 seats, was added to the ballpark for the 2012 season and also contained multiple upscale dining options and in-seat food and beverage services. Inside Tooner Field, the Sandlot features two painted baseball fields with cartoon characters. And I didnt think that was possible. The large playground area is quite elaborate as well, highlighted by a small room filled with neon lights and video screens. [49], On August 29, 2015, during a game against the New York Yankees, as Alex Rodriguez was being introduced for his first plate appearance of the series, 60-year-old Greg Murrey fell 40 feet (12m) from section 402 in the stadium's upper deck into the second and third rows of seats in section 202. The Turner Field facility included more than a dozen attractions, including Coca-Cola Sky Field, the Braves Fun Zone, the interactive Scouts Alley, Turner Beach, Monument Grove (where the retired numbers of former Braves players were displayed), the Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame (named for former Atlanta mayor Ivan Allen Jr.), Tooner Field, and the My South Cooks Suite. And even that is of lower quality than usual ballpark BBQ in my opinion. The franchise allowed its lease on the facility to expire at the end of the calendar year. [52] The club area featured a waitstaff that catered to club members in their seats during the games. The Braves do get extra points for their musical stage in center field, where there are often pre-game concerts. I can live with, but perhaps not love, a simple no frills baseball only park, even if it is bland and enclosed. New development, including retail, residential and student housing, would also be put into use on the Turner Field site. Future Legends Sports Complex (Northern Colorado Owlz) This 114,000 SF, 2 building property has a large truck court, efficient suite layouts, and easy access to Route 71. The dimensions actually mimic the construction site to a tee if you look at the blueprints. Is it deserved? Despite having absolutely nothing distinguishing or contextual, its interior lines are clean and simple, free from contrivances. They had a true taste of the majors stand, which featured cuisine tied to each visiting team. Proceed through town to Exit #246 Fulton Street/Stadium exit. Along with its bland atmosphere and transplanted fan base, Turner Field pretty much represents Atlanta perfectly. Innovative Field (Rochester Red Wings) upgrades A 12-team College Football Playoff field was officially approved by the College Football Playoff's board of managers in September, with 2026 initially targeted as the start date. Above the Braves Chophouse in right center field, the landscape is sprinkled with nondescript residential areas. Amazing. Everyone seems to be better off with the departure of the Braves: the team has a lovely new ballpark surrounded by development in The Battery, while Atlanta has its own development and a solid reuse for the stadium. He estimated that fan improvement renovations would have cost an additional $200million. The fence line around the north main entrance, beyond left field, marks the original extent of Centennial Olympic Stadium. Its interior aesthetics are thoughtless and solely functional, lacking any distinctive design cues or acknowledgements to the environment, yet somehow also superficially muddled with annoying gimmicks. Just imagine if I didnt reward or even criticized the Braves for their effort. Way beyond what I expected, given my that I previously implied the city has mundane culinary tastes. Perhaps the outfield wouldnt look so overloaded if they had chosen not to make the ballpark so cavernous. Fans in the upper deck can see downtown Atlanta, but its not nearly as expansive as you would expect. WebFacility Reservations Staff 1 Civic Center Plaza Irvine, CA 92606 Phone: 949-724-6620 Hours of Operation: Mon.- Thur. First game: August 21, 2009 [37], The first World Series game ever played at Turner Field was Game 1 of the 1999 World Series, where the starting pitcher Maddux and the Braves were defeated 41 by the New York Yankees' Orlando Hernndez and series MVP Mariano Rivera; the Braves went on to lose the series by a four-game sweep. Ty Cobb sliding into home plate is also decently done. That deserves huge praise, as history mitigates the bland atmosphere. My favorite is the statue of Phil Niekro, just because of how well you can see the knuckle ball motion. [58] The Club Level was another indoor premium concourse level located on the second deck of the ballpark. [33] The first regular season game played at Turner Field was on April 4, 1997, against the Chicago Cubs, with Denny Neagle making the start for the Braves. Overall, the color scheme and signage is mediocre. The stadiums parking lot hosted vehicle ride-and-drive events, road races, and a, Baseball-Reference: Atlanta Braves Attendance. The Top of the Chop is a new public patio area located outsidethe club level above the existing restaurant. Remember Turner Field, where the Atlanta Braves played for a whopping 19 years in downtown Atlanta? The Braves played the final game at Turner Field on October 2, 2016, a 10 win over the Detroit Tigers. There was little on the menu in Atlanta that distinguishes it from any other ballpark. [53] The Delta Sky 360 Lounge was added in 2010 and was located behind the 755 Club suites on the second level of the ballpark. But the point is, even if I reward that, Turner still scores remarkably low. Almost all new ballparks feature statues of team greats, but Turner Field turned its entry plaza into a gorgeous exhibit of historical monuments. Originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 to serve as the centerpiece of the 1996 Summer Olympics, it was converted into a baseball stadium to serve as the new home of the team. The ballpark was built on a huge footprint, integrating a museum, a giant playground, a fan plaza, multiple restaurants, and numerous other amenities into the superstructure. 2017 (Final game ever). They hooked the nostalgic fan under the guise of retro, but Turner Field is more about large food courts, restaurants, fan plazas, musical entertainment, historic museums, and numerous interactive kids areas. The location is awful, the food actually appears to be the worst in the majors in terms of selection and quality (club level food is premium services; although the main concessions improved in 2013), and the fan atmosphere is generallyconsidered to be poor. Year Opened: 1997 for baseball, closed for baseball in 2016. Turner Field's left field vista was dominated by advertising fixtures from two iconic Atlanta corporations. Using the term local scene when talking about Turner is a total joke. Turner Field, the home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team, was built as a track-and-field stadium for the 1996 Olympic Games. The SunTrust Club was named for the bank holding company headquartered in Atlanta and was reserved for official partners and luxury clients of the ballpark. Atlanta doesnt seem to have the effective sunken exterior landscaping of others. WebPin. "[16] The new stadium was constructed in a public/private partnership. Probably not. Rogers Centre renovations You can disagree with what Im writing, but theres no doubting Turner Field feels way to big, with a capacity of about 50,000. Most teams succeed to some degree here, providing maybe a museum, a team plaque area, or multiple allusions on the concourse, but Turner Field succeeds across the board. I get different information on this each time, as they are totally arbitrary on this policy. But compared to say, San Diego, Houston, Phoenix, Seattle, etc, is it that much worse? 20042023 Georgia Humanities, University of Georgia Press. No harmony or unification between elements. Head into Atlanta on Interstate 20 East. Proceed through town to Exit #246 Fulton Street/Stadium exit. You dont really need some kind of artificial distinguishing element if the ballpark is open and acknowledges its environment through effective urban planning. You see teams randomly put statues throughout the exterior of their ballpark, but Turner Field made it the focal point. [20] While Turner Field was designed from the ground up with the Braves in mind, Plant said that it required higher capital maintenance costs in the long run because it was value engineered for the 1996 Summer Olympics. An intimate setting of 41,000 seats is designed to maximize sightlines, making every seat feel like the "best in the house". Other stadiums built in recent years have been accompanied by shopping and entertainment facilities in the surrounding area (as Truist Park later would be). Of course, Great American Ballpark is an entirely different monster, which I cant wait to pick apart in an interior architecture review, but at least it did try to be original, despite failing completely in execution. Unfortunately, the park lacks the multiple bars and social spaces of many newer parks. For being the first ballpark to integrate such a vast array of entertainment features and amenities into the structure, compensating for the poor location; the musical stage and occasional pre game concerts are my favorite: +2 +1 Instead of enhancing the contextual space, they artificially created a neutral space and filled it with diversions and gimmicks. Make no mistake: the architects intended for the fans to be contained inside the ballpark. Centennial Olympic Stadium was rebuilt in 1997 as Turner Field. I always love to examine how the media and team officials presented a ballpark when it opened. He was pronounced dead on scene from his injuries. It doesnt even try, even if you grantits qualities are derived from the fact thatits in Atlanta. Yes, the Braves succeeded in making Turner Field a true event, rather than a ballgame. Whats hilarious is that I dont necessarily have anything against that. All the Braves need to do is bring in some specialty concessionaires from the local area. Constant renovations in the last 15 years have maintained Atlantas positionas a generally decent place for premium seating. 7:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Friday 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. Turner Field featured multiple premium seating areas and suites. [20], In April and May 2014, Georgia State University officials expressed an interest in acquiring Turner Field and converting it into a 30,000-seat open-air stadium for the Panthers football program. Perhaps I am biased because I have attended multiple Braves games, but I have had some bad experiences with some of the Braves staff. I will give plenty of credit for some of the amenities later. As you may have deduced, the substantial flaw here is the total lack of a signature aesthetic dominating the interior design. Taste of the Border provided fajita wraps and a multitude of Mexican options. 8 Building Industrial Business Park. You here in the media that Turner Field is downtown, but thats very misleading. PNC Park upgrades No part of this page may be reproduced without permission from Ballparks of Baseball. Murrey was a longtime season ticket holder and "incredibly passionate Braves fan", the team said.[50]. Following the common trend, the Braves recently opened two hybrid suite/club experiences in areas formerly occupied by suites on the club level. But Ill even be generous and give a point for the Tomahawk Chop. And then why not add a random brick restaurant beyondright-center field to look retro? The 71,228 seat Georgia Dome had been completed four years earlier by the state of Georgia, so there was no need for another large stadium in downtown Atlanta. Despite its drab appearance, the Braves utilize a duel concourse technique on the lower level, which is quite successful in controlling traffic. Other renovations in that year included the addition of a 1,080-foot (330-meter) long LED display to the stadium's upper deck, primarily for advertising purposes. Another legitimate criticism is the complete lack of lighting in the outfield. Target Field renovations, 2024 Ballparks [13] The Braves were in talks in 2013 with the Recreational Authority over extending the team's original lease, Plant said, but those talks broke down. See the best college photos of CB DJ Turner II, the Bengals second pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. In 2017, the team moved to the newly constructed SunTrust Park (now called Truist Park), located in nearby Cobb County. How does a perennial top 5 franchise like this have a floor of 14,000 in April, while 100-loss Houston doesnt go below 20,000? One unique tidbit: the suites look like they require an entry card like a room at a hotel. You here in the media that Turner Field is downtown, but thats very misleading. Once, I was allowed to leave and re-enter under certain conditions, as the lady actually said, be back in 15 minutes. As if thats enforceable. Progressive Field renovations In the 90s, they did present some nice regional items. This is not a replacement for the newsletter, but rather a real-time notification system! Coming from the West: Not only do you have to navigate through some ambiguous areas after you exit the highway, but Atlantas public transportation system, MARTA, doesnt directlyaccess the ballpark. We have a formulaic retro structure with no aesthetic vision, in the middle of a parking lot that tries to compensate with busy, distracting features. Note that I will not take off any points for this, as itcould just be because Ive been here so many times. WebTruist Park is located 10 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta in the Cumberland neighborhood of Cobb County. Instead of stadium seats, patrons faced the field in chairs around semicircular tables. But of course, the 755 Club almost completely obstructs the view. Just looking at pictures, the decks in general look close to the action, but they are deceptively far back. Proceeds from this annual match benefit Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. After the 1996 Olympics were complete the stadium was leased by the Atlanta Braves. The Coca-Cola Sky Field might be Turner Fields most tasteful kid friendly amenity, where kids are invited to run the bases on a small grass field. Turner Field wouldnt just be one of the worst retro parks; it would be the worst park in the history of civilization! Club level patrons enjoy a huge increase in variety and quality of food, so it might be worth the upgrade. Take a virtual tour of Georgia's museums and galleries, Fashion and politics from Georgia-born designer Frankie Welch. Plant estimates that capital maintenance costs at SunTrust Park will be no more than $80 million after 30 years less than half of the $150 million in capital maintenance needed for Turner Field after 17 years. [43] The cow was removed from Turner Field following the 2015 season for refurbishment before being installed at Truist Park. [45], The most runs scored by either team in a single inning was 10, set on October 5, 2001, between the Braves and the Florida Marlins. WebMAP & DIRECTIONS TO TURNER FIELD Address: 755 Hank Aaron Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30302 View Larger Map Get Directions View Bird's Eye FROM: Address or Intersection: City: PARKING AT TURNER FIELD Turner Field Parking Powered by HOTELS NEAR TURNER FIELD RATE THIS BALLPARK! It also hosted many non-baseball events each year, including music concerts, weddings, receptions, holiday parties, product launches, and student proms. All rights reserved. Its really the worst of both worlds: bland and gimmicky. Nicknamed the "Georgia Peach," Cobb, a native of Banks County, played for the Detroit Tigers from 1905 until 1926. When looking at the outfield design, we really have multiple elements that not only fail to add visual appeal, but seem out of place as well. In the golden era of retro ballpark architecture, Camden Yards, Progressive Field, and evenRangers Ballpark features some of the most distinct and well-executedinterior aesthetic visions weve seen. Just looking at the inside, you can tell it emphasizes an overabundance of amenities above aesthetics and contextual integration. Field of Dreams ballpark (Dyersville, IA) Turner Field gets the obligatory high score, but subjective deductions for creating the ultimate baseball theme park. Its even difficult to upgrade in the upper deck, as they even diligently check tickets to make sure general admission fans arent going to the seats behind home plate in the upper deck. Objectively, it has very little going for it as well. Turner Field was the home stadium of the Atlanta Braves baseball team from 1997 to 2016 and was named for former Braves owner Ted Turner. Turner Field stands apart as having the worst exterior design of all non-retractable retro ballparks. Additionally, a new baseball field would be built on the former AtlantaFulton County Stadium site, incorporating the outfield wall where Hank Aaron hit his record-breaking 715th home run. Remember Turner Field, where the Atlanta Braves played for a whopping 19 years in downtown Atlanta? Instead, it greatly muddles a very honest structure with tons of gimmicks and distractions. For all the years of winning, the atmosphere and attendance is mediocre at best. Former baseball stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, This article is about the former baseball stadium. Night games are bleaker here than anywhere else. It doesnt get tackier than having to look at Tooner Field every time you enter the ballpark. Being an Olympic stadium in the middle of nowhere, I love that the Braves chose to keep the dimensions pretty symmetrical. The skyfield murals are certainly a nice feature, but end up cluttering the structure too much. Like so many in recent memory, Turner Field has some nice views from certain areas. WebTurner Field was a baseball stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. Another open concourse is located on top of the terrace level, providing good visibility of the field. This $6 million addition was completed in 2008 and its 143 premium seats were just 43 feet (13m) from home plate, closer than seats in any other MLB ballpark of the era (and closer to home plate than the pitcher's mound). Despite being closed from the concourse and lacking in seat service, the club level is probably worth it for the substantial upgrade in food selection. But for a completely enclosed ballpark, it risks coming off as a functional cookie cutter stadium. No aesthetic purpose. In 2013, the Atlanta Braves announced that the team would no longer be playing at Turner Field, their home stadium since 1997, and would be relocating to Cobb County. 2023 Ballpark Ratings All Rights Reserved. Police later confirmed alcohol as a factor in the accident. While being far removed from downtown Atlanta, the ballpark could hypothetically feature some decent views. New Georgia Encyclopedia, 25 August 2006, https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/sports-outdoor-recreation/turner-field/. Youll never see me bash a particular city on this website, but perhaps I feel immune because I actually livein Atlanta. Retrieved Sep 17, 2020, from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/sports-outdoor-recreation/turner-field/. 7:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Friday 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. It really is a fun tradition. Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates. Well, Turner Field is unique in the fact that team officials were pretty forthright about the surrounding area being terrible (I bought the 1997 opening day program on eBay). Warren Spahns high leg kick is perfectly captured, as is Hank Aarons 715th home run. As you come into Atlanta on either Interstate 75 or 85, the two interstates will merge as you enter the city. Atlanta has long been maligned as one of the worst baseball towns in America. WebTurner Field kisses the highway in an impoverished neighborhood on the extreme periphery of downtown Atlanta. Again, to the south of Turner Field is a terrible neighborhood, characterized by poor housing, boarded up buildings, and liquor stores. Even the batters eye is ugly. Youd think because the Atlanta Braves represent the entire South, fans would be driving from all over to see them. Through its extensive broker relationships, TREI was able to source the deal for this 8 unit, 176,000 SF industrial park in Anaheim. Its different in that way, and has the potential to have a very stately look. From 2002 to 2004, the failed Fanplex entertainment center was located adjacent to the stadium's parking lot. The club seats consist of chairs around semicircular tables with flat screen TVs.
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