Although the area where the Atlanta Braves’ new Cobb County stadium is being built technically has an Atlanta mailing address, one Georgia state senator wants to make it an official part of the city.
S.B. 96, proposed by Sen. Horacena Tate (D-Atlanta), would extend Atlanta’s city limits northwards to encompass the 60-acre tract of land upon which construction workers are now building SunTrust Park.
The bill uses U.S. Census Bureau Voting Tabulation District (VTD) codes to delineate which areas would be annexed to the city. The bill calls for annexation of certain blocks of VTD “DOBBINS 01,” which includes the SunTrust Park site. Other VTDs in Cobb and Fulton counties were included in the bill.
The Atlanta Braves announced in November of 2013 that they were leaving Turner Field for a site in Cobb County by Opening Day of 2017. The move stirred up a hornet’s nest of controversy on both sides of the Fulton-Cobb border.
Rep. John Carson (R-Marietta) told the Marietta Daily Journal that he believed Tate’s bill was inappropriate and had no chance of being passed. He also added that he believes the bill is unconstitutional and would fight against it under the Gold Dome.
Cobb County and the Braves are joining economic forces to build a $672 million stadium and a $400 mixed-use development immediately next to the park, which will keep the area busy year-round. Georgia State University is likely to use Turner Field for their athletic programs once the Braves depart.
Read S.B. 96 in full below:
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