In Atlanta, Phil Hudson notes the Braves’ Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum & HOF "will not exist at SunTrust Park like it did at the club’s former home at Turner Field." Braves President of Development Mike Plant said, "When we were making the decisions about how to design SunTrust Park versus Turner Field, we looked at the numbers and knew we weren’t going to have a museum. When people came to the museum they enjoyed it. They saw our history, memorabilia and nostalgia but that was 75,000 people a year." Now, the Braves are going to "take the memorabilia and incorporate it throughout the ballpark and its clubs." One of the "main areas where the memorabilia will be showcased is called Monument Garden," which "sits behind home plate in the concourse" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/13).
FULL HOUSE: In Sacramento, Ailene Voisin noted in terms of scheduled events at Golden 1 Center, "expectations are being exceeded." Kings President Chris Granger, who initially estimated that the $557M facility would host 150 events in its inaugural year, said that the building "already has been used on 125 occasions, and that pencils out to 200 or more dates before its first anniversary" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 3/12).
LONE STAR SOCCER: In Austin, Kevin Lyttle noted the new soccer complex to be "built at Circuit of the Americas this year as part of an FC Barcelona training school will be the first purpose-built, soccer-specific stadium in the Austin area." FC Barcelona officials "posted a rendering of the facility" on the club’s website. The facility is "expected to have a capacity in the 1,200 to 1,500 range" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 3/12).
