Turner Sports & Entertainment unveiled design plans
yesterday for its $213M development project in downtown
Atlanta, which includes a new arena for the Hawks and
Atlanta's new NHL expansion team. The arena, and the
surrounding 12-acre development, is scheduled to be
completed in September of '99. The arena will be built on
the former site of the Omni Coliseum (TBS). In Atlanta,
Unger & Saporta wrote that the arena will have "steel
trusses supporting three sweeping roofs that resemble cards
being fanned." The trusses will spell out "Atlanta" on one
side and "CNN" on the other. Braves & Hawks President Stan
Kasten: "We wanted it to be instantly recognizable and to
make a statement -- at least as recognizable as the Sydney
Opera House." The new arena's luxury suites will be "open"
with no glass and will also be "stacked vertically," instead
of horizontally around the arena, so fans will be "closer to
the action." Also, 60% of the seats are either in the lower
level or premium area (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 10/9). The
Hawks will play their home games at both the Georgia Dome
and on the campus of Georgia Tech ("Fox Sports News,"
10/9). For a visual of the plan, see www.accessatlanta.com.
