The Braves have tentatively selected American Builders to manage construction of their $672M Cobb County ballpark project, according to industry sources. Sources noted the selection will not be official until contract negotiations are completed. American Builders consists of two national firms, Mortenson Construction and Barton Malow, plus Atlanta-based Brasfield & Gorrie and New South Construction. Mortenson built Target Field, MLB’s newest ballpark that opened in 2010 for the Twins. Barton Malow constructed Coolray Field, home of the Triple-A Int'l League Gwinnett Braves. Three other construction teams competed for the project: Clark-Skanska, Hunt-Holder and Turner Construction. The Braves are targeting '17 to open their new park (Don Muret, Staff Writer).
DESIGN CENTER: In Atlanta, J. Scott Trubey noted the Braves yesterday released conceptual drawings of the planned ballpark, which "show a stadium with three main decks, including a split upper deck, and a broad sun canopy that’s about three times the size of the overhang at Turner Field." The drawings also "provide a glimpse at the design concepts behind" the $400M mixed-use complex to "sit around the ballpark." Braves Exec VP/Sales & Marketing Derek Schiller said that the ballpark will be "oriented to the southwest." Trubey notes this is "not a typical ballpark layout -- given the position of the sun in late afternoon hours and the view for fans and players at-bat." Another Braves spokesperson later said that the position "would be closer to due south." Trubey notes this "too would be an atypical layout in the game." The ballpark also will "likely have more character in its outfield." Schiller said that rather than a curved outfield wall, the team is "looking at other arrangements with more defined power alleys." The renderings also "show green space and a small lake of about 1-to 1.5 acres that will be a prominent feature on the site" (
ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 5/15). Braves President John Schuerholz said, "This is a very early look at how our vision is shaping up" (
MDJONLINE.com, 5/14). CBSSPORTS.com's Mike Axisa wrote the renderings show a ballpark with a "traditional look, nothing too flashy" (
CBSSPORTS.com, 5/14).
PAVED PARADISE: In Georgia, Jon Gillooly noted a traffic study filed by the Braves on Tuesday predicts the proposed Cobb County ballpark and mixed-use development "will attract as many as 28,500 new vehicles during a sold-out game day." Kimley-Horn and Associates VP & Project Manager Rob Ross said, "The big takeaway for me is that it’s a good infrastructure to handle a project like this" (MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL, 5/14).
