The Braves yesterday "formally announced new members" of the development group "tasked with making a year-round winner" out of the proposed $400M mixed-use property around the team's planned Cobb County ballpark, according to Klepal, Leslie & Trubey of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. The Braves' "three primary partners" will be Fuqua Development, Pope & Land Enterprises and Pollack Shores Real Estate Group. Batson-Cook Development, a Georgia-based subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Kajima, will be an "equity partner to the three new members of the development team." Braves Exec VP/Sales & Marketing Derek Schiller said he is "very confident" the Braves can finish the first phase of development as promised by Opening Day '17. However, that may be "an ambitious time-frame." Jeff Fuqua and partner Heather Correa said that the joint venture "has already secured its necessary zoning approvals and has been in talks for months with potential tenants." The full project is "expected to include 630,000 square feet of Class A or top-tier office space, 500,000 square feet of retail, 450 hotel rooms and 500 apartment or condo units." The complex also will have "an indoor concert and events space and could have an outdoor stage as well." Schiller said that the team is "considering a micro-brewery, chef-driven restaurants and internationally known but first-to-market retailers." He added that the Braves will "own the vast majority of the project and will serve as master developer" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 7/31).
ROCKIN' THE SUBURBS: American Builders 2017 Principal Rob Taylor, who is overseeing the joint venture contracted to build the Braves' new ballpark, said that he hopes the project "will break ground in September." In Georgia, Ricky Leroux notes Taylor "was hesitant to reveal any of the new stadium’s details." But Taylor said it will be "a spectacular place." He added, "Without saying too much, the end product here and the fan experience that the Braves fans are going to have is going to exceed everybody’s expectations dramatically." Taylor said that the ballpark "will face one of its biggest challenges at the beginning of the project." The site of the new stadium "will require a large amount of grading, or making the site level, before construction can begin." Taylor: “Elevation changes dramatically on the site, and there is some rock ... to deal with. But everything’s falling together" (MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL, 7/31).
