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Turner Field Atlanta, Georgia Formerly Centennial Olympic Stadium

Tenant: Atlanta Braves (NL 1997-present) Olympic games opening Ceremony: July 16, 1996 1st National League Game: April 4, 1997 (Atl 5, Chi 4) Surface: Natural Grass Architect: Heery International, Inc., Rosser International, Inc., Williams-Russell and Johnson, Inc. and Ellerbe Becket, Inc. Construction: Beers Construction Co., HJ Russell Construction Co. and CD Moody Construction Co Cost: $235 million (Including conversion from olympic stadium to ballpark) Financing: $235 million from the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Owner: Atlanta Braves Seating capacity: 83,500 (1996 olympics), 49,831 (1997 conversion to baseball) Playing Field Dimensions: LF foul line: 335 ft. LF alley: 380 ft. Center field: 400 ft. RF alley: 390 ft. RF foul line: 330 ft. Height of Fences: 8 ft. Hosted World Series: 1999 Hosted All-Star Game: 2000

Olympic Stadium, built just south of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, was retrofitted into a baseball-only, open-air, natural grass facility between September 1996 and April 1997. Grand Entry Plaza, the main entrance to Turner Field, was built after 35,000 seats and part of the track-and-field complex of the Olympic Stadium were removed. AFC Stadium was imploded in August of 1997 and the site is now a parking lot.    The Braves were blessed by a golden opportunity during the events leading up to the 1996 Olympic Games. Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, the Braves home since moving from Milwaukee in 1966, was becoming obsolete. The team wanted a new retro style ballpark like the ones which had then recently opened in Baltimore and Cleveland. Meanwhile, a new stadium was needed for the 1996 Olympics. So, the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games and the Braves agreed to combine their efforts to build another multipurpose stadium. However, this one would be different.    Across the street from Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, the new Olympic Stadium arose. It was comprised of two major sections. At one end, the structure of what would become Turner Field's grandstand was built. At the other end, an expanse of temporary bleachers completed the distorted oval. When the games were over, the bleachers came down and work began on completing the baseball stadium. Less than eight months later, the Braves had a new ballpark. The old stadium was demolished in spectacular fashion four months after that and the site was converted into parking lot. Iconic Moments: July 19, 1996.  Olympic Games opening ceremony.  U.S. swimming gold medalist Janet Evans passes the last leg of the olympic torch to an unannounced Muhammad Ali.  As Ali is shown on the scoreboard the crowd gasps then cheers as chants of "Ali! Ali! Ali!" ring through the stadium. The good:  It's a kid (and kid at heart) friendly baseball/carnival at Turner Field: Grand Plazas, contests, live music, mascots, plenty of food and picnic tables, baseball-related game booths, a Braves museum, Pullman train cars, Scouts Alley, misting stations, historic statues & cool sculptures... they've got everything but a dunking booth. The bad:  Be careful where you sit - right field pavilion seats can get mighty toasty for the first couple of innings as the Hotlanta sun sets in your face. The ugly:   $4 for a 99 cent bottle of water is typical for the prices you can expect to pay.  Bring a wad of cash.

Turner Field in May, 1997.  Fulton County Stadium, seen in the background, was imploded three months later. -- ------------------------------------------ -- Atlanta Braves 755 Hank Aaron Drive Atlanta, GA 30315 404-522-7630

2005 Ticket prices Dugout level $50 Club level $34 Field level $32 Terrace $32 Club Pavilion $26 Terrace Reserved $24 Field Pavilion $20 Terrace Pavilion $20 Upper Box $12 Upper Reserved $8 Upper Pavilion $5 Clark Howard Skyline $1 * All Friday and Saturday home games and July 4 will carry an additional charge of $3 (Upper Pavilion & Skyline excepted). Seating Chart Purchase Braves Tickets

Radio: WSB 750 AM TV:  TBS,  TS,  FSS In-park dining choices: Skip & Pete's Hall of Fame Barbecue, Braves Chop House.   Concession stand items include: 20 varieties of hot dogs includingThe Bison Dog, Kosher Dogs, and Chili Cheese Dogs, New York-style pizza, baby-back ribs, garlic fries, salads, wraps and smoothies. Atlanta Local Dining - Best Bets Directions & Parking Ballpark Tour & Vacation Packages

Turner Field boasts the largest and tallest video display board in any stadium in the world (above).  The $12 million high-definition marvel measures 80 feet wide and 71 feet tall.  It was constructed by Mitsubishi Electronics in time for the 2005 season. Construction crews work feverishly after the 1996 Olympics to convert the stadium for baseball (below).  Turner Field opened,  on time, on April 4th, 1997.

NOTES, FACTS AND FEATURES The $230 million facility and other Olympic related construction represented 15% of all construction in the state of Georgia in 1995. One million bricks and 10,000 tons of structural steel make up the stadium. ACOG (The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games) paid for the stadium and its conversion to baseball after the Olympic Games. Location of Muhammed Ali's surprise appearance to light the Olympic flame during the '96 Games. Site of Michael Johnson's gold medal performances. The BravesVision video board is 29 feet by 38 feet, weighs over 21 tons and features over 331,000 fluorescent light bulbs. The second level  includes 58 private suites, three party suites and the 755 Club, the ballpark's private membership club. The third, or upper, level does not go all around the park, providing the fans there with a view of the downtown Atlanta skyline. Monument Grove is a large, park-like area adjacent to the Braves ticket windows. The Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro and Ty Cobb statues from Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium have been relocated to Monument Grove along with the bust of Hank Aaron. Trees, park benches and picnic tables are scattered throughout the Grove, an ideal meeting place for fans and friends. Additional attractions include the retired number statues of the five players in Atlanta history to have been given that honor - Warren Spahn, Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro and Dale Murphy. Turner Beach is the perfect place for fans to "soak up the sun" during Braves home games. Located on the right field Lexus Level patio overlooking the field, Turner Beach features "on-duty" hospitality lifeguards, tropical palm trees, a cabana bar, food concessions, a picnic area and lounge chairs. May 18, 2004 - Randy Johnson becomes the oldest pitcher to throw a perfect game at 40 years of age as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Braves. -- --------------------------- --

The center field fan plaza behind the main scoreboard (left).  Turner Field as it looked during the 1996 Olympic Games (right).  Note its proximity to Fulton County Stadium. --  --------------------------- --

Recommended Reading List: Click titles for more information And They Call Them Games: An Inside View of the 1996 Olympics by C. Richard Yarbrough Encore!: The Inside Story of the Atlanta Braves' Second Consecutive National League Championship by I.J. Rosenberg None but the Braves: A Pitcher, a Team, a Champion by Tom Glavine Take Me Out to the Ballpark: An Illustrated Guide to Baseball Parks Past & Present by Josh Leventhal, Jessica M. Macmurray The Ultimate Baseball Road-Trip by Joshua Pahigian, Kevin O'Connell Fodor's Baseball Vacations: Great Family Trips to Minor League and Classic Major League Ballparks Across America by Bruce Adams

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