With all the construction that’s going on in Cobb County, GA it’s sometimes hard to remember why this is happening. Motorists and especially Cobb residents have been dealing with detours, potholes, lane shifts and general traffic congestion for almost two years. After visiting Suntrust Park opening weekend, it turns out it’s all worth it. Cautious optimism was quickly replaced by unbridled enthusiasm in a matter of seconds. The NEW home to the Atlanta Braves is an experience beyond anything Turner Field and the surrounding area could ever offer. While opening weekend still had a few kinks to work out like wait times for food and the infamous ‘Where’s my Uber?’ line (That will probably be talked about for months to come), it was still light years ahead of its predecessor.
A few creature comforts to think about first:
- Who likes getting dropped off at the front gate? They let you.
- Tired of the dangerous panhandlers and crackheads? Relax, no crackheads here. Let the kids run around, take your time, and for once enjoy the experience of getting there.
- Wouldn’t it be awesome if they had Public Bathrooms outside of the park? Oh wait, they do! With a sizable pavilion of businesses, bars, and venues it only makes sense to offer free and relatively clean public restrooms for everybody. One thing is for sure, Suntrust Park opening weekend bathroom lines were almost nonexistent. BIG win and thumbs up for the developers who thought to put people first.
From the moment we set foot on the grounds we knew this would be something very special. Instead of shady parking lots and abandoned houses, the newly paved park pavilion and Battery is filled with stores, bars, restaurants and even a music venue Coca-Cola Roxy. This is what pre and post game celebrations and shenanigans are all about.
A few highlights from Saturday night April 15th Suntrust Park opening weekend:
- The field – There’s nothing quite like emerging from a gate entry to witness the field, the fans, the sounds, the smells, and of course the sport in its full glory.
- Bobby Cox Statue – What a legend! Wouldn’t be The Braves without him.
- Battery Atlanta entrance pavilion – While we didn’t get to check out all that Suntrust Park had to offer, we did enjoy the amazing architectural designs that housed the strip of bars and restaurants. Very inviting!
- Coca Cola Roxy – This magnificent music venue was open to the public where many found comfortable couches, fully stocked bars and Paul McCartney playing on a movie theatre-sized screen with PA system on full blast.
- Braves Museum and Hall of Fame – Without a doubt one of the most amazing parts to the park is the walk-through Braves museum. Filled with memorabilia, a documentary, and stats, this was an unexpected treat to say the least.
Prior to the announcement that the Braves were moving, the Cobb County Tourism board valued Cobb tourism as a whopping 2.5 billion dollar industry. One can only imagine what those numbers will look like this time next year. So whenever frustration takes over while staring at an unfinished overpass in deadlock traffic, remember why this is happening and what it means for the community and the county. Go Braves!
For more on Suntrust Park and The Braves, don’t forget to check out our page – ‘WHY REBUILD?‘.
