Cobb County, Ga., Asked to Postpone Braves Stadium Deal

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BRADENTON, Fla. – As individual Cobb County, Ga., commissioners held their own public meetings Monday on the proposed $300 million in public financing toward a $672 million stadium for the Atlanta Braves, organizations banded together to protest the deal.

Area groups, which have formed Citizens for Governmental Transparency, are asking the Cobb commission to postpone action on the stadium financing plan for 60 days to give the public time to review and comment on the plan.

CGT says it has members who oppose and support the stadium project but they need time to review “any Braves stadium deal that will require the use of significant county tax dollars.”

County commissioners will consider passing a memorandum of understanding at their 7 p.m. meeting on Tuesday. It is not clear if commissioners will allow public comment.

On Nov. 11 the team announced that it plans to leave Turner Field in downtown Atlanta for the new stadium and a mixed-use retail entertainment district about 14 miles away in nearby Cobb County where it had already secured a large tract of property.

Since the announcement numerous groups have organized to protest it.

Businesses have also organized to support the project, and are asking people to sign an online petition at www.cobbhomeofthebraves.com. People who sign up are entered into a drawing for a pair of 2017 Braves Season Tickets.

The MOU before commissioners would only set certain parameters for the deal, and future action would be necessary to complete it and any financing, according to the document.

The Braves will fund 55% of the project.

The remaining $300 million or 45% percent will be paid locally with a portion of an existing hotel-motel tax, reallocating $8.67 million in property tax revenue, a new 3% rental car tax, $5.15 million from a property tax increase in the existing Cumberland Community Improvement District, and a new $3 per night hotel-motel charge to be enacted as the new Cumberland Special Service District hotel circulator fee.

The new ballpark at the intersection of Interstates 75 and 285 would host the Atlanta Braves opening day in Cobb beginning in 2017, and the team would play there at least 30 years.

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Georgia
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