Turner Field

Turner Field Turner Field was a multi-purpose stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, constructed for the 1996 Summer Olympics and later converted into a Major League Baseball ballpark for the Atlanta Braves. Initially commissioned for the 1996 Summer Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, the venue hosted Olympic athletics, international guests, and subsequently became a focal point for professional sports, concerts, and civic events in Fulton County, Georgia until its decommissioning as a baseball facility in 2016.

History

Built on a site near Georgia State University and adjacent to Interstate 75/Interstate 85 in the Summerhill neighborhood, the stadium was constructed as Centennial Olympic Stadium to serve the 1996 Summer Olympics. The project involved coordination among the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, the City of Atlanta, the State of Georgia, and private contractors including Turner Construction Company and design firms such as Heery International, Inc. and Populous. After the Games, the facility underwent a significant conversion financed through a public-private partnership that included the Atlanta Braves ownership and project stakeholders; the Braves moved from Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium to the redeveloped ballpark in 1997. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, debates between the Braves, the City of Atlanta, and Fulton County over stadium upgrades and public financing shaped local policy discussions and urban planning choices. In 2014 the Braves announced a relocation plan to Cobb County, Georgia; the team played its final season in 2016 before vacating the property, after which Georgia State University acquired the site for redevelopment.

Design and Features

The facility's transformation from an Olympic stadium to a baseball park exemplified adaptive reuse coordinated by sports architects Populous and engineering teams. The original bowl, designed to accommodate athletics and ceremonies for the 1996 Summer Olympics, was retrofitted with baseball-specific sightlines, a lower deck, and an outfield seating configuration to suit Major League Baseball standards. Key features included a manually operated scoreboard reminiscent of classic ballparks, premium suites, club seating, and a brick façade intended to reflect regional architectural motifs seen in venues like Oriole Park at Camden Yards and Wrigley Field. Concessions and club areas highlighted partnerships with regional brands and catered to attendees traveling from nearby Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and downtown landmarks such as Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Phillip Arena (now State Farm Arena). The field surface, drainage systems, and lighting met Major League Baseball specifications, with locker room facilities designed to accommodate touring NHL and NFL events when configured for non-baseball uses.

Events and Tenants

The stadium's primary tenant throughout its baseball era was the Atlanta Braves, who hosted regular season games, MLB postseason contests, and promotional events that drew national attention, such as matchups against the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and St. Louis Cardinals. Prior to conversion, the venue staged Olympic athletics and cultural ceremonies featuring international delegations and dignitaries. Post-conversion, the stadium hosted large-scale concerts by artists who toured arenas and stadiums, including performances of acts that also played Coca-Cola Roxy and amphitheaters in the region. Secondary tenants and users included college football games, high school championships affiliated with the Georgia High School Association, community events coordinated with Atlanta Public Schools, and charity matches associated with sports foundations and philanthropic organizations.

Transportation and Access

Strategically located near major interstate corridors, the venue was accessible via Interstate 20, Interstate 75, and Interstate 85, and benefitted from proximity to downtown Atlanta and the Georgia State University campus. Transit access included regional bus routes operated by the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) and special-event shuttle services coordinated with the City of Atlanta Department of Planning and Community Development. Parking infrastructure combined on-site lots with satellite parking and pedestrian connectors to nearby neighborhoods like Pittsburgh (a neighborhood) and Peoplestown. For visitors arriving by air, connections from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport used MARTA rail and highway links. Traffic management for major events required coordination among the Atlanta Police Department, Fulton County traffic agencies, and private traffic planners retained by event promoters.

Legacy and Redevelopment

After the Atlanta Braves relocation to SunTrust Park (now Truist Park) in Cobb County, Georgia, the site entered a new phase under ownership by Georgia State University, which initiated redevelopment to expand its campus, athletic facilities, and mixed-use districts. Adaptive reuse projects incorporated conversion of seating bowls into academic buildings, construction of a new football stadium for the Georgia State Panthers football program, and integration with campus housing, retail, and community amenities aimed at revitalizing the surrounding Summerhill neighborhood. The transition spurred debates among preservationists, urban planners, and community groups such as neighborhood associations and redevelopment corporations, who referenced precedents including the redevelopment of Montreal Olympic Stadium and urban projects near Centennial Olympic Park. The site's redevelopment continues to influence studies of sports venue life cycles, municipal partnerships, and legacy planning for large-scale international event infrastructure.

Category:Sports venues in Atlanta Category:Defunct Major League Baseball venues