Opened: April 4, 1997
Final game: October 2, 2016
Capacity: 49,586
Turner Field
Being a Civil War enthusiast there is a lot to see in Atlanta and in Georgia so I made a trip down during the Ted’s final season.
How did I get there?
The Ted is easily accessible off of I-75/85. Despite being told that Atlanta’s traffic is horrendous I did not have a problem at all. Parking was I think $15 in the stadium lots and there was a private lot at $10 if you were willing to walk a bit further. By that point I was halfway to the Five Points MARTA station at the capitol and I was thinking I should have just taken that.
Ticket prices
I sat in the upper deck behind home plate for $15 for one game and for the other two I got in for $1 each. You can’t beat that, but you had to stand. Plenty of railings though.
Finding my seat and amenities
For the game that I sat at it was not hard, for the others I just cozied up to a railing or stood in the Coca-Cola area high up in left field or downstairs. Great view of downtown from there. I did eat here once, the food was good and for stadium fare not expensive. Had a sausage sundae.
In game experience
The Braves were not good and they were not playing a prime opponent so the stands were empty. This was a driving force behind the new stadium out in Cobb County and from my visit there the next year. I don’t know if that is making a difference. The kids had just gone back to school when I was at the Ted so that did not help either. They have an on field host, he’s not bad. The PA announcer asks everyone to give the visiting team a warm Atlanta welcome and they boo the other team. So much for southern hospitality lol. There weren’t many people there anyway.
Getting out
For me getting out was easy. Spaghetti Junction nearby provides access to three major interstates. I can imagine a crowded game could be a problem but these sparsely attended games were not.
Wrap
When I walked in the park seemed to be newer. The older stadiums like the Vet and RFK all had flaws and had cosmetic issues. I didn’t see that here. It is nice that the stadium was not torn down completely and is being reused but I did not see anything wrong with the place. I was only here for three games so what do I know, right? If the good folks of Georgia want to build a new park let them. My godfather lived in the area so I stayed with him so none of my money went to the hotel tax.