Turner Field - Atlanta's Changing Sports Home

So, there was this place, you know, a baseball stadium, right? It sat there in Atlanta, Georgia, a pretty big city, actually. For quite a while, it was a central spot for many folks who loved the game. From the year 1997 all the way through 2016, this particular spot was the main playing field for the Atlanta Braves, a well-known team in Major League Baseball.

It began its life, you might say, as something else entirely. Built for a really big event, the 1996 summer Olympics, it then quickly shifted its main job. People who cared about it often called it “the Ted,” which shows just how much affection it held for fans. This location really does stand as a sign of Atlanta’s long and interesting past when it comes to sports, you see.

This spot, in a way, was more than just a place where games happened. It became a significant part of baseball's long story, a place people remembered. Its journey from an Olympic center to a baseball park, and then to something else again, tells a tale of how buildings can change and what they can mean to a city and its people. We're talking about a place that saw a lot of action, a lot of cheering, and a lot of history, really.

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Table of Contents

• The Story of Turner Field - A Place of Many Lives
• How Did Turner Field Start Out?
• From Olympic Grandeur to Baseball's Embrace
• What Was It Like for Fans at Turner Field?
• Changing Gears - Turner Field's Next Chapter
• What Challenges Came with Repurposing Turner Field?
• A New Purpose for Turner Field
• What Does Turner Field Mean to Atlanta Now?

The Story of Turner Field - A Place of Many Lives

Turner Field, it's almost like a living thing, you know, with a few different lives. It first came into being for a truly big event, the 1996 summer Olympics, which were held right there in Atlanta. This was a massive undertaking, to be honest. The building was called Centennial Olympic Stadium back then, and it was meant to be the heart of those games. It was a huge place, originally designed to hold around 80,000 people, which is quite a crowd, you know. That first purpose was for track and field events, for people running and jumping and throwing things, and it was built with that in mind, obviously.

Then, quite quickly, it went through a big change. After the Olympic flame went out, the stadium was changed into a baseball park. This was done to make it the new home for the Atlanta Braves, a team that had been playing elsewhere. So, in a way, it had a very quick turnaround from one major use to another. This transformation meant a lot of work, changing the layout from an oval shape with a running track to a diamond for baseball. It was, you know, a pretty interesting project, seeing how they made that shift from one kind of sports venue to a completely different one.

For almost two decades, from 1997 to 2016, this place was where the Braves played their home games. It became a really well-known spot, a landmark in the history of baseball itself. People who followed the team, they just called it “the Ted,” showing a real sense of fondness for the place. It wasn't just a building; it was a spot where a lot of memories were made, where fans came together, and where the team made its mark, really. It was a big part of the city's sports identity for a long time, and that's something that sticks with people, you see.

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How Did Turner Field Start Out?

So, how did this place, Turner Field, actually begin its story? Well, it didn't start as a baseball park at all, which is kind of interesting. Its first job was to be the main stage for the 1996 summer Olympics. It was built specifically for that, to host the opening and closing ceremonies and the track and field competitions. The initial construction, that is, for the Olympic Stadium, took some time and a good bit of money, around $235 million, and it was paid for by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, which is pretty neat, you know, that it was privately funded.

It was a huge structure, as I mentioned, made to hold a lot of spectators for those global events. The design, in a way, was quite grand, fitting for such a big international gathering. You could say it was a symbol of Atlanta's moment on the world stage. It had a different feel then, with running tracks instead of the familiar baseball warning tracks, and a big oval shape rather than the diamond that baseball fans know. This initial setup, actually, was quite a sight to behold, a truly impressive arena for its first purpose.

After the Olympics finished, the plan was always to change it into a baseball stadium. This was a big project, taking the massive Olympic structure and reshaping it for a different sport. They had to take out parts of the seating and put in new features that a baseball field needs. It was a pretty clever bit of engineering, actually, to turn such a specific venue into something else entirely. So, its beginning was quite unique, not many stadiums get to start as an Olympic centerpiece before becoming a major league ballpark, is that right?

From Olympic Grandeur to Baseball's Embrace

The shift from an Olympic arena to a baseball haven for the Atlanta Braves was, you know, a pretty significant undertaking. The original structure, the Centennial Olympic Stadium, had this vast, open feel, made for races and ceremonies. To change that into a baseball park meant taking out a lot of the temporary seating and reshaping the whole playing area. They replaced the running tracks with the kind of warning tracks you see in baseball, and the big oval field became a baseball diamond. This was a thoughtful process, basically, to make it just right for America's pastime.

For nearly two decades, this place, Turner Field, was the heart of baseball in Atlanta. It wasn't just a place where games were played; it became a spot where the team's legends, like Chipper Jones and Bobby Cox, had some of their most memorable moments, even their final games. It was a stage for a lot of important baseball history, really. Fans would come from all over, you know, to cheer on their team, to share in the excitement of a home run or a great play. The atmosphere there, you could say, was quite special, filled with the sounds and feelings of the game.

The stadium, in a way, took on a new personality once it became the Braves' home. It was no longer just an Olympic venue; it was "the Ted," a place filled with the team's spirit. From 1997 to 2016, it hosted countless games, saw many victories and defeats, and became a familiar sight for people in Atlanta. It was a big part of the city's daily life during baseball season, a gathering place for families and friends. This transformation really showed how a building can adapt and find a new purpose, and how it can become deeply connected to a community, you know.

What Was It Like for Fans at Turner Field?

What was it really like to be a fan at Turner Field? Well, for a start, it was a place with a lot of energy. People would gather there, you know, to watch the Atlanta Braves play. It was the kind of spot where you could feel the excitement building as game time got closer. The stadium, even though it was once an Olympic venue, felt like a true baseball home. It had that specific smell of hot dogs and popcorn, and the sound of the crowd, that is, it was just something else, really.

The seating, while it was a big stadium, was designed in a way that made you feel pretty close to the action. You could see the players on the field, hear the crack of the bat, and feel the roar of the crowd when something big happened. It was a very immersive experience, basically. For 19 years, people came back season after season, making it a familiar part of their spring and summer routines. There were specific sections people liked, specific ways they'd get there, all part of the tradition of going to "the Ted," you know.

Many significant events happened on that field. Players made their debuts, hit big home runs, and said goodbye to the game there. For fans, it was where they saw their favorite players grow and where they shared moments of triumph and disappointment with thousands of others. It was a place for shared experiences, a common ground for people who loved baseball. So, in some respects, it was more than just a stadium; it was a gathering spot, a place where memories were made that lasted a long time, apparently.

Changing Gears - Turner Field's Next Chapter

After nearly two decades as the home of the Atlanta Braves, Turner Field, you know, was set for another big change. In 2016, the Braves moved to a new place, SunTrust Park, which is now called Truist Park, located a bit northwest of downtown Atlanta. This left the old stadium, "the Ted," without its main tenant. So, the question naturally came up: what would happen to this big, well-known building in the middle of the city? It was a significant piece of property, after all, and couldn't just sit empty, really.

The city, along with others, had to figure out a new purpose for the site. This wasn't a simple task. Converting a large baseball stadium into something else entirely presents a lot of unique situations. You have to think about the structure itself, how it can be adapted, and what new uses would make sense for the area and its people. It's not like changing a house; it's a massive undertaking with a lot of moving parts, you know. There were discussions about what would be best for the community and what would make the most sense economically, too.

The decision was made to change the stadium for college football, which is a different kind of sport than baseball. This meant another set of changes to the field and the seating arrangements. It was a pretty big project to turn a baseball stadium into a football one, considering the different field shapes and spectator needs. This new chapter for Turner Field, as it became known, showed its ability to adapt and continue to be a part of Atlanta's sports scene, just in a different way, actually. It was a testament to its strong bones and flexible design, in a way.

What Challenges Came with Repurposing Turner Field?

When you take a big place like Turner Field and try to give it a completely new job, you run into some interesting difficulties. One of the main challenges, you know, was changing a baseball stadium into a football one. Baseball fields are shaped like a diamond, with a lot of open space in the outfield. Football fields are long rectangles. So, you had to figure out how to fit a football field onto what was once a baseball diamond, which isn't always straightforward, really.

There were also things like the seating arrangements. For baseball, seats face a certain way to see the diamond. For football, you want seats to face the long rectangular field. This meant some parts of the stadium might not have been ideal for the new sport, or they needed to be reconfigured. You also have to think about the locker rooms, the press areas, and all the behind-the-scenes parts of the building. They were set up for baseball, and football has slightly different needs, you see. It's like trying to make a square peg fit into a round hole, but on a really big scale, basically.

Another thing to consider was what to do with the parts of the stadium that were specific to baseball, like the dugouts or the bullpen areas. Some things could be removed, while others might need to be covered up or repurposed. And then there's the question of the overall feel of the place. Would it still feel like a sports venue, or would it feel a bit odd? These kinds of conversions, actually, are quite complex, needing a lot of thought and planning to make sure the new use works well and feels right for the people who will use it. It's a testament to the effort involved that they made it work, too.

A New Purpose for Turner Field

After the Braves moved out, Turner Field found a new calling. In 2017, the stadium was redeveloped for Georgia State University. This meant another big transformation, turning it into a place for college football games. It was later given a new name, Center Parc Stadium, marking a completely different era for the site. This change showed that the stadium had a lot of life left in it and could continue to serve the community, just in a different academic and athletic capacity, you know.

The conversion process involved taking the old baseball layout and making it suitable for a football team. This included changing the field, obviously, and adjusting the stands to give good views for football. It was a significant undertaking, but it gave the university a very large and capable stadium for its sports programs. This repurposing was a smart way to keep a major city landmark in use, rather than letting it sit empty or tearing it down. It kept a piece of Atlanta's sporting history alive, in a way, while giving it a fresh start, too.

This new purpose for Turner Field also meant a lot for the surrounding area. It brought new life and activity to that part of Atlanta, especially on game days. It showed how a large structure, even after its initial primary use ends, can still be valuable and find new ways to contribute to a city. The stadium's journey from Olympic venue to baseball park and then to a college football stadium is quite a story of adaptation and continued relevance, really. It’s a good example of how older, big buildings can be given a fresh lease on life, basically.

What Does Turner Field Mean to Atlanta Now?

So, what does Turner Field, or Center Parc Stadium as it is now, mean to Atlanta these days? Well, it's still a place of activity and sports, which is important. It continues to be a big part of the city's overall sports picture, just with a different team playing there. For Georgia State University, it provides a very impressive home field for their football program, giving their students and fans a great place to gather and cheer. This means it's still generating excitement and community spirit, you know.

It also represents a story of change and rebirth for a major city structure. Instead of becoming a forgotten relic, it was given a new life, showing how urban spaces can be adapted for new needs. This kind of transformation is pretty interesting, actually, as it keeps the history of the place alive while allowing it to serve a new generation. It’s a physical reminder of the 1996 Olympics and the Braves’ long tenure, even as it hosts new events, basically.

For many people in Atlanta, especially those who remember the Braves playing there, it might hold a sense of nostalgia. It's a place where they made a lot of memories. But for newer generations, it's a vibrant college stadium. So, in a way, it bridges the past and the present. It’s a testament to the idea that buildings, like cities themselves, can evolve and find new roles, continuing to be important parts of the landscape. It really is a place that has seen a lot, and continues to be a part of Atlanta's ongoing story, too.

This article has explored the journey of Turner Field, from its beginnings as the Centennial Olympic Stadium for the 1996 Summer Olympics, to its long tenure as the home ballpark for the Atlanta Braves from 1997 to 2016, and finally to its current role as Center Parc Stadium for Georgia State University. We looked at how it was transformed from an Olympic venue to a baseball park, the fan experience it offered, and the challenges and benefits of its conversion into a college football stadium. The story of Turner Field is one of continuous change and adaptation within Atlanta's sporting history.