Turner Field

Address:755 Hank Aaron Dr SW
Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta's beautiful Turner Field was built for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. With the conclusion of the games, the oval track configuration was demolished and retrofitted for baseball. A magnificent job was done, making this one of the truly outstanding facilities in all of baseball. The end result of the transformation turned a large, fully enclosed stadium into a beautiful baseball-only facility, seating 50,528. As an added bonus for the Braves, Turner Field didn't cost the team a dime since it was a gift from the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. The ballpark is located on the southern edge of downtown Atlanta, and fans face an attractive skyline that's visible from anywhere in the upper deck.

The complex is named Turner Field after former Braves owner Ted Turner. The Atlanta Braves began play at "The Ted" in 1997. The "Home of the Braves" was the site of the 2000 MLB All-Star Game, which saw the American League defeat the National League (managed by Braves manager Bobby Cox) 6-3. As befits a stadium built to host championship level athletes and events, the Braves finished in first place in the N.L. East in their first 9 seasons at Turner Field. Pennants from each of Atlanta's 16 division titles are on the façade of the open-air, tiered seating restaurant in left-center field. The pennants have completely filled the façade, so one can only wonder what would have happened had the Braves extended their run of 14 division titles in 2006. Despite the success of Bobby Cox's Braves, Turner Field has hosted only one World Series, in 1999, and it didn't end well, as Braves fans saw the Yankees celebrate a four game sweep on their home field.

Most fans will enter the ballpark via the Grand Entry Plaza, located in center field. As mentioned, it was originally part of the stadium's track and field configuration (the pillars close to the street show the original boundary of the Olympic stadium), but today it's a celebration of Atlanta and Southern baseball, with statues of former Braves greats Henry Aaron and Phil Niekro and local legend Ty Cobb, known throughout his career as "The Georgia Peach." In the parking lot across the street from "The Ted," is the original section of outfield wall that Aaron hit his record-breaking 715th home run over. Standing in the middle of the parking lot, built on the site of old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, the wall still has the commemorative baseball-shaped marker celebrating Aaron's historic homer.

The stadium itself is a panoramic wonder, with lower, club, suite, and upper level seating available, along with several other unique viewing perspectives. High above left field is the Coca-Cola Pavilion, which features a large standing area and a coke bottle which lights up after a home run. Overall, you can call this amazing stadium more of a baseball theme park than just a ballpark. It is full of color, electricity and vitality, and just a super place to enjoy a day of baseball. The first thing fans will notice at Turner Field is the high-definition video display board. Towering above the batter's backdrop in center field, the can't miss scoreboard is 71 feet tall by 79 feet wide and features high definition images so vivid that they jump out at fans in a three-dimensional manner. No other team features so many between innings promotions, and fans wanting a distraction during the game will find plenty of interactive activities at Scouts Alley in left field. Scouts Alley is an educational/interactive center located in the left field area. Using touch screen kiosks, displays, and skill games, fans can learn the fine art of scouting players. For the youngsters, there is Tooner Field, with special food offerings, video games, playground equipment, and dressed cartoon mascots to entertain the youngsters. A great experience during games is the "Tomahawk Chop," and the war cry sung by the fans when the Braves have a rally going.

If you're into baseball history, Turner Field is a great place to check out. The Braves Museum is a deep and detailed audiovisual tour through Braves history, from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta, full of good videos and great memorabilia. You can also walk through an actual Pullman train car of the type the Braves used to travel in to road games back in the 1950s, which is quite a treat. The museum opens two and a half hours before each game, and closes in the middle of the seventh inning.

Guided tours of Turner Field are offered year-round, and visitors will be treated to a behind the scenes look at the Coca-Cola Sky Field, Scouts Alley, Broadcast Booth, Luxury Suite, Press Box, Clubhouse, The Plaza and the Dugout.

Getting to the stadium is easy. Turner Field is located off I-75/I-85 (the two interstates merge as you enter Atlanta) and off I-20. Even though the stadium is just a mile from downtown, quick access from the MARTA subway line, to a special Braves shuttle, has you there in minutes. The Braves Shuttle departs from the Underground/World of Coca-Cola Plaza starting from 90 minutes before each game. It runs every 15 minutes throughout the game until one hour after the final out. The shuttle makes return trips to the Underground/World of Coca-Cola Plaza up to the seventh inning. After the seventh inning, the shuttle returns riders to the Forsyth St. entrance of the Five Points MARTA Station. The shuttle is free when you transfer from any MARTA Bus or rail station with a valid Breeze Card/Ticket. Parking is plentiful outside of Turner Field. There's no point in parking in the pricey official team lots when there are various secure "gypsy lots" on the other side of the interstate that charge far less. If you don't mind a 15-minute walk, park your car at the State Capitol building, located about one mile from Turner Field. Though most fans don't realize it, the surface street parking there is free on weekends and after 6 PM during the week.