Atlanta Braves announce plans to move to new stadium

The Atlanta Braves announced Monday morning they plan to move to Cobb County in 2017.

According to a published report, the team is set to leave Turner Field after their 20-year agreement expires at the end of the 2016 season.

Turner Field's structure was originally built as the Centennial Olympic Stadium for the 1996 Summer Olympics, hosting athletic events as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. After the Olympics, the venue was reconstructed into baseball-specific Turner Field and the Braves began playing there in 1997.

The team says they plan to build a new stadium on the northwest corner of the Interstate 75-285 interchange in Cobb County.

"We are excited to announce plans to build a world-class stadium, which will open in 2017 at the NW intersection of I-75/I-285," the team said in tweets. "We have secured a large tract of property at this location & will work to build a world-class ballpark for our fans."

Said Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig in a statement: "The Braves have kept us apprised of their stadium situation throughout this process. Major League Baseball fully supports their decision to move to a new ballpark in Atlanta for the 2017 season, and we look forward to their continued excellence representing their community, both on and off the field."

The Braves have a website offering more details on the move. It explains the issues with the team's current stadium:

"Turner Field is a facility that was built for three weeks of use for the Olympics, but has now served us well for nearly 20 years. The issue isn't the Turner Field we play in today, but instead whether or not the venue can remain viable for another 20 to 30 years.

Turner Field has served the Braves well since 1997, but it is in need of major infrastructure work, which will cost around $150 million. These upgrades are functional ones, such as replacing worn-out seats or upgrading the stadium's lighting, and they would do little to significantly enhance the fan experience. If the Braves were to pay for additional projects focused on improving the fan experience, the additional costs could exceed $200 million.

Those upgrades still wouldn't address the logistical challenges outside the stadium – lack of consistent mass transit options, inadequate number of parking spaces and limited access to major highways."