The Atlanta Braves are moving to the city’s northern suburbs in time for the 2017 season, the team said Monday in a surprise announcement.
The team intends to build its new $672 million stadium near the interchange of interstates 75 and 285. The Braves’ current lease at Turner Field expires after the 2016 season, the team said.
The Braves have played in Atlanta since the team relocated from Milwaukee to Atlanta in 1966. The team moved into Turner Field, built for the 1996 Olympics, for the 1997 season.
“We believe the new stadium location is easy to access while also giving our fans a first-rate game day experience in and around the ballpark and making it a 365-day-a-year destination,” Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz said in a statement.
The new 41,000-seat stadium will be smaller than Turner Field, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The team is also building a lot with 30,000 spots, all of which will be owned by the team, according to MLB.com.
