Though there have been threats of legal action against government spending on a new Atlanta Braves ballpark, none have actually commenced — and the latest effort appears to be a long shot as well.
Citizens for Governmental Transparency — the group that made a huge fuss when reps were denied the chance to testify against the proposal when the Cobb County Board of Commissioners approved it — threatened a lawsuit over a month ago, saying that the upcoming bond sale didn’t meet the requirements of the Georgia State Constitution. While group leaders are sticking with that interpretation before the upcoming July 7 court hearing where a judge reviews the bond sale, the threatened challenge may not happen because no lawyers will take on the project:
CGT’s Rich Pellegrino admits to Creative Loafing that contesting the county’s $397 million bond issuance for the stadium is a long shot. Grassroots legal foundations have declined to support the group’s fight because of the low odds, he says.
“We haven’t given up, but we may be on the losing end of the Braves battle. But we’re winning the war,” Pellegrino says. “The old way of doing business is gone forever here.”
Braves spokeswoman Beth Marshall says the team can’t comment on the bond challenge because the county handles that particular matter. But, she adds, the Braves “have complete confidence in our [government] partners” that they will handle any challenges.
The bond plan commits the Braves to a 30-year lease with the county on the new-ballpark project, with the county committed to bonding up to $397 million. The new ballpark is expected to open in 2017.
RELATED STORIES: Braves ballpark foes debate legal action; New Braves ballpark funding approved by Cobb County; Braves: Risk for new ballpark is all ours; New Atlanta Braves ballpark renderings posted; Four bidders emerge on new Braves ballpark construction project; Georgia State: We want Turner Field as football stadium; Developer emerges for new Braves ballpark project; Alliance protests Braves ballpark public funding; Advertising exec: Keep MLB at Turner Field once Braves depart; Populous lands Atlanta Braves ballpark design deal; Designing a new Atlanta Braves ballpark: hitting the road; Braves may ask for state aid on new ballpark; Ted Turner: Preserve Turner Field as green space; New Braves ballpark hits resistance from school district, Tea Party; Could new Braves ballpark be derailed by lawsuit?; New Braves ballpark hits $1B with additional of entertainment district; Gone too soon, or good riddance? Thoughts in Turner Field’s future demolition; Braves to pay $372M toward new ballpark, Cobb County $300M; Turner Field to be torn down in 2017; Braves to leave Turner Field, will build new Cobb County ballpark
—-
Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us at editors@augustpublications.com.
Are you a subscriber to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter? You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.
Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!
Follow Ballpark Digest on Google + and add us to your circles!