As the Atlanta Braves play their first postseason series at SunTrust Park, the adjacent The Battery Atlanta finds itself in the spotlight.
Opening in suburban Cobb County prior to the 2017 season, SunTrust Park was constructed as part of a larger project that includes The Battery Atlanta–an adjacent mixed-use development. The mixed-use area caught plenty of attention during the ballpark’s inaugural season, but is receiving even more exposure this year.
The Braves are currently playing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. While playoff baseball is not unfamiliar to Braves fans, the gameday experience at SunTrust Park is a bit different than it was at the team’s former homes. Whereas Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and Turner Field were never surrounded by adjacent amenities that served as pre and post-game destinations, The Battery Atlanta ensures that fans have plenty to do when visiting SunTrust Park. That has been noted for regular-season games, but the development received plenty of praise on Sunday, when SunTrust Park hosted its first postseason game. More from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
“The Battery is ticking up,” said Kevin Blond, general manager of the El Felix restaurant in The Battery. “I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say last year you were a little bit nervous. The Braves weren’t doing so hot, not as many restaurants open, the residential space was still under construction. Now it’s one of those things where we’re pinching ourselves we’re so lucky. The Braves games are just kind of a bonus.”
And the fans, especially those with experience at the former downtown parks back when the Braves were a postseason staple, were getting accustomed to baseball with a lot of sides.
“It wasn’t as much fun at Turner,” said Rich West, a Paulding County fan of such intensity that his Twitter handle is @bravesninja. He was out tailgating with his like-minded friend, Ellis. “Turner was a nice ballpark. It was fun to go sit in the ballpark and watch the game. But other than that, that’s all you were doing.”
“This is more than just going to a baseball game. You don’t just get out of your car and go to the baseball stadium. Here, you could be here all day long before the game even starts and have a good time,” said Smyrna’s James, the dad who was soft-tossing to his kids.
After losing the first two games in Los Angeles, the Braves prevailed in a 6-5 contest on Sunday night. That forced a game four in the series, which will be played at SunTrust Park on Monday afternoon at 4:30 eastern.
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