SPORTS
FACTBOOK 2020 81
By Rosie Manins
rmanins@mdjonline.com
Nestled in the heart of
Cumberland at the intersection
of two major interstates
is SunTrust Park, the
Atlanta Braves’ baseball
stadium.
The Braves announced
their move to Cobb in
November 2013, picking
an undeveloped property
near the Cobb Galleria and
Cumberland Mall as their
new home.
The reason the property
remained empty while hotels
and office towers grew
around it was the presence
of multiple gas lines
below the surface, which
the Braves had to relocate
before construction of the
stadium could begin.
Crews logged more than
5.6 million man-hours
over 1,250 days building
the stadium, which celebrated
its inaugural season
in 2017.
More than 57,000 cubic
yards of cement, 602,000
bricks, 6,800 tons of structural
steel and 5,640 tons
of reinforcing steel went
into the complex.
The finished ballpark
includes about 1.1 million
square feet of space and
boasts a 120-foot-by-64-
foot video scoreboard,
seven guest elevators and
more than 41,000 seats.
The stadium’s amenities
include a young fan
zone featuring a zip line,
climbing tower, batting
cage, interactive carnival
style games and special
concession stands with
kid-friendly food and merchandise.
Braves history buffs
will not want to miss the
Monument Garden in the
lower level of the ballpark
behind home plate, which
features a statue depicting
Braves legend Hank Aaron
hitting his record-breaking
715th home run, the
Braves Hall of Fame, an interactive
exhibit about the
Braves retired numbers, a
history of Braves jerseys
and more (including Sid
Bream’s knee brace).
In 2018, the Braves
clinched the 18th division
title in franchise history,
beating the Phillies 5-3 on
Sept. 22 to win the National
League East, exactly five
years to the day of their
last division title in 2013.
Attendance at SunTrust
Park continues to rise,
especially compared to the
Braves’ former stadium in
Atlanta.
Braves attract
growing crowds
at SunTrust Park
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