Feature

Former Atlanta Olympic Stadium redevelopment plans on hold

Georgia State University’s planned redevelopment of Turner Field, centrepiece for the 1996 summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, have been put on hold as the education establishment looks to finalise its purchase of the venue.

According to the Aroundtherings.com website, the university expected the deal to go through on January 1, upon expiration of the lease held by Major League Baseball team Atlanta Braves last month. The Braves played home games at the 49,500-capacity venue between 1997 and 2016, before moving to the $622m (£505m/€590m) SunTrust Park.

However, despite this delay, Georgia State officials have said that the sale should be completed by the end of this week, which in turn will allow the university to press ahead with work.

Georgia State plans to use Turner Field as the new home for its American football team. The Georgia State Panthers are due to begin playing at the venue from the 2017 season, which begins in September.

The Braves will play at the 41,500-capacity SunTrust Park from the start of the 2017 season.

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