Georgia business leaders, sports teams and politicians are voicing their admiration for the life and legacy of CNN founder and businessman Ted Turner, who died Wednesday at the age of 87.
Andre Dickens
The Atlanta mayor issued a statement calling Turner a “titan” and “visionary.”
“Today, Atlanta joins the world in mourning the loss of one of our city’s boldest thinkers and most generous spirits. Ted Turner transformed a local billboard business into a global media powerhouse. With CNN, he forever changed the way the world receives news. He was ahead of his time, sounding the alarm about the environment, championing peace and pushing our city and our world to dream bigger,” said Dickens.
“On behalf of the City of Atlanta, I offer my deepest condolences to the Turner and Seydel families and to all who were touched by his extraordinary life and legacy.”
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves praised Turner’s leadership and “innovative approach” with the MLB team.
“Under his stewardship, the ballclub experienced one of the greatest runs of sustained excellence in Major League Baseball history and brought a World Series championship to Atlanta in 1995,” the statement read.
“We will miss you, Ted. You helped make us who we are today, and the Atlanta Braves are forever grateful for the impact you made on our organization and in our community.”
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks’ principal owner, Tony Ressler, and CEO Steve Koonin also paid tribute to Turner, who owned the NBA team for nearly 20 seasons.
“For me personally, owning the Atlanta Hawks and following in his footsteps—even in a small way—has been one of the great honors of my life. Seeing his name raised above the rafters at State Farm Arena serves as a constant reminder of the standard he set and the legacy he built. In many respects, my work in Atlanta—through the Hawks, the transformation of State Farm Arena, and the development of Centennial Yards—are all extensions of that legacy, rooted in our shared belief that sports and community can come together to inspire, uplift, and create lasting impact,” Ressler said.
“What set Ted apart was not only his ambition and creativity, but his belief in people and his instinct to empower those around him to think bigger and move faster,” added Koonin. “We all strived to find our ‘Inner Ted’; his unconventional leadership and deep commitment to philanthropy will continue to inspire for generations.”
Gov. Brian Kemp
Kemp offered his condolences to the Turner family and honored the entrepreneur’s contributions to the city of Atlanta.
“Ted Turner led a life as big as the American Dream he lived … his media empire reimagined the American news cycle and broadcast TV as we know it, ultimately making his beloved Atlanta Braves ‘America’s Team’ for decades,” Kemp said.
“Ted Turner was a bold man, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, and even those who at times strongly disagreed with him respected him. That legacy continues to impact us today and ensures that he will be remembered by Georgians, Americans, and others around the world for many years to come.”
CNN
CNN Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson called Turner “the presiding spirit of CNN.”
“Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement,” Thompson said in a statement.
“Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognize him and his impact on our lives and the world,” he added.
Atlanta City Council
The Atlanta City Council issued a joint statement calling Turner “a pioneering entrepreneur and philanthropist who revolutionized television news through founding CNN.”
“His work has touched millions of people as they have been able to witness historic moments here and around the world over the past 40 years,” they said.
They also recognized his work with the United Nations advancing land conservation initiatives and his ownership of the Atlanta Braves.
“The Atlanta City Council extends heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and all who were touched by his media influence and philanthropy.”
Captain Planet Foundation
The Captain Planet Foundation called Turner its “real life superhero.”
“Ted Turner imagined a world where peace is our North Star, sustainability is our shared language, and collaboration, hope, and young people are our greatest tools in building a livable future for all,” the organization said.
“In loving memory of Ted’s vision, Captain Planet Foundation will continue to be his living legacy with purpose, gratitude and joy. The Power is Yours.”
Nuclear Threat Initiative
The NTI paid tribute to Turner, acknowledging their long history with the media mogul, dating back to when he first turned his attention to nuclear threats in 2000.
“He watched a report on ’60 Minutes’ about the number of nuclear weapons still in global arsenals, more than a decade after the end of the Cold War. Alarmed, Ted reached out to Sam Nunn and Charlie Curtis, and the three leaders launched the Nuclear Threat Initiative in 2001. Over the last 25 years, NTI has worked tirelessly to prevent global catastrophe by reducing nuclear and biological threats,” the statement said.
“Just because something is hard is not a reason to sit on our hands and do nothing,” Ted said when NTI marked its 20th anniversary. “The bottom line is that we’ve got to start acting globally like civilized, educated, decent, kind-hearted human beings, and we have to trust each other. We can’t live in a world where nobody trusts anybody because then we’ll never make progress with these weapons or with anything else.”
President Donald Trump
The president called Turner “one of the greats of all time” on Truth Social, while simultaneously criticizing the current legacy of CNN.
“It became woke, and everything that he is not all about. Maybe the new buyers, wonderful people, will be able to bring it back to its former credibility and glory,” Trump’s post read. “Regardless, however, one of the Greats of Broadcast History, and a friend of mine. Whenever I needed him, he was there, always willing to fight for a good cause!”
Ric Flair
The former WCW and WWE professional wrestler paid tribute over social media to “The Man That Created Cable Before Cable Was Cool!”
“He Created CNN And Look At It Now! He Rolled The Dice And Wasn’t Afraid Of Taking Risks. He Won The America’s Cup For Sailing!” Flair wrote. “On Top Of All Of That, He Created So Many Opportunities For So Many Wrestlers Because Of His Love For Wrestling. Rest In Peace My Friend!”
