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GSU Athletics Builds Up More Athletic Facilities Around Historic Summerhill Sports Neighborhood

December 9th, 2020

At the center of Georgia State University’s downtown campus is Center Parc Stadium, formerly known as Turner Field.

Courtesy of Georgia State University / WABE

When the Atlanta Braves moved to Cobb County, Georgia State football moved into Turner Field.

Now, the university’s athletic program is looking to build more athletic facilities around it and, at the same time, promote the growth of the surrounding Summerhill neighborhood.

Eric Jackson covers sports business for the Atlanta Business Chronicle and wrote about the new planned developments.

Jackson wrote that the construction of the $85 million basketball arena started last month, and development on the 83-acre site is expected to bring more foot traffic to the area. Adjacent to downtown Atlanta, Summerhill carries the legacy of hosting pro sports and international events like the 1996 Olympics opening and closing ceremonies.

“In between Center Park Stadium and the convocation center, you have the old side of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium,” Jackson said.

“What’s going to be built there is the new Georgia State baseball park, where they’ve had discussions for a while. But also what’s interesting to me is a softball field, as well.”

Jackson said the site could be a useful recruitment tool for new athletes.

“They’ve been the underdog for a while, right? They’ve been that for years now. But they’re rising, and I think they’re trying to take advantage,” Jackson said.

“It’s interesting because they’re pairing their own trajectory with Summerhill’s, as it develops in the next 5 years.”