Gwinnett County Ballpark
Encyclopedia
Coolray Field is a 10,475-seat minor league
baseball park
in Lawrenceville, Georgia
. It is the home field of the Gwinnett Braves
, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves
.
Coolray Field hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 17, 2009, a 7-4 loss to the Norfolk Tides
. The stadium site is located approximately two miles (3 km) east of the Mall of Georgia
along Georgia 20
, between Interstate 85 and Georgia 316.
The 44 acres (17.8 ha) site was previously farmland
and forest
. An additional 73 acre (0.29542078 km²) of mostly forest around it became a mixed-use project, after a February 2009 rezoning by the Gwinnett County
Commission.
The stadium construction and maintenance is being paid by the taxpayer-funded Gwinnett County government, but the Braves will keep most of the revenue
from ticket and concession stand sales. The municipal bond
s used to pay for the stadium run for 30 years (until 2038), but the Braves have an option to back out of the contract
after only half of that time (in 2023), if the county does not maintain the facility at an acceptable level. This would leave county taxpayers responsible for the remainder. Although this relationship between the Braves and Gwinnett County appears unbalanced, the sales tax revenue that the county will bring in from the sales at the stadium will allegedly benefit the county more than the cost of the stadium.
After the first season, it was revealed that parking
revenue was a fraction (about 15%) of what was expected.
The Gwinnett Braves were previously the Richmond Braves
for 43 seasons (1966-2008) before returning to Georgia in 2009; the team was the Atlanta Crackers
for its first 65 seasons (1901-65).
34°2′29.38"N 83°59′32.52"W
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
baseball park
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
in Lawrenceville, Georgia
Lawrenceville, Georgia
Lawrenceville is a city in and the county seat of Gwinnett County, Georgia, in the United States. The Census Bureau estimates the 2008 population at 29,258...
. It is the home field of the Gwinnett Braves
Gwinnett Braves
The Gwinnett Braves are a minor league baseball team in the International League, the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Atlanta Braves. The team was previously the Richmond Braves for 43 seasons . On January 14, 2008, it was announced that the Richmond Braves would move from Richmond,...
, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
.
Coolray Field hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 17, 2009, a 7-4 loss to the Norfolk Tides
Norfolk Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a minor league baseball team in the Triple-A International League. They play at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia. Since 2007 they have been a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles; prior to that, they had a 38-year affiliation with the New York Mets.-Franchise history:The...
. The stadium site is located approximately two miles (3 km) east of the Mall of Georgia
Mall of Georgia
Mall of Georgia is a regional shopping mall located in the Mill Creek District of Gwinnett County, Georgia, near the city of Buford, northeast of Atlanta. Built in 1999, it is currently the largest shopping mall in the state of Georgia, consisting of more than two hundred stores on three levels...
along Georgia 20
Georgia State Route 20
State Route 20 is an abnormally-oriented route in roughly the shape of a capital J rotated ninety degrees to the left. Its counterclockwise terminus is at the Alabama state line in Floyd County, and its clockwise terminus occurs in the middle of an overpass over US 19/US 41 and SR 3 in Hampton in...
, between Interstate 85 and Georgia 316.
The 44 acres (17.8 ha) site was previously farmland
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
and forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
. An additional 73 acre (0.29542078 km²) of mostly forest around it became a mixed-use project, after a February 2009 rezoning by the Gwinnett County
Gwinnett County, Georgia
, Gwinnett County had a population of 805,321. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 53.3% white , 23.6% black , 2.7% Korean, 2.6% Asian Indian, 2.0% Vietnamese, 3.3% other Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.8% some other race and 3.1% from two or more races...
Commission.
The stadium construction and maintenance is being paid by the taxpayer-funded Gwinnett County government, but the Braves will keep most of the revenue
Revenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
from ticket and concession stand sales. The municipal bond
Municipal bond
A municipal bond is a bond issued by a city or other local government, or their agencies. Potential issuers of municipal bonds includes cities, counties, redevelopment agencies, special-purpose districts, school districts, public utility districts, publicly owned airports and seaports, and any...
s used to pay for the stadium run for 30 years (until 2038), but the Braves have an option to back out of the contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
after only half of that time (in 2023), if the county does not maintain the facility at an acceptable level. This would leave county taxpayers responsible for the remainder. Although this relationship between the Braves and Gwinnett County appears unbalanced, the sales tax revenue that the county will bring in from the sales at the stadium will allegedly benefit the county more than the cost of the stadium.
After the first season, it was revealed that parking
Parking
Parking is the act of stopping a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied for more than a brief time. Parking on one or both sides of a road is commonly permitted, though often with restrictions...
revenue was a fraction (about 15%) of what was expected.
The Gwinnett Braves were previously the Richmond Braves
Richmond Braves
The Richmond Braves were the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and played in the International League. Colloquially referred to as the R-Braves, they were based in Richmond, Virginia, where they played from 1966, when the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta where their AAA team, the Crackers,...
for 43 seasons (1966-2008) before returning to Georgia in 2009; the team was the Atlanta Crackers
Atlanta Crackers
The Atlanta Crackers were minor league baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965. The Crackers were Atlanta's home team until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee in 1966....
for its first 65 seasons (1901-65).
External links
34°2′29.38"N 83°59′32.52"W