Fulton County Stadium
| The Launching Pad | |
_(Stadium_crop).jpg)
Aerial view of the stadium, circa late 1960s-early 1970s
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| Former names | Atlanta Stadium (1965–76) |
|---|---|
| Location | 521 Capitol Avenue SE Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 33°44′20″N 84°23′20″W / 33.739°N 84.389°WCoordinates: 33°44′20″N 84°23′20″W / 33.739°N 84.389°W |
| Owner |
City of Atlanta and Fulton County |
| Operator | City of Atlanta and Fulton County |
| Capacity |
Baseball: 52,007 Football: 60,606 |
| Field size |
1966–68 & 1974–96 Left field – 330 ft (101 m) Left-Center – 385 ft (117 m) Center Field – 402 ft (123 m) Right-Center – 385 ft (117 m) Right Field – 330 ft (101 m) 1969–1972 Left field – 330 ft (101 m) Left-Center – 375 ft (114 m) Center Field – 402 ft (123 m) Right-Center – 375 ft (114 m) Right Field – 330 ft (101 m) 1973 Left field – 330 ft (101 m) Left-Center – 375 ft (114 m) Center Field – 402 ft (123 m) Right-Center – 385 ft (117 m) Right Field – 330 ft (101 m) |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | April 15, 1964 |
| Opened | April 9, 1965 |
| Closed | October 24, 1996 |
| Demolished | August 2, 1997 |
| Construction cost |
$18 million ($137 million in 2017 ) |
| Architect |
Heery & Heery FABRAP |
| Structural engineer | Prybyloski & Gravino |
| Services engineer | Lazenby & Borum |
| General contractor | Thompson-Street Co. |
| Tenants | |
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Atlanta Crackers (IL) (1965) Atlanta Braves (MLB) (1966–96) Atlanta Falcons (NFL) (1966–91) Atlanta Chiefs (NASL) (1967–69, 1971–72, 1979–81) Peach Bowl (NCAA) (1971–92) |
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Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, often referred to as Fulton County Stadium and originally named Atlanta Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in the southeastern United States, located in Atlanta, Georgia. It was built to attract a Major League Baseball team and in 1966 succeeded when the Milwaukee Braves relocated from Wisconsin.
The Braves and expansion Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League shared the venue for 26 years, until the Falcons moved into the newly completed Georgia Dome in 1992. The Braves continued to play at the stadium for another five years, then moved into Turner Field in 1997, the converted Centennial Olympic Stadium built for the previous year's Summer Olympics.
During his 1961 campaign for mayor of Atlanta, Ivan Allen, Jr. promised to build a sports facility to attract a Major League Baseball team. After winning office, Allen chose a 47-acre (19 ha) plot in the Washington–Rawson neighborhood for the building site, citing its proximity to the state capitol, downtown businesses, and major highways. Allen and The Atlanta Journal sports editor Furman Bisher attempted to persuade Charlie Finley, owner of the Kansas City Athletics, to move his team to Atlanta. Finley was receptive and began discussing stadium design plans with Allen. However, the deal ended in July 1963 when the American League did not approve the move.
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