History of Truist Park in Timeline

Truist Park is a baseball stadium located in Cobb County, Georgia, serving as the home of the Atlanta Braves since its opening in 2017. Situated approximately 10 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta, in the community of Cumberland, it was originally named SunTrust Park before being renamed in 2020 following the merger of SunTrust Bank and BB&T to form Truist Financial.

1948: Time capsule inclusion: 1948 World Series program

On August 27, 2015, a 1948 World Series program was included in the sealed time capsule at Truist Park. The capsules will be opened when the stadium is demolished.

April 8, 1974: Hank Aaron breaks Babe Ruth's home-run record

On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's long-standing record of 714 career home runs at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. This moment is captured in a statue in Monument Garden at Truist Park.

1995: Time capsule inclusion: Baseball signed by the 1995 championship team

On August 27, 2015, a baseball signed by the 1995 championship team was included in the sealed time capsule at Truist Park. The capsules will be opened when the stadium is demolished.

1996: Centennial Olympic Stadium Built

In 1996, the Centennial Olympic Stadium was built to host the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. It was later converted into Turner Field for the Atlanta Braves.

1996: Turner Field Value-Engineered for the 1996 Summer Olympics

Turner Field was value-engineered for the 1996 Summer Olympics, leading to higher long-term capital maintenance costs, according to Braves executive Mike Plant.

1997: Braves Move to Turner Field

In 1997, the Atlanta Braves moved into Turner Field, which had been originally built for the 1996 Summer Olympics.

November 11, 2013: Braves Announce Move from Turner Field

On November 11, 2013, the Atlanta Braves announced that the franchise would leave Turner Field after the 2016 season for a new ballpark.

November 20, 2013: Plans Unveiled for The Battery Atlanta

On November 20, 2013, the Braves unveiled plans to build a $400 million entertainment district called The Battery Atlanta to surround the ballpark.

November 25, 2013: InsiderAdvantage/FOX 5 poll results

On November 25, 2013, an InsiderAdvantage/FOX 5 poll showed that 59% of registered voters in Cobb County favored building a new stadium for the Braves. However, only 30% supported funding it with tax dollars.

2013: Talks Break Down for Turner Field Lease Extension

In 2013, talks between the Atlanta Braves and the recreational authority to extend the team's original lease for Turner Field broke down.

2013: Possible Locations in Cobb County Shortlisted

In the summer of 2013, the Braves and Cobb County Commission Chairman Tim Lee made a short list of possible locations in Cobb County for the new stadium.

April 16, 2014: Construction Timetable Outlined

On April 16, 2014, Atlanta Braves and Cobb County officials outlined the timetable for the new stadium's construction, with site clearing scheduled to begin on July 15, 2014.

May 14, 2014: First Renderings of New Stadium Released

On May 14, 2014, the Atlanta Braves released the first renderings of the new stadium, showcasing its southeast orientation and unique design due to topography and gas line locations.

May 27, 2014: Site Clearing Starts Ahead of Schedule

After the Cobb County commission vote on May 27, 2014, site clearing for Truist Park started ahead of schedule.

July 15, 2014: Site Clearing Scheduled to Begin

Site clearing for Truist Park was scheduled to begin on July 15, 2014, as part of the construction timetable outlined by Atlanta Braves and Cobb County officials.

September 8, 2014: University of Florida poll results

On September 8, 2014, the University of Florida released an independent poll indicating that 55% of Cobb County residents would have supported the stadium in a referendum.

October 13, 2014: Site Clearing Completion Scheduled

October 13, 2014, was the scheduled completion date for site clearing at the new stadium, according to the timeline outlined by Atlanta Braves and Cobb County officials.

November 2014: Construction Phase One Begins

In November 2014, construction phase one began for both the stadium and mixed-use development, including infrastructure work and building retention walls for the underground service level.

November 2014: Natural Gas Lines Relocation Completed

In early November 2014, the project to move three natural gas lines that ran under the property of the future Truist Park was completed.

2014: SunTrust Banks Buys Naming Rights

In 2014, Atlanta-based SunTrust Banks bought the initial naming rights to the stadium for 25 years, leading to the original name SunTrust Park.

February 2015: Georgia Supreme Court hears appeal

In February 2015, the Georgia Supreme Court heard an appeal against the issuance of bonds for the stadium project, filed by Larry Savage, Tucker Hobgood, and Rich Pellegrino.

March 2015: Security Filing Allots Funds for Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta

In March 2015, a security filing from Braves owners Liberty Media allotted $672 million for Truist Park and $452 million for The Battery Atlanta, totaling over $1.1 billion.

May 2015: Caissons Installation Complete

By May 2015, crews had installed all the caissons to stabilize the foundation of Truist Park, and began pouring concrete for the decks.

June 29, 2015: Georgia Supreme Court upholds bond authorization

On June 29, 2015, the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously upheld the bond authorization for the SunTrust Park project, dismissing the last legal challenge.

July 8, 2015: Gas South Agreement as Official Natural Gas Partner

On July 8, 2015, the Braves announced an agreement for Atlanta-based Gas South to remain the official natural gas partner at Truist Park, including prominent signage and an LED board.

August 27, 2015: First Brick Laid Ceremony

On August 27, 2015, the Atlanta Braves held a ceremony for the first brick laid of 775,000 bricks that made up the main exterior at Truist Park. A time capsule was also sealed at the event.

June 2016: Construction Starts on Pedestrian Bridge

In June 2016, construction started on a pedestrian bridge to connect SunTrust Park with the Cobb Galleria, spanning Interstate 285.

July 2016: Cobb County commissioner Tim Lee loses re-election bid

In July 2016, Cobb County commissioner Tim Lee lost his re-election bid to Mike Boyce. Boyce had framed the election as a referendum on the stadium deal.

July 2016: Seat Installation Begins

In July 2016, the installation of the seats for the new ballpark started. Additionally, hundreds of LED lights were installed along the edge of the ballpark's canopy.

August 2016: Canopy, Lights, and Seating Bowl Completed

In August 2016, the canopy, lights, and seating bowl were completed at the new ballpark, and the last crane remaining on the field area was removed.

December 2016: Team Staff Moves to New Ballpark

In December 2016, staffers began moving office equipment and furniture into the new ballpark, and team employees began moving into their offices. The infield, pitcher's mound and warning track were formed.

2016: Last Season at Turner Field

2016 was the last season the Atlanta Braves played at Turner Field before moving to Truist Park.

January 2017: Exterior Work Mostly Complete

In January 2017, most of the exterior work on the new ballpark was complete, and the final layer of topsoil for the grass sod was installed.

January 2017: Parking and Transportation Plans Unveiled

In January 2017, the Braves announced that the new park would have more than 11,000 parking spaces and unveiled plans to launch a private shuttle service. The Braves also announced a collaboration with Waze, to share data and real-time updates.

January 25, 2017: First Baseball Game Announced

On January 25, 2017, the Braves announced that the University of Georgia and University of Missouri would play the first baseball game in Truist Park on April 8, 2017.

February 24, 2017: Certificate of Occupancy Received

On February 24, 2017, the Braves received the certificate of occupancy for the entire ballpark.

March 4, 2017: Sod Installation Begins

On March 4, 2017, workers began the installation of 109,000 square feet of sod at Truist Park, a task that took two to three days to complete.

March 31, 2017: Soft Opening for Season Ticket Holders

On March 31, 2017, the Braves hosted a soft opening for season ticket holders, featuring a preseason game against the New York Yankees.

April 8, 2017: First Baseball Game at Truist Park

On April 8, 2017, the University of Georgia and University of Missouri played the first baseball game in Truist Park, drawing in 33,025 spectators, with Missouri defeating Georgia 6–1.

April 13, 2017: Braves unveil Bobby Cox statue

On April 13, 2017, the Braves unveiled a statue of former manager Bobby Cox at Truist Park, joining statues of Warren Spahn and Phil Niekro.

April 14, 2017: First Regular Season Game at Truist Park

On April 14, 2017, the first regular season game was held at Truist Park, with the Atlanta Braves playing against the San Diego Padres.

May 2017: Speculation about Truist Park favoring hitters

In May 2017, during the first half of the opening season, there was speculation that Truist Park favored hitters, with Braves manager Brian Snitker commenting that "Everybody is going to like hitting here, not just left-handers."

2017: The Battery Atlanta Opens in Stages

In 2017, The Battery Atlanta, a mixed-use development containing shops, dining, living, and workspace, began opening in stages surrounding Truist Park.