Atlanta mayor wants departure date from Braves

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed wants to know when the Atlanta Braves will leave their downtown stadium so the city can move forward on redevelopment efforts, according to a letter sent to the team.<br /> <br /> Reed and Fulton County Recreation Authority Chair James Hughes said in a June 20 letter that a firm exit date is "essential to clearing the path for the authority, the city and Fulton County to collaboratively move forward with a new vision for Turner Field and the continued revitalization of the stadium neighborhoods." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution obtained a copy of the letter using the state's open records law.<br /> <br /> The letter marks the first correspondence between the city and the Braves since the team announced in November that it plans to leave for a new stadium in Cobb County in 2017.<br /> <br /> Braves spokeswoman Beth Marshall said the team received the letter and has sought a meeting with Reed's office. The baseball club has until Jan. 1, 2016, to formally notify the recreation authority of whether it will seek a five-year extension of its lease.<br /> <br /> Since the team's announcement, city officials have made several announcements about potential buyers. For example, Georgia State University and a team of developers unveiled a proposal in May to convert the area into a $300 million mixed-use complex.

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