Braves moving Triple-A team from Richmond to Gwinnett County

DULUTH - The daunting trip from Triple-A to the majors will soon be less than 40 miles for prospects of the Atlanta Braves.

Gwinnett County approved a plan Tuesday to build a new stadium in the booming Atlanta suburbs, which will allow the Braves to move their International League team from Richmond, Va., for the 2009 season.

The Gwinnett Braves will play just up I-85 from the big league club. If this area's notorious traffic isn't too bad, it will be about a 45-minute drive from the county's new stadium, which will be located near the Mall of Georgia, to downtown Turner Field.

``What started as a dream has become a team,'' said county commissioner Bert Nasuti, who led the effort to bring minor league baseball to Gwinnett.

Richmond has been the home of Atlanta's Triple-A team since the franchise moved from Milwaukee in 1966. But the Braves failed in negotiations to get a new stadium to replace The Diamond, a 22-year-old facility that was in need of major upgrades.

The R-Braves will spend one final season in Virginia before moving to Gwinnett.

On the Web:

Gwinnett Braves: www.gwinnettbraves.com