Atlanta (CNN)The first pitch was thrown by Atlanta Braves starter Julio Teheran to Detroit Tigers leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler at 3:13 p.m ET, with the game-time temperature at 80 degrees.
And with that, it was the start of the final goodbye to Major League Baseball in downtown Atlanta.
In 2013, the Braves announced they were leaving Turner Field for a new stadium to be built in Cobb County, northwest of the city. At the time, Club President John Schuerholz said that Turner Field needed "hundreds of millions of dollars of upgrades. Unfortunately, that massive investment would not do anything to improve access or the fan experience." Around the same time, city money was allocated for another stadium in downtown Atlanta, for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. That venue, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, is scheduled to open next year. In 2014, Turner showed his displeasure with the Braves' move to the suburbs, making a point that the new ballpark isn't in Atlanta. "I never would have done it," he said, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle. The Braves will vacate Turner Field in December, when their contract with the stadium expires. Their new home, SunTrust Park, is scheduled to open in 2017. After the Braves leave, work will start on converting Turner Field into a football stadium for Georgia State University, which bought the site from the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority for $30 million, with the hopes of it being ready for the 2017 season. The proposal is pending review and approval from the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. The plan also includes a baseball complex, retail, residential and student housing.
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