Georgia State Stadium takes shape at old Turner Field as football season approaches

With August upon us, only a few weeks remain until college football season officially kicks off across the country.

And while most teams will be returning to business as usual, one Atlanta squad will be marking a historic moment.

On Aug. 31, Georgia State University will take the field for the first time in a stadium they can call their own.

Sort of.

Georgia State Stadium—the venue formerly known as Turner Field—is slated to host six home games this year. While work is far from done in fully converting the baseball venue and former Olympic stadium into a full-fledged football coliseum, the quick transformation is nothing short of incredible.

After all, it was only nine months ago that the Braves played their final game in the stadium and plans were revealed for the conversion.

Since that time, a new turf field, running roughly along the former first baseline, and new grandstands in the former outfield, were installed. Eventually, the baseball stadium’s seating decks and the old 755 Club will be modified to better fit the new venue, but for now they loom large behind the new seats.

Over the course of the next several years, seismic changes are expected in the surrounding neighborhood, too.

Meanwhile, plans are being formulated for GSU’s former stadium—the Georgia Dome. A new hotel and large tailgating area are expected to be constructed once the old stadium is demolished at the end of the year.

The same fate likely would have befallen the old Turner Field, had GSU not stepped up to take ownership of the venue. The downside is that Atlanta’s missing out on RitaWorld Pearl Kingdom, with its imported seawater, cypress-lined boulevards, and $7.5-billion cost.

• Turner Field’s transformation into Georgia State stadium is underway [Curbed Atlanta]