The Marietta Daily Journal – When commissioners step up to the plate how will they swing on vote to build

MARIETTA — County Chairman Tim Lee predicted this week that the vote to build a $672 million Major League Baseball stadium for the Atlanta Braves would be unanimous.

None of his four colleagues on the Board of Commissioners would say how they intend to vote, although two, Helen Goreham and JoAnn Birrell, say they favor the details they have seen so far. The other two commissioners, Democrat Lisa Cupid and Republican Bob Ott, are holding their cards close.

Cupid and Ott Cupid, who represents southwest Cobb in District 4, said while the deal may be a win for the county, it’s not her style to move as quickly as she’s being asked to vote.

“I wish this wasn’t sprung upon me because typically when there are controversial issues I like to have a public meeting,” Cupid said, encouraging the public to turn out and speak Nov. 26.

Cupid said most people who have contacted her do not support the deal.

“The majority is saying they are clearly not for it from the comments I’m receiving,” Cupid said. “At the end of the day, a lot of great things have happened in Cobb, but as the tides of Cobb rise, District 4’s boat has not always risen, so people want to see what the direct benefit will be to this district, and they want to minimize any negative impact at the very least, and I can understand why.”

Like Cupid, Ott, whose District 2 in southeast Cobb encompasses the proposed site, wouldn’t say whether he was leaning in favor of a yes or no vote.

“I would just say I’m continuing my review and intend to review the (memorandum of understanding) that we’ll get on Monday,” he said.

Ott said public reaction he’s received has been mixed.

“Probably the biggest concern I hear is traffic,” Ott said. “A lot of emails that have concerns almost exclusively deal with traffic and the congestion that it will cause, and so I think it’s good that the Braves and the county have started to put out documents on how transportation and traffic is going to be addressed.”

via The Marietta Daily Journal – When commissioners step up to the plate how will they swing on vote to build.