Atlanta Ballpark Installs Multiple Drainage Features

When plans began in the fall of 2013 for a new home for the Atlanta Braves, the goal was to build a new ballpark with a mixed-use development surrounding it. Renovating Turner Field, the home of the Braves from 1997 to 2016, would be too costly, and limited space was available for further development. After signing a 25-year deal with SunTrust Bank for naming rights to the stadium, SunTrust Park was announced, and construction began in February 2015 on the 60-acre site. The Braves’ first game at the new stadium was April 13, 2017, against the San Diego Padres. SunTrust Park is the centerpiece of a mixed-use development area that includes apartments, offices, retail shops and restaurants.

An effective drainage system was necessary to help ensure the $672-million ball field stays dry and in playable condition all season. ACO’s Sport System 4000, with plastic longitudinal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant grates, was used to surround the entire ball field to capture any excess water runoff while remaining safe for athlete foot traffic on the field.

In the surrounding development area, a variety of trench drainage solutions were used to keep pedestrian areas, parking garages, alleys, loading docks, streets and retail areas dry. PowerDrain S200K with iron longitudinal grates near the parking garage entrances was ideal for handling vehicular traffic and occasional foot traffic and has the hydraulic capacity to remove excess surface water before it enters the garage.