Venue News: Atlanta Braves Break Ground on SunTrust Park; ACC Experiences Construction Boom

The Atlanta Braves announced the name of their new Cobb County stadium: SunTrust Park, writes the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The team and the Atlanta-based bank said they have entered into a 25-year naming-rights deal. The announcement of the name was made at the start of the stadium’s official groundbreaking ceremony under a tent on the site of the new stadium. The Braves said the deal includes marquee signage for SunTrust as well as additional signage and promotional opportunities throughout the ballpark and planned adjacent mixed-use complex. Financial terms were not disclosed…

…There’s a construction boom taking place across the Atlantic Coast Conference, according to FOX Sports. During the past 18 months, half the league’s schools have either begun or completed major projects to upgrade their football facilities. Some are expanding stadiums and adding premium seating and luxury boxes to generate revenue, while trying to improve the gameday experience for fans. Many others are building practice facilities or adding other perks that directly benefit the athletes themselves — and, of course, catch the eyes of elite recruits…

…Some of the San Francisco 49ers’ top brass, including CEO Jed York, celebrated quietly Tuesday night at Michael Mina’s Tailgate restaurant inside Levi’s Stadium, writes Re/code. The celebration included employees from tech startup VenueNext, which created the team’s new stadium app, and it didn’t have to do with the Niners’ recent efforts on the football field (the team blew a 17-point lead Sunday night in a loss to the Chicago Bears in its home opener). Instead, this dinner was to celebrate what happened in the stands during the game. The technology-infused stadium — which had a number of tech hiccups and stumbles during the preseason — had passed its first real test: A sold-out, nationally televised, regular season game…

…Missouri State University’s director of athletics Kyle Moats expects Saturday’s football opener to feel different from past games, writes the Springfield News-Leader. The Bears team is playing for the first time Saturday at the newly renovated Robert W. Plaster Stadium. Renovations to the stadium include new signage, a scoreboard, stadium sound system, turf on the field, student party deck inside the stadium and game day lockers for the Bears and visiting team. The field was also moved to be closer to the crowds…

…Everton have identified Walton Hall Park as the site of a new 50,000-seat stadium to replace Goodison Park, their home since 1892, according to The Guardian. The club have the support of Liverpool council while the housing association Liverpool Mutual Homes will be an official partner as it intends to build houses on the site as part of a regeneration scheme. The possibilities will now be explored and it could see a formal planning application being lodged within 12 months. Financing will be led by Everton with support from several partners.