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Tickets go on sale at Atlanta Braves new spring training home in North Port

In less than two years, the Atlanta Braves will call the Bay area home during spring training, but the excitement is building already.

NORTH PORT, Fla. -- In less than two years, the Atlanta Braves will call the Bay area home during spring training.

The team's new spring training site will go from cleared land to a state-of-the-art facility by 2020. While that sounds like a long time away, Braves fans are jumping on spring training tickets now.

Tickets went on sale Saturday.

Tish Murphy, a Georgia native and Braves fan, says she's "excited they are down here in Florida now."

She’s expecting lots of visitors.

“My brother, parents and other relatives, I have a lot of people coming down here for spring training,” said Murphy.

The Braves’ $100 million spring training complex is expected to attract 73,000 visitors and inject $6 dollars into the economy -- and that’s not all. A $10 million water park and the city’s first hotel since 1973 have been approved.

Also, the North Port Chamber says it’s getting lots of calls from businesses interested in moving near the Braves.

Some nearby homeowners are not too happy the Braves are moving across the street, however.

“Unfortunately it means more traffic, more roads will need to be built to accommodate all the folks coming during that time,” said Louise Elleo, who lives nearby.

The Braves are working with the city and county to meet the infrastructure demands.

Mike Dunn, the team's vice president of Florida operations, said, “We will be able to support the traffic ingress and egress of our fans it’s a concern for us as well.”

Murphy added, “We’re going to be proud to have them down here … they’re America’s team.”

The team will play next season in Orlando except for their last game. The final game will be played at their new home in North Port and mark the stadium’s official opening.


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