Downtown Atlanta is hitting a home run with the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia's recent nod to construct a new baseball stadium for Georgia State University (GSU). The university's baseball program is set to move closer to the heart of campus, ditching their current digs, a 12-mile trek away in Panthersville, in favor of a more central locale on GSU's Green Lot along Pollard Boulevard. This old chunk of real estate isn't just any parcel of land—it's a slice of sports history, sitting right on the former stomping grounds of the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, according to Georgia State Sports.
With its eyes set on February 2026 for the first pitch in their new 1,000-seat arena, GSU is ready to play ball in style, and they've secured a cool $15.85 million to make it happen. The cash flow comes courtesy of a combination of GSU Athletic Association's reserves and gifts, and Foundation funds and gifts. "We thank the Board of Regents and staff for their support," Charlie Cobb, Director of Athletics at GSU, told FOX 5 Atlanta. "There is a lot of work ahead, but this is a very exciting day for Georgia State Athletics."
The new stadium isn't just about nail-biting games and hot dogs. It's also a hat tip to the late, great Hank Aaron, whose statue currently gracing the entry plaza at Center Parc Credit Union Stadium will be on move to the new site. It's a tribute to the legend's record-breaking 715th home run, famously knocked out of the park at the old Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium back on April 8, 1974.
This development play is more than just a boon for the fans and the baseball program; it's a grand slam for the entire Summerhill neighborhood. The stadium is just a piece of GSU's 'athletics village,' nestled conveniently between Center Parc Credit Union Stadium and the swanky new GSU Convocation Center, according to Georgia State Sports. And Cobb isn't stopping at baseball—he's already eyeing the downtown move for the softball facility once they round the bases on the current project.
