1996 Atlanta Olympic Stadium Current Tenants Atlanta Braves (MLB) (1997-Present) Former Tenants 1996 Summer Olympics Population Base 5,831,778 On Site Parking Unknown Nearest Airport The William B Hartsfield International Airport (ATL) Designed as the centerpiece of the 1996 Olympic Games, the Olympic Stadium did seat 85,000 people for Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the eight days of athletics competition. Groundbreaking for the striking new facility was held on 10 July 1993, with completion of the field of play scheduled for first quarter 1996. Approximate construction cost was $207 million, which included conversion of the stadium after the 1996 Games to a 45,000-seat baseball facility that will serve as the new home of the National League Atlanta Braves and destruction of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, the present home of the Braves. Adjacent to the Olympic Stadium and standing tall enough to be seen by every spectator in the stadium is the Olympic Cauldron -- the dramatic, free-standing structure being built to house the Olympic Flame during the Games.

The Olympic Stadium is ACOG's single largest legacy to Atlanta and Georgia. Official 1996 Olympic Web Site - Olympic Stadium The Atlanta Games were certainly the largest (a record 197 nations competed), most logistically complicated Olympics to date and perhaps the most hyped and overcomercialized as well. Despite all the troubles that organizers faced from computer scoring snafus and transportation problems to a horrific terrorist attack, these Olympics had some of the best stories ever. The Games began so joyously with Muhammed Ali, the world's best-known sports figure now stricken by illness, igniting the Olympic cauldron. Sadly, just eight days later terror was the prevailing mood after a terrorist's bomb ripped apart a peaceful Friday evening in Centennial Olympic Park. In the explosion, one women was killed, 111 were injured and the entire world was reminded of the terror and tragedy of Munich in 1972. As they did in '72, the games would go on. In track and field, Michael Johnson delivered on his much-anticipated, yet still startling, double in the 200 and 400 meters.

One thing that many didn't foresee is that he would be matched by France's Marie-Jose Perec, who converted her own 200 - 400 double, albeit with much less attention. Carl Lewis pulled out one last bit of magic to win the long jump for the ninth gold medal of his amazing Olympic career. Donovan Bailey set a world record in the 100 and led Canada to a win over a faltering U.S. team in the 4x100 relay. The U.S. women's gymnastics squad took the team gold after Kerri Strug hobbled up and completed her final gutsy vault in the games most compelling moment. Swimmer Amy Van Dyken became the first American woman to win four golds in a single games. Ireland's Michelle Smith won 3 golds (and a bronze) of her own but her victories were somewhat tainted by controversy surrounding unproven charges of drug use. The USA faired well in team sports also. The men's basketball "Dream Team" was back, and, predictably, stomped the competition on their way back to the winner's podium. Also the U.S. women won gold at the Olympic debut of two sports: softball and soccer.

Source: 1998 Information Please Sports Almanac Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 PAUL NEWBERRY (AP Sports Writer) Share View photos This photo combo shows a July 27, 1996 file photo, at top, of an investigator walking past the bloody scene of a deadly explosion in Centennial Olympic Park during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta and at bottom, pedestrians making their way past the same scene Thursday, July 21, 2016, in Atlanta. The park was the hub of the games, a gathering spot for sponsor tents and nightly concerts. Tragedy struck when a deadly bombing ripped through the park but it emerged afterward as a catalyst of downtown development, now surrounded by the hugely popular Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, College Football Hall of Fame, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and a giant ferris wheel.

(AP Photo/John Gaps III, File, John Bazemore) More ATLANTA (AP) -- Twenty years after the Olympics were held in Atlanta, some remnants of that improbable summer remain a highly visible part of the city's landscape, while others quickly faded away. Centennial Olympic Park and Turner Field - known as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 - were the greatest legacy of those games, though the latter faces an uncertain future after just 20 seasons as home of baseball's Atlanta Braves , who are moving to a new suburban stadium next year. Other venues barely outlasted the extinguishing of the Olympic flame, while still more failed to live up to their intended purpose. A look at Atlanta's Olympic facilities two decades later: CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC STADIUM: The 85,000-seat main stadium was site of athletics ( Michael Johnson 's world record, Carl Lewis' farewell) and both the opening and closing ceremonies (Muhammad Ali's poignant lighting of the torch). Afterward, the arena was converted into a 50,000-seat baseball park and renamed after the longtime owner of the Braves, Ted Turner.

It hosted both the World Series and the All-Star Game during its early years, but the Braves have fallen on hard times and are moving to SunTrust Park in 2017. Georgia State is exploring the possibility of another conversion, which would downsize Turner Field into a 30,000-seat football stadium. GEORGIA DOME: A divider transformed this 70,000-seat football stadium into two separate arenas - one the site of second Olympic Dream Team winning gold in men's basketball, the other where the Magnificent Seven captured America's first victory in women's team gymnastics. Just 25 years after its opening, the dome is slated for demolition after $1.4 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium opens next door in 2017. CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK: This was the hub of the games, a gathering spot for sponsor tents and nightly concerts. Tragedy struck midway through the Olympics when a deadly bombing ripped through the park, but it emerged afterward as a catalyst of downtown development, now surrounded by the hugely popular Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, College Football Hall of Fame, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and a giant Ferris wheel.

GEORGIA TECH AQUATIC CENTER: Temporary seating was used during the Olympics, providing a 14,600-seat main pool for swimming, diving and synchronized swimming. There also was a 4,000-seat temporary pool for water polo. After the games, Georgia Tech enclosed the facility and reduced capacity to just under 2,000. This year, it hosted the NCAA swimming championships as well as a pre-Olympic camp for the U.S. swim team before it departed for the Rio Olympics. GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER: One of the world's largest convention centers (and even more sprawling today after a post-Games expansion), it was divided into five separate arenas during the Olympics, reducing the need for wasteful new venues for fencing, handball, judo, table tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. That became a model for future Olympics. ATLANTA-FULTON COUNTY STADIUM: Site of baseball during the Olympics, the former home of the Atlanta Braves served out the 1996 season, then was imploded the following summer to make way for a parking lot serving adjacent Turner Field.

OMNI COLISEUM: Just a week before Atlanta Stadium came down, this facility used for volleyball during the Olympics met the same fate. Philips Arena now occupies the site. GEORGIA INTERNATIONAL HORSE PARK: Equestrian, modern pentathlon and the first Olympic mountain bike competition were held at the park about 30 miles east of Atlanta. It remains an equestrian and events center, with horse and mountain bike trails plus an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course open to the public. STONE MOUNTAIN PARK ARCHERY CENTER AND VELODROME: Temporary facilities for archery and track cycling came down shortly after the Olympics. The site is now part of a songbird and habitat trail. STONE MOUNTAIN TENNIS CENTER: A permanent tennis facility built in a corner of Stone Mountain Park quickly became a money loser and now sits idle, weeds growing through the outer courts and the scoreboard in disrepair. SANFORD STADIUM (Athens, Georgia): The home of the Georgia Bulldogs football team hosted soccer finals, including the U.S. memorably winning the first women's gold.

The stadium known for its famous hedges (which were taken down during the Olympics and then re-planted) has been expanded to hold more than 92,000. Read More ALEXANDER MEMORIAL COLISEUM: Site of boxing in 1996, Georgia Tech's basketball arena underwent a massive renovation that completely gutted the interior of the building. It reopened in 2012 as gleaming McCamish Pavilion. HERNDON STADIUM: Perhaps the saddest legacy of the games, this 15,000-seat stadium was used during the filming of the movie ''We Are Marshall'' but was abandoned after Morris Brown College ran into financial difficulties. Gutted by vandals, it is now covered in graffiti and piles of trash. LAKE LANIER (Gainesville, Georgia): This man-made lake still has its rowing facilities, which have been used for major competitions over the last two decades. This year, it hosted an Olympic qualifier for Rio. WOLF CREEK SHOOTING COMPLEX: Some facilities remain at this suburban venue now known as the Tom Lowe Shooting Grounds, but it no longer holds major international events.

ATLANTA BEACH: Located south of the city, this venue was site of the first Olympic beach volleyball tournament. It was renamed Clayton County International Park, with the main stadium now used for concerts and other events though the park still includes several beach volleyball courts, as well as a water park, lake and biking trails. GOLDEN PARK (Columbus, Georgia): The 5,000-seat stadium, about a two-hour drive from Atlanta, was used for the first Olympic softball competition. It served for years as home to minor league baseball, but the last of those teams, the Columbus Catfish, left after the 2008 season. The stadium remains but no longer has a major tenant. OTHER VENUES: Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum (volleyball preliminaries), Georgia State's GSU Sports Arena (badminton), Clark-Atlanta's Panther Stadium (field hockey) and Morehouse's Forbes Arena (basketball preliminaries) are still used by their respective colleges. In fact, Panther Stadium now holds the athletics track used during the Olympics.

The Ocoee Whitewater Center in Tennessee (whitewater canoeing) and Wassaw Sound near coastal Savannah, Georgia (sailing) were temporary venues. Preliminary soccer matches were held in four stadiums outside Atlanta. Birmingham's Legion Field, Orlando's Citrus Bowl and Washington's RFK Stadium are still in use, while Miami's Orange Bowl was torn down to make way for a new baseball stadium. --- Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at . His work can be found at . Reblog Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 - Sports - The Daily Register - Harrisburg, IL - Harrisburg, IL Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 Comment By Paul Newberry, The Associated Press The Daily Register - Harrisburg, IL By Paul Newberry, The Associated Press Posted Jul. 29, 2016 at 3:53 AM Updated Jul 29, 2016 at 6:45 AM By Paul Newberry, The Associated Press Posted Jul.

29, 2016 at 3:53 AM Updated Jul 29, 2016 at 6:45 AM ATLANTA (AP) " Twenty years after the Olympics were held in Atlanta, some remnants of that improbable summer remain a highly visible part of the city's landscape, while others quickly faded away. Centennial Olympic Park and Turner Field " known as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 " were the greatest legacy of those games, though the latter faces an uncertain future after just 20 seasons as home of baseball's Atlanta Braves, who are moving to a new suburban stadium next year. Other venues barely outlasted the extinguishing of the Olympic flame, while still more failed to live up to their intended purpose. A look at Atlanta's Olympic facilities two decades later: CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC STADIUM: The 85,000-seat main stadium was site of athletics (Michael Johnson's world record, Carl Lewis' farewell) and both the opening and closing ceremonies (Muhammad Ali's poignant lighting of the torch).

Afterward, the arena was converted into a 50,000-seat baseball park and renamed after the longtime owner of the Braves, Ted Turner. It hosted both the World Series and the All-Star Game during its early years, but the Braves have fallen on hard times and are moving to SunTrust Park in 2017. Georgia State is exploring the possibility of another conversion, which would downsize Turner Field into a 30,000-seat football stadium. GEORGIA DOME: A divider transformed this 70,000-seat football stadium into two separate arenas " one the site of second Olympic Dream Team winning gold in men's basketball, the other where the Magnificent Seven captured America's first victory in women's team gymnastics. Just 25 years after its opening, the dome is slated for demolition after $1.4 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium opens next door in 2017. CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK: This was the hub of the games, a gathering spot for sponsor tents and nightly concerts.

Tragedy struck midway through the Olympics when a deadly bombing ripped through the park, but it emerged afterward as a catalyst of downtown development, now surrounded by the hugely popular Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, College Football Hall of Fame, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and a giant Ferris wheel. GEORGIA TECH AQUATIC CENTER: Temporary seating was used during the Olympics, providing a 14,600-seat main pool for swimming, diving and synchronized swimming. There also was a 4,000-seat temporary pool for water polo. After the games, Georgia Tech enclosed the facility and reduced capacity to just under 2,000. This year, it hosted the NCAA swimming championships as well as a pre-Olympic camp for the U.S. swim team before it departed for the Rio Olympics. GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER: One of the world's largest convention centers (and even more sprawling today after a post-Games expansion), it was divided into five separate arenas during the Olympics, reducing the need for wasteful new venues for fencing, handball, judo, table tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. That became a model for future Olympics.

Page 2 of 3 - ATLANTA-FULTON COUNTY STADIUM: Site of baseball during the Olympics, the former home of the Atlanta Braves served out the 1996 season, then was imploded the following summer to make way for a parking lot serving adjacent Turner Field. OMNI COLISEUM: Just a week before Atlanta Stadium came down, this facility used for volleyball during the Olympics met the same fate. Philips Arena now occupies the site. GEORGIA INTERNATIONAL HORSE PARK: Equestrian, modern pentathlon and the first Olympic mountain bike competition were held at the park about 30 miles east of Atlanta. It remains an equestrian and events center, with horse and mountain bike trails plus an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course open to the public. STONE MOUNTAIN PARK ARCHERY CENTER AND VELODROME: Temporary facilities for archery and track cycling came down shortly after the Olympics. The site is now part of a songbird and habitat trail. STONE MOUNTAIN TENNIS CENTER: A permanent tennis facility built in a corner of Stone Mountain Park quickly became a money loser and now sits idle, weeds growing through the outer courts and the scoreboard in disrepair.

SANFORD STADIUM (Athens, Georgia): The home of the Georgia Bulldogs football team hosted soccer finals, including the U.S. memorably winning the first women's gold. The stadium known for its famous hedges (which were taken down during the Olympics and then re-planted) has been expanded to hold more than 92,000. ALEXANDER MEMORIAL COLISEUM: Site of boxing in 1996, Georgia Tech's basketball arena underwent a massive renovation that completely gutted the interior of the building. It reopened in 2012 as gleaming McCamish Pavilion. HERNDON STADIUM: Perhaps the saddest legacy of the games, this 15,000-seat stadium was used during the filming of the movie "We Are Marshall" but was abandoned after Morris Brown College ran into financial difficulties. Gutted by vandals, it is now covered in graffiti and piles of trash. LAKE LANIER (Gainesville, Georgia): This man-made lake still has its rowing facilities, which have been used for major competitions over the last two decades. This year, it hosted an Olympic qualifier for Rio.

WOLF CREEK SHOOTING COMPLEX: Some facilities remain at this suburban venue now known as the Tom Lowe Shooting Grounds, but it no longer holds major international events. ATLANTA BEACH: Located south of the city, this venue was site of the first Olympic beach volleyball tournament. It was renamed Clayton County International Park, with the main stadium now used for concerts and other events though the park still includes several beach volleyball courts, as well as a water park, lake and biking trails. GOLDEN PARK (Columbus, Georgia): The 5,000-seat stadium, about a two-hour drive from Atlanta, was used for the first Olympic softball competition. It served for years as home to minor league baseball, but the last of those teams, the Columbus Catfish, left after the 2008 season. The stadium remains but no longer has a major tenant. Page 3 of 3 - OTHER VENUES: Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum (volleyball preliminaries), Georgia State's GSU Sports Arena (badminton), Clark-Atlanta's Panther Stadium (field hockey) and Morehouse's Forbes Arena (basketball preliminaries) are still used by their respective colleges.

In fact, Panther Stadium now holds the athletics track used during the Olympics. The Ocoee Whitewater Center in Tennessee (whitewater canoeing) and Wassaw Sound near coastal Savannah, Georgia (sailing) were temporary venues. Preliminary soccer matches were held in four stadiums outside Atlanta. Birmingham's Legion Field, Orlando's Citrus Bowl and Washington's RFK Stadium are still in use, while Miami's Orange Bowl was torn down to make way for a new baseball stadium. ___ Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 — Jul. 29, 2016 3:43 AM EDT You are here Home » Michael Johnson » Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 Share Tumblr In this Tuesday, July 19, 2016 photo, Clayton County International Park, formerly known as Atlanta Beach, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games beach volleyball events, stands in Jonesboro, Ga., Located south of the city, this venue was site of the first Olympic beach volleyball tournament.

It was renamed Clayton County International Park and is now used for concerts, surrounded by a water park, athletics fields and bike trails. (AP Photo/David Goldman) In this Tuesday, July 19, 2016 photo, Stone Mountain Tennis Center, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games tennis events, sits vacant in Stone Mountain, Ga. The permanent tennis facility built in a corner of Stone Mountain Park quickly became a money loser and now sits idle, weeds growing through the outer courts and the scoreboard in disrepair. (AP Photo/David Goldman) In this Tuesday, July 19, 2016 photo, the derelict netting and scoreboard in the background on a tennis court stand at the Stone Mountain Tennis Center, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games tennis events, in Stone Mountain, Ga. The permanent tennis facility built in a corner of Stone Mountain Park quickly became a money loser and now sits idle, weeds growing through the outer courts and the scoreboard in disrepair.

(AP Photo/David Goldman) In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo, a diver stands on a diving board during practice at Georgia Tech's McAuley Aquatic Center, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games swimming, diving, and synchronized swimming events in Atlanta. Temporary seating was used during the Olympics, providing a 14,600-seat main pool for swimming, diving and synchronized swimming. There also was a 4,000-seat temporary pool for water polo. After the games, Georgia Tech enclosed the facility and reduced capacity to just under 2,000. This year, it hosted the NCAA swimming championships as well as a pre-Olympic camp for the U.S. swim team before it departed for the Rio Olympics. (AP Photo/David Goldman) In this Wednesday, July 20, 2016 photo, a visitor takes a photo of what used to be Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games baseball event, and former home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team in Atlanta.

The stadium served out the 1996 baseball season, then was imploded the following summer to make way for a parking lot serving adjacent Turner Field seen in the background. Turner Field also served as Centennial Olympic Stadium, home of the opening and closing ceremonies and athletic events. (AP Photo/David Goldman) In this Tuesday, July 19, 2016 photo, a scoreboard in derelict condition stands at the Stone Mountain Tennis Center, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games tennis events, in Stone Mountain, Ga. The permanent tennis facility built in a corner of Stone Mountain Park quickly became a money loser and now sits idle, weeds growing through the outer courts and the scoreboard in disrepair. (AP Photo/David Goldman) This photo combo shows a July 27, 1996 file photo, top, of the Atlanta skyline as Olympic fans line up to enter the Alexander Memorial Coliseum to see boxing at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games and as a pedestrian makes their way, at bottom, toward the now renovated McCamish Pavilion, home to the Georgia Tech men's basketball team in Atlanta.

(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File, David Goldman) This photo combo shows a July 19, 1996 file photo of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony at Centennial Olympic Stadium, top, and a Friday July 15, 2016 photo of fireworks after an Atlanta Braves baseball game at what is now named Turner Field in Atlanta. The 85,000-seat main stadium was the site of athletics and both the opening and closing ceremonies. Afterward, the arena was converted into a 50,000-seat baseball park and renamed after the Braves' owner, Ted Turner. The Braves have fallen on hard times and are moving to SunTrust Park in 2017. Georgia State is exploring the possibility of another conversion, which would downsize Turner Field into a 30,000-seat football stadium. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke, File, John Bazemore) This photo combo shows an Aug.

1, 1996 file photo of Germany's equestrian team celebrating after wining the gold medal, top, in show jumping at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, Ga., and an Oct. 19, 2013 file photo of participants at bottom running alongside charging bulls during the Great Bull Run at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, Ga. The park, about 30 miles east of Atlanta, remains an equestrian and events center, with horse and mountain bike trails plus an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course open to the public. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, David Goldman, File) In this Monday, July 18, 2016 photo, a statue of a gymnast stands between the Georgia Dome, right, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games gymnastics and basketball events and current home of the Atlanta Falcons football team, and the Falcons' new stadium under construction at left.

A divider transformed the Georgia Dome, a 70,000-seat football stadium into two separate arenas, one the site of second Olympic Dream Team winning gold in men's basketball, the other where the Magnificent Seven captured America's first victory in women's team gymnastics. Just 25 years after its opening, the dome is slated for demolition after $1.4 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium opens next door in 2017. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) In this Tuesday, July 19, 2016 photo, the tower at Lake Lanier Olympic Park, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games rowing events, stands after being renovated in Gainesville, Ga. This man-made lake still has its rowing facilities, which have been used for major competitions over the last two decades. This year, it hosted an Olympic qualifier for Rio and will host the Dragon Boat World Championships in 2018.

(AP Photo/David Goldman) In this Thursday, July 21, 2016 photo, the Olympic rings and torch from the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta stand near the formerly named Centennial Olympic Stadium, now Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team in Atlanta. Twenty years after the Olympics were held in Atlanta, some remnants of that improbable summer remain a highly visible part of the city's landscape, while others quickly faded away. (AP Photo/David Goldman) In this Thursday, July 21, 2016 photo, Georgia International Horse Park, home of equestrian, modern pentathlon and the first Olympic mountain bike competition at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, is seen in Conyers, Ga. The park, about 30 miles east of Atlanta, remains an equestrian and events center, with horse and mountain bike trails plus an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course open to the public.

(AP Photo/John Bazemore) In this Wednesday, July 20, 2016 photo, visitors stand next a piece of the outfield wall of what used to be Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games baseball event, and former home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team in Atlanta. The stadium served out the 1996 baseball season, then was imploded the following summer to make way for a parking lot serving adjacent Turner Field. (AP Photo/David Goldman) In this Monday, July 18, 2016 photo, Herndon Stadium, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games field hockey events sits vacant in Atlanta. Perhaps the saddest legacy of the games, this 15,000-seat stadium was used during the filming of the movie "We Are Marshall" but was abandoned after Morris Brown College ran into financial difficulties. Gutted by vandals, it is now covered in graffiti and piles of trash. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo, people play in the fountains shaped by the Olympic rings at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta.

This was the hub of the games, a gathering spot for sponsor tents and nightly concerts. Tragedy struck midway through the Olympics when a deadly bombing ripped through the park, but it emerged afterward as a catalyst of downtown development, now surrounded by the hugely popular Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, College Football Hall of Fame, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and a giant ferris wheel. (AP Photo/David Goldman) In this Saturday, July 16, 2016 photo, the formerly named Centennial Olympic Stadium, now Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team, is seen during a game in Atlanta. The 85,000-seat main stadium was site of athletics (Michael Johnson's world record, Carl Lewis' farewell) and both the opening and closing ceremonies (Muhammad Ali's poignant lighting of the torch). Afterward, the arena was converted into a 50,000-seat baseball park and renamed after the longtime owner of the Braves, Ted Turner. It hosted both the World Series and the All-Star Game during its early years, but the Braves have fallen on hard times and are moving to SunTrust Park in 2017.

(AP Photo/John Bazemore) In this Thursday, July 21, 2016 photo, the Olympic rings from the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta stands against the downtown skyline in Atlanta. Twenty years after the Olympics were held in Atlanta, some remnants of that improbable summer remain a highly visible part of the city's landscape, while others quickly faded away. (AP Photo/David Goldman) In this Monday, July 18, 2016 photo, Herndon Stadium, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games field hockey events sits vacant in Atlanta. Perhaps the saddest legacy of the games, this 15,000-seat stadium was used during the filming of the movie "We Are Marshall" but was abandoned after Morris Brown College ran into financial difficulties. Gutted by vandals, it is now covered in graffiti and piles of trash. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) In this Tuesday, July 19, 2016 photo, a rower moves past the launching docks at Lake Lanier Olympic Park, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games rowing events, in Gainesville, Ga.

This man-made lake still has its rowing facilities, which have been used for major competitions over the last two decades. This year, it hosted an Olympic qualifier for Rio and will host the Dragon Boat World Championships in 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman) In this Thursday, July 21, 2016 photo, boxing gloves hang from the rafters of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games torch near the formerly named Centennial Olympic Stadium, now Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team in Atlanta. Twenty years after the Olympics were held in Atlanta, some remnants of that improbable summer remain a highly visible part of the city's landscape, while others quickly faded away. (AP Photo/David Goldman) This photo combo shows a July 19, 1996 file photo before the start of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony at Centennial Olympic Stadium, top, and a July 4, 2012 file photo during the National Anthem at a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs in what is now named Turner Field in Atlanta. The 85,000-seat main stadium was the site of athletics and both the opening and closing ceremonies.

Afterward, the arena was converted into a 50,000-seat baseball park and renamed after the Braves' owner, Ted Turner. The Braves have fallen on hard times and are moving to SunTrust Park in 2017. Georgia State is exploring the possibility of another conversion, which would downsize Turner Field into a 30,000-seat football stadium.(AP Photo/John Gaps III, David Goldman, File) This photo combo shows a July 27, 1996 file photo, at top, of an investigator walking past the bloody scene of a deadly explosion in Centennial Olympic Park during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta and at bottom, pedestrians making their way past the same scene Thursday, July 21, 2016, in Atlanta. The park was the hub of the games, a gathering spot for sponsor tents and nightly concerts. Tragedy struck when a deadly bombing ripped through the park but it emerged afterward as a catalyst of downtown development, now surrounded by the hugely popular Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, College Football Hall of Fame, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and a giant ferris wheel.

(AP Photo/John Gaps III, File, John Bazemore) Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 | WOAI Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 by PAUL NEWBERRY, AP Sports Writer In this Tuesday, July 19, 2016 photo, the tower at Lake Lanier Olympic Park, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games rowing events, stands after being renovated in Gainesville, Ga. This man-made lake still has its rowing facilities, which have been used for major competitions over the last two decades. This year, it hosted an Olympic qualifier for Rio and will host the Dragon Boat World Championships in 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman) 23 photos AA ATLANTA (AP) — Twenty years after the Olympics were held in Atlanta, some remnants of that improbable summer remain a highly visible part of the city's landscape, while others quickly faded away.

Centennial Olympic Park and Turner Field — known as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 — were the greatest legacy of those games, though the latter faces an uncertain future after just 20 seasons as home of baseball's Atlanta Braves, who are moving to a new suburban stadium next year. Other venues barely outlasted the extinguishing of the Olympic flame, while still more failed to live up to their intended purpose. A look at Atlanta's Olympic facilities two decades later: CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC STADIUM: The 85,000-seat main stadium was site of athletics (Michael Johnson's world record, Carl Lewis' farewell) and both the opening and closing ceremonies (Muhammad Ali's poignant lighting of the torch). Afterward, the arena was converted into a 50,000-seat baseball park and renamed after the longtime owner of the Braves, Ted Turner. It hosted both the World Series and the All-Star Game during its early years, but the Braves have fallen on hard times and are moving to SunTrust Park in 2017. Georgia State is exploring the possibility of another conversion, which would downsize Turner Field into a 30,000-seat football stadium.

GEORGIA DOME: A divider transformed this 70,000-seat football stadium into two separate arenas — one the site of second Olympic Dream Team winning gold in men's basketball, the other where the Magnificent Seven captured America's first victory in women's team gymnastics. Just 25 years after its opening, the dome is slated for demolition after $1.4 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium opens next door in 2017. CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK: This was the hub of the games, a gathering spot for sponsor tents and nightly concerts. Tragedy struck midway through the Olympics when a deadly bombing ripped through the park, but it emerged afterward as a catalyst of downtown development, now surrounded by the hugely popular Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, College Football Hall of Fame, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and a giant Ferris wheel. GEORGIA TECH AQUATIC CENTER: Temporary seating was used during the Olympics, providing a 14,600-seat main pool for swimming, diving and synchronized swimming. There also was a 4,000-seat temporary pool for water polo.

After the games, Georgia Tech enclosed the facility and reduced capacity to just under 2,000. This year, it hosted the NCAA swimming championships as well as a pre-Olympic camp for the U.S. swim team before it departed for the Rio Olympics. GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER: One of the world's largest convention centers (and even more sprawling today after a post-Games expansion), it was divided into five separate arenas during the Olympics, reducing the need for wasteful new venues for fencing, handball, judo, table tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. That became a model for future Olympics. ATLANTA-FULTON COUNTY STADIUM: Site of baseball during the Olympics, the former home of the Atlanta Braves served out the 1996 season, then was imploded the following summer to make way for a parking lot serving adjacent Turner Field. OMNI COLISEUM: Just a week before Atlanta Stadium came down, this facility used for volleyball during the Olympics met the same fate. Philips Arena now occupies the site. GEORGIA INTERNATIONAL HORSE PARK: Equestrian, modern pentathlon and the first Olympic mountain bike competition were held at the park about 30 miles east of Atlanta.

It remains an equestrian and events center, with horse and mountain bike trails plus an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course open to the public. STONE MOUNTAIN PARK ARCHERY CENTER AND VELODROME: Temporary facilities for archery and track cycling came down shortly after the Olympics. The site is now part of a songbird and habitat trail. STONE MOUNTAIN TENNIS CENTER: A permanent tennis facility built in a corner of Stone Mountain Park quickly became a money loser and now sits idle, weeds growing through the outer courts and the scoreboard in disrepair. SANFORD STADIUM (Athens, Georgia): The home of the Georgia Bulldogs football team hosted soccer finals, including the U.S. memorably winning the first women's gold. The stadium known for its famous hedges (which were taken down during the Olympics and then re-planted) has been expanded to hold more than 92,000. ALEXANDER MEMORIAL COLISEUM: Site of boxing in 1996, Georgia Tech's basketball arena underwent a massive renovation that completely gutted the interior of the building. It reopened in 2012 as gleaming McCamish Pavilion.

HERNDON STADIUM: Perhaps the saddest legacy of the games, this 15,000-seat stadium was used during the filming of the movie "We Are Marshall" but was abandoned after Morris Brown College ran into financial difficulties. Gutted by vandals, it is now covered in graffiti and piles of trash. LAKE LANIER (Gainesville, Georgia): This man-made lake still has its rowing facilities, which have been used for major competitions over the last two decades. This year, it hosted an Olympic qualifier for Rio. WOLF CREEK SHOOTING COMPLEX: Some facilities remain at this suburban venue now known as the Tom Lowe Shooting Grounds, but it no longer holds major international events. ATLANTA BEACH: Located south of the city, this venue was site of the first Olympic beach volleyball tournament. It was renamed Clayton County International Park, with the main stadium now used for concerts and other events though the park still includes several beach volleyball courts, as well as a water park, lake and biking trails. GOLDEN PARK (Columbus, Georgia): The 5,000-seat stadium, about a two-hour drive from Atlanta, was used for the first Olympic softball competition.

It served for years as home to minor league baseball, but the last of those teams, the Columbus Catfish, left after the 2008 season. The stadium remains but no longer has a major tenant. OTHER VENUES: Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum (volleyball preliminaries), Georgia State's GSU Sports Arena (badminton), Clark-Atlanta's Panther Stadium (field hockey) and Morehouse's Forbes Arena (basketball preliminaries) are still used by their respective colleges. In fact, Panther Stadium now holds the athletics track used during the Olympics. The Ocoee Whitewater Center in Tennessee (whitewater canoeing) and Wassaw Sound near coastal Savannah, Georgia (sailing) were temporary venues. Preliminary soccer matches were held in four stadiums outside Atlanta. Birmingham's Legion Field, Orlando's Citrus Bowl and Washington's RFK Stadium are still in use, while Miami's Orange Bowl was torn down to make way for a new baseball stadium.

close Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 By Paul Newberry, AP Sports Writer Posted: # Comments ATLANTA (AP) � Twenty years after the Olympics were held in Atlanta, some remnants of that improbable summer remain a highly visible part of the city's landscape, while others quickly faded away. Centennial Olympic Park and Turner Field � known as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 � were the greatest legacy of those games, though the latter faces an uncertain future after just 20 seasons as home of baseball's Atlanta Braves, who are moving to a new suburban stadium next year. Other venues barely outlasted the extinguishing of the Olympic flame, while still more failed to live up to their intended purpose. A look at Atlanta's Olympic facilities two decades later: Advertisement CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC STADIUM: The 85,000-seat main stadium was site of athletics (Michael Johnson's world record, Carl Lewis' farewell) and both the opening and closing ceremonies (Muhammad Ali's poignant lighting of the torch).

Afterward, the arena was converted into a 50,000-seat baseball park and renamed after the longtime owner of the Braves, Ted Turner. It hosted both the World Series and the All-Star Game during its early years, but the Braves have fallen on hard times and are moving to SunTrust Park in 2017. Georgia State is exploring the possibility of another conversion, which would downsize Turner Field into a 30,000-seat football stadium. GEORGIA DOME: A divider transformed this 70,000-seat football stadium into two separate arenas � one the site of second Olympic Dream Team winning gold in men's basketball, the other where the Magnificent Seven captured America's first victory in women's team gymnastics. Just 25 years after its opening, the dome is slated for demolition after $1.4 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium opens next door in 2017. CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK: This was the hub of the games, a gathering spot for sponsor tents and nightly concerts.

Tragedy struck midway through the Olympics when a deadly bombing ripped through the park, but it emerged afterward as a catalyst of downtown development, now surrounded by the hugely popular Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, College Football Hall of Fame, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and a giant Ferris wheel. GEORGIA TECH AQUATIC CENTER: Temporary seating was used during the Olympics, providing a 14,600-seat main pool for swimming, diving and synchronized swimming. There also was a 4,000-seat temporary pool for water polo. After the games, Georgia Tech enclosed the facility and reduced capacity to just under 2,000. This year, it hosted the NCAA swimming championships as well as a pre-Olympic camp for the U.S. swim team before it departed for the Rio Olympics. GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER: One of the world's largest convention centers (and even more sprawling today after a post-Games expansion), it was divided into five separate arenas during the Olympics, reducing the need for wasteful new venues for fencing, handball, judo, table tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. That became a model for future Olympics.

ATLANTA-FULTON COUNTY STADIUM: Site of baseball during the Olympics, the former home of the Atlanta Braves served out the 1996 season, then was imploded the following summer to make way for a parking lot serving adjacent Turner Field. OMNI COLISEUM: Just a week before Atlanta Stadium came down, this facility used for volleyball during the Olympics met the same fate. Philips Arena now occupies the site. GEORGIA INTERNATIONAL HORSE PARK: Equestrian, modern pentathlon and the first Olympic mountain bike competition were held at the park about 30 miles east of Atlanta. It remains an equestrian and events center, with horse and mountain bike trails plus an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course open to the public. STONE MOUNTAIN PARK ARCHERY CENTER AND VELODROME: Temporary facilities for archery and track cycling came down shortly after the Olympics. The site is now part of a songbird and habitat trail. STONE MOUNTAIN TENNIS CENTER: A permanent tennis facility built in a corner of Stone Mountain Park quickly became a money loser and now sits idle, weeds growing through the outer courts and the scoreboard in disrepair.

SANFORD STADIUM (Athens, Georgia): The home of the Georgia Bulldogs football team hosted soccer finals, including the U.S. memorably winning the first women's gold. The stadium known for its famous hedges (which were taken down during the Olympics and then re-planted) has been expanded to hold more than 92,000. ALEXANDER MEMORIAL COLISEUM: Site of boxing in 1996, Georgia Tech's basketball arena underwent a massive renovation that completely gutted the interior of the building. It reopened in 2012 as gleaming McCamish Pavilion. HERNDON STADIUM: Perhaps the saddest legacy of the games, this 15,000-seat stadium was used during the filming of the movie "We Are Marshall" but was abandoned after Morris Brown College ran into financial difficulties. Gutted by vandals, it is now covered in graffiti and piles of trash. LAKE LANIER (Gainesville, Georgia): This man-made lake still has its rowing facilities, which have been used for major competitions over the last two decades. This year, it hosted an Olympic qualifier for Rio.

WOLF CREEK SHOOTING COMPLEX: Some facilities remain at this suburban venue now known as the Tom Lowe Shooting Grounds, but it no longer holds major international events. ATLANTA BEACH: Located south of the city, this venue was site of the first Olympic beach volleyball tournament. It was renamed Clayton County International Park, with the main stadium now used for concerts and other events though the park still includes several beach volleyball courts, as well as a water park, lake and biking trails. GOLDEN PARK (Columbus, Georgia): The 5,000-seat stadium, about a two-hour drive from Atlanta, was used for the first Olympic softball competition. It served for years as home to minor league baseball, but the last of those teams, the Columbus Catfish, left after the 2008 season. The stadium remains but no longer has a major tenant. OTHER VENUES: Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum (volleyball preliminaries), Georgia State's GSU Sports Arena (badminton), Clark-Atlanta's Panther Stadium (field hockey) and Morehouse's Forbes Arena (basketball preliminaries) are still used by their respective colleges.

In fact, Panther Stadium now holds the athletics track used during the Olympics. The Ocoee Whitewater Center in Tennessee (whitewater canoeing) and Wassaw Sound near coastal Savannah, Georgia (sailing) were temporary venues. Preliminary soccer matches were held in four stadiums outside Atlanta. Birmingham's Legion Field, Orlando's Citrus Bowl and Washington's RFK Stadium are still in use, while Miami's Orange Bowl was torn down to make way for a new baseball stadium. ___ Turner Field, Atlanta Braves ballpark - Ballparks of Baseball TURNER FIELD ATLANTA, GA The 2015 season marks the second to last year the Braves will call Turner Field home before moving north of Atlanta to a new ballpark in 2017. The ballpark was originally built for the 1996 Olympics and was converted into a baseball stadium. It replaced Atlanta Fulton County Stadium , a multipurpose stadium the Braves shared with the Atlanta Falcons (NFL). During the late 1980s the Braves began pursuing a new ballpark and the city of Atlanta began to via for the Summer Olympics.

In 1990 the International Olympic Committee announced that Atlanta would host the 1996 Olympics Games leading the city and Braves to join forces in building a stadium. The stadium would first host the Olympics and then be converted to a baseball only facility. A site just south of Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, on city owned land was chose to construct the stadium. Plans for the facility were unveiled in November 1992 and construction began in July 1993. The ballpark was built and shaped for the purpose of baseball. The exterior is brick and limestone, similar to other ballparks. Temporary bleachers were built beyond the outfield fence to allow for a larger capacity for the Olympics. After the Olympics ended, the stadium was retro-fitted and converted to baseball. The columns that supported the bleachers are now posts for a fence that surrounds Monument Grove plaza. On April 4, 1997, 50,096 fans watched the Braves play their first game the state of the art ballpark. The stadium was named Turner Field after then Braves owner Ted Turner. Upon arriving at Turner Field, many fans park north of the ballpark, beyond the outfield stands.

Walking toward the ballpark, fans pass over the former site of Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. The base paths and playing field is marked out in what is now a parking lot, and part of the retaining wall of Atlanta Fulton County Stadium remains. As fans approach the ballpark they can see the brick and limestone walls of Turner Field and the blue seats in the upper deck. There are many entrances around the ballpark, with most fans entering through the Grand Entry Plaza. Inside this area includes an entertainment/concession areas of food and game filled pavilions, Scouts Alley, and Tooner Field. A 100 foot diameter photograph of Hank Aaron’s 715th homerun ball dominates the Plaza side scoreboard. Adjacent to the plaza is the Braves Hall of Fame and Monument Grove. Upon entering the ballpark fans are on the field level. Ramps, stairs, and escalators throughout Turner Field take fans to the terrace level, the Lexus level and the upper deck. The field level seating section extends from the left field foul pole around to home plate and to the right field foul pole. Additional seating is located in leftfield and in parts of right field.

The Braves bullpen is located between the field pavilion seats in right field and the opposing team's bullpen beyond the left field foul pole. Fans can walk the entire lower concourse and never loose site of the action on the field and can watch pitchers warm up in the bullpen. The next level up, the Lexus level, extends from right field to the right field foul pole around to home plate, and down and around the left field foul pole to the 755 restaurant. Not only is this the suite area, but is also an area where fans can purchase individual tickets for games. Perhaps the best part of this level is the air conditioned concourse. The upper deck extends from right field to the foul pole and around to home plate and down the third base line. From the concourse fans can see the surrounding neighborhood and the Atlanta skyline. The upper level concourse extends from behind the upper deck down the third base side into left field where the Coca-Cola Sky Field is located. This area features picnic tables, views of the stadium and the city of Atlanta, and a 38 foot tall Coke bottle.

The 80ft by 72ft high definition video board, added before the 2005 season, is located above the hitters backdrop in centerfield. Attractions at Turner Field include: Turner Beach, that is located on the right field Lexus Level patio overlooking the field and features a cabana bar, food concessions, a picnic area, and lounge chairs. Monument Grove is located in the Grand Plaza Entrance and includes statues of Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro, Ty Cobb, and many other Braves greats. Trees, park benches, and a picnic area are also located in this area. TURNER FIELD SEATING CHART Scouts Alley is located behind the left field seats and is a location where fans can learn about scouting. This area also allows fans to test their throwing and hitting skills. Trivia games and other interactive activities are located here. The Braves Chop House is an 8,000 square foot dinning restaurant located above the Braves bullpen, which allows fans to dine during the game. The Braves Clubhouse Store is located in the plaza area and features a large selection of Braves merchandise. Fans can sit outside the store and watch multiple games of baseball games being played around the country at that time.

Prior to the start of the 2005 season, the Braves spent $15 million in improvements to Turner Field. This included the new high definition video/scoreboard replacing the old one, ribbon boards were added along the upper deck and a new restaurant was constructed in right field. After the 2007 season, 158 seats were added directly behind homeplate that are only 43 feet from the action. These are the most expensive seats at the ballpark and have access to a 5,000 square foot lounge adjacent to the Braves clubhouse. In November 2014 the Atlanta Braves announced plans to build a new stadium, SunTrust Park , in Cobb County, moving there in 2017. The team's 20 year lease ends at Turner Field after the 2016 season allowing the Braves to move. Team officials stated Turner Field would require at least $150 million in infrastructure work, new seats and other work to remain a viable option for the Braves. In December 2015 the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation board announced that Georgia State purchased the stadium and parking lots.

It will be redevloped as a smaller stadium for the Georgia State football team and other sports programs. FACTS & FIGURES Atlanta's Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 | WTOP Home » Latest News » Sports » Atlanta's Olympic venues meet… Atlanta’s Olympic venues meet varying fates since 1996 By The Associated Press July 29, 2016 3:43 am 07/29/2016 03:43am 15 Shares Twenty years after the Olympics were held in Atlanta, some facilities remain highly visible, while others quickly faded away. See photos. In this Tuesday, July 19, 2016 photo, Stone Mountain Tennis Center, home of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games tennis events, sits vacant in Stone Mountain, Ga. The permanent tennis facility built in a corner of Stone Mountain Park quickly became a money loser and now sits idle, weeds growing through the outer courts and the scoreboard in disrepair.

(AP Photo/David Goldman) ATLANTA (AP) — Twenty years after the Olympics were held in Atlanta, some remnants of that improbable summer remain a highly visible part of the city’s landscape, while others quickly faded away. Centennial Olympic Park and Turner Field — known as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 — were the greatest legacy of those games, though the latter faces an uncertain future after just 20 seasons as home of baseball’s Atlanta Braves, who are moving to a new suburban stadium next year. Other venues barely outlasted the extinguishing of the Olympic flame, while still more failed to live up to their intended purpose. A look at Atlanta’s Olympic facilities two decades later: CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC STADIUM: The 85,000-seat main stadium was site of athletics (Michael Johnson’s world record, Carl Lewis’ farewell) and both the opening and closing ceremonies (Muhammad Ali’s poignant lighting of the torch). Afterward, the arena was converted into a 50,000-seat baseball park and renamed after the longtime owner of the Braves, Ted Turner.

It hosted both the World Series and the All-Star Game during its early years, but the Braves have fallen on hard times and are moving to SunTrust Park in 2017. Georgia State is exploring the possibility of another conversion, which would downsize Turner Field into a 30,000-seat football stadium. GEORGIA DOME: A divider transformed this 70,000-seat football stadium into two separate arenas — one the site of second Olympic Dream Team winning gold in men’s basketball, the other where the Magnificent Seven captured America’s first victory in women’s team gymnastics. Just 25 years after its opening, the dome is slated for demolition after $1.4 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium opens next door in 2017. CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK: This was the hub of the games, a gathering spot for sponsor tents and nightly concerts. Tragedy struck midway through the Olympics when a deadly bombing ripped through the park, but it emerged afterward as a catalyst of downtown development, now surrounded by the hugely popular Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, College Football Hall of Fame, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and a giant Ferris wheel.

GEORGIA TECH AQUATIC CENTER: Temporary seating was used during the Olympics, providing a 14,600-seat main pool for swimming, diving and synchronized swimming. There also was a 4,000-seat temporary pool for water polo. After the games, Georgia Tech enclosed the facility and reduced capacity to just under 2,000. This year, it hosted the NCAA swimming championships as well as a pre-Olympic camp for the U.S. swim team before it departed for the Rio Olympics. GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER: One of the world’s largest convention centers (and even more sprawling today after a post-Games expansion), it was divided into five separate arenas during the Olympics, reducing the need for wasteful new venues for fencing, handball, judo, table tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. That became a model for future Olympics. ATLANTA-FULTON COUNTY STADIUM: Site of baseball during the Olympics, the former home of the Atlanta Braves served out the 1996 season, then was imploded the following summer to make way for a parking lot serving adjacent Turner Field.

OMNI COLISEUM: Just a week before Atlanta Stadium came down, this facility used for volleyball during the Olympics met the same fate. Philips Arena now occupies the site. GEORGIA INTERNATIONAL HORSE PARK: Equestrian, modern pentathlon and the first Olympic mountain bike competition were held at the park about 30 miles east of Atlanta. It remains an equestrian and events center, with horse and mountain bike trails plus an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course open to the public. STONE MOUNTAIN PARK ARCHERY CENTER AND VELODROME: Temporary facilities for archery and track cycling came down shortly after the Olympics. The site is now part of a songbird and habitat trail. STONE MOUNTAIN TENNIS CENTER: A permanent tennis facility built in a corner of Stone Mountain Park quickly became a money loser and now sits idle, weeds growing through the outer courts and the scoreboard in disrepair. SANFORD STADIUM (Athens, Georgia): The home of the Georgia Bulldogs football team hosted soccer finals, including the U.S. memorably winning the first women’s gold.

The stadium known for its famous hedges (which were taken down during the Olympics and then re-planted) has been expanded to hold more than 92,000. ALEXANDER MEMORIAL COLISEUM: Site of boxing in 1996, Georgia Tech’s basketball arena underwent a massive renovation that completely gutted the interior of the building. It reopened in 2012 as gleaming McCamish Pavilion. HERNDON STADIUM: Perhaps the saddest legacy of the games, this 15,000-seat stadium was used during the filming of the movie “We Are Marshall” but was abandoned after Morris Brown College ran into financial difficulties. Gutted by vandals, it is now covered in graffiti and piles of trash. LAKE LANIER (Gainesville, Georgia): This man-made lake still has its rowing facilities, which have been used for major competitions over the last two decades. This year, it hosted an Olympic qualifier for Rio. WOLF CREEK SHOOTING COMPLEX: Some facilities remain at this suburban venue now known as the Tom Lowe Shooting Grounds, but it no longer holds major international events.

ATLANTA BEACH: Located south of the city, this venue was site of the first Olympic beach volleyball tournament. It was renamed Clayton County International Park, with the main stadium now used for concerts and other events though the park still includes several beach volleyball courts, as well as a water park, lake and biking trails. GOLDEN PARK (Columbus, Georgia): The 5,000-seat stadium, about a two-hour drive from Atlanta, was used for the first Olympic softball competition. It served for years as home to minor league baseball, but the last of those teams, the Columbus Catfish, left after the 2008 season. The stadium remains but no longer has a major tenant. OTHER VENUES: Georgia’s Stegeman Coliseum (volleyball preliminaries), Georgia State’s GSU Sports Arena (badminton), Clark-Atlanta’s Panther Stadium (field hockey) and Morehouse’s Forbes Arena (basketball preliminaries) are still used by their respective colleges. In fact, Panther Stadium now holds the athletics track used during the Olympics.

The Ocoee Whitewater Center in Tennessee (whitewater canoeing) and Wassaw Sound near coastal Savannah, Georgia (sailing) were temporary venues. Preliminary soccer matches were held in four stadiums outside Atlanta. Birmingham’s Legion Field, Orlando’s Citrus Bowl and Washington’s RFK Stadium are still in use, while Miami’s Orange Bowl was torn down to make way for a new baseball stadium. ___

Question: Which baseball team play home games at Atlanta's 1996 Olympic Stadium that was converted and renamed 'Turner Field'?
Answer: Atlanta BRAVES