Cobb approves settlement with Braves over stadium fees

Cobb Commissioners approved a settlement with the Atlanta Braves Tuesday to resolve millions in disputed fees associated with the team’s new publicly-financed stadium, SunTrust Park.

The vote split 4-1 after tense exchanges between commissioners over whether they had enough time to fully vet the settlement.

Commissioner Lisa Cupid was the sole dissenting vote. She said that the county was in danger of repeating mistakes made in 2013 when it rushed to approve the original deal with the Braves.

“We need to see everything pertaining to any agreement with this organization,” Cupid said, referring to the Braves. “That’s how we got here in the first place.”

Earlier this year, the county approached the Braves about paying $1.5 million for sewer and water at SunTrust Park. The Braves refused to pay and countered that the county owed the team $4.6 million for various expenses.

According to the settlement approved Tuesday, the Braves agree to pay the full $1.5 million for water infrastructure.

The county, for its part, will pay the Braves $120,000 for project management costs. Cobb also promised to finish paying off its obligation for transportation infrastructure.

Last year, after a disagreement over whether Cobb had satisfied a $14 million transportation obligation, the county agreed to pay $11.8 million to meet that obligation. $11.3 of that money came out of the water fund, with the remaining balance to be paid in installments. About $327,000 remains.

Chairman Mike Boyce cast the settlement as a win for the county, noting the net payment to Cobb of more than $1 million.

“The board held it’s ground,” Boyce said. “Something like this is very controversial but the bottom line is we did the right thing as a board.”

Only one resident addressed the settlement during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Ben Williams of the Cobb chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference spoke out against any additional payment to the Braves.

“It is in our interest to hold the line and not one penny more,” Williams said. “Not one penny more.”