Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: Players of the Year

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Cobb County Graphic – public record of latest pedestrian bridge design and route.

There’s more than one way for Cobb to get Braves stadium money from the state

Cobb County may have struck out in its efforts to secure state funding from the Department of Transportation for a bridge to carry pedestrians and a shuttle bus to the new Atlanta Braves’ stadium, but history shows us that county officials have other ways to get state taxpayers to chip in.

And they only have to look to the co-founders of Home Depot for an example.

The parking deck project, estimated to cost $3.5 million, is needed to make the deck stronger before shuttles can drive across the platform and access the bridge, which county officials say will cost $9 million.

While GDOT provided $42 million in grants to the county the DOT balked at the two projects most directly related to the Braves’ new stadium.

It is unclear from where the money will come to pay for the projects — and Cobb County officials wouldn’t discuss the possibilities with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Cobb watchdog Dan Klepal.

But the DOT’s refusal doesn’t necessarily end the discussion. Cobb County officials could appeal directly to Gov. Nathan Deal and their local legislators for help. Not saying that will happen, but that has long proven a successful path to get state money for projects throughout metro Atlanta.

Lawmakers routinely approve sales tax breaks for construction projects, from amphitheaters in the northern suburbs to zoo improvements in Atlanta.

Lawmakers have at least twice given sales tax breaks to Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus’ downtown aquarium: once for the original construction and another time for an expansion.

[ Ed. note: more about sneaky financing – for the Falcons – is in this report… see the link above. Don’t be surprised if a little here and a little there gets chipped in to build that new bridge. ]

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