Atlanta City Council Passes Resolution Urging Continued Negotiations With Braves

Councilman Michael Julian Bond said he didn’t want the history books to show the City Council didn’t at least try.

“I spoke to citizens that have stopped me for the last week and have cried or cursed me out about what has happened,” said Bond. “They’re demanding to know why the City Council has not taken a position, has not spoken out, has not said why or gone after the Braves or at least tried to put a log in front of the train that’s headed to Cobb County.”

Bond’s resolution passed by an 11-2 vote after language was taken out that showed the city was willing to offer up to $200 million to keep the Braves in Atlanta.

Before voting for the resolution, Councilwoman Felicia Moore criticized Mayor Kasim Reed for keeping council members in the dark during negotiations with the team.

“It was the mayor who did not do the due diligence,” said Moore. “Instead of assuming that we would or wouldn’t, there should have been a point in time prior to all of this blowing up that he came to the Council and say ‘here’s where we are.’”

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Carla Smith, whose district includes Turner Field, says a task force is in the works that will develop ideas for the stadium area if and when the Braves relocate.