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Braves’ new stadium has a name _ SunTrust Park

By WTOP Staff

PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — The Braves are still more than two years away from moving into their new suburban ballpark.

They already know what it will be called.

At a groundbreaking celebration Tuesday, the Braves announced a naming rights deal with Georgia’s largest bank that will result in the 41,500-seat stadium being known as SunTrust Park.

The ceremony was attended by a host of team and government officials, including Gov. Nathan Deal, as well as Major League Baseball’s next commissioner, Rob Manfred, and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron.

The stadium is scheduled to open in 2017.

“A day like today is great testament to the strength of Major League Baseball, the strength of our product, and the depth that communities feel in terms of their attachment to the game,” said Manfred, who was recently elected as Bud Selig’s replacement.

The Braves have touted the stadium as not only a new place to play baseball, but a chance to fully integrate a mixed-used development that will give fans other things to do before and after the game. Those amenities are lacking in the neighborhood surrounding Turner Field, the team’s current home near downtown Atlanta.

Still, the move to a new stadium — announced last November — was stunner because Turner Field is less than two decades old. It was built as the main stadium for the 1996 Summer Olympics, then was converted to a 50,000-seat baseball park for the Braves.

Crews have been clearing the 60-acre site, even while the team is still finalizing designs of the hurried project. The groundbreaking took place under a tent set up in the middle of the massive construction zone.

Details of the 25-year sponsorship with SunTrust were not released, but Braves Chairman Terry McGuirk said naming rights already were factored into the projected $622 million cost of the stadium.

Braves President John Schuerholz said the next stadium will include a four-story “Chop House” restaurant overlooking the field, as well as field-level seats behind the right-field fence that will give fans a unique perspective. There also are plans for a boutique hotel, apartment homes, shops and restaurants surrounding the stadium, though the team has not provided specific details on those phases of the project.

“The feel of this new ballpark will foster a one-of-a-kind experience unrivaled in all of baseball,” Schuerholz said. “A new level of intimacy at a baseball park will be created.”

The city of Atlanta is still considering possible uses for the Turner Field site when the Braves leave, including a proposal from Georgia State University to convert it into a 30,000-seat football stadium.

In an interesting twist, the Braves celebrated the future while their current team fades from contention in the playoff race, having lost 11 of 14 games. The Washington Nationals clinched the NL East — at Turner Field, no less — with a 3-0 victory over Atlanta on Tuesday night.

The Braves, who won the division a year ago and have made the playoffs 17 times since 1991, are 5 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot with 11 games left in the regular season.

That didn’t dampen the atmosphere in Cobb County, about 16 miles away, where jazz played over the speakers and the construction workers were invited in — decked out in safety vests and hard hats — to grab a lunch of barbecue sliders and potato chips.

Schuerholz said the new stadium will include unique dimensions that “value the home run as well as a well-pitched baseball game,” a change from the largely symmetrical outfield at Turner Field.

Critics of the project have cited the secretive nature of the negotiations between the Braves and Cobb County officials, the commitment of nearly $400 million in public funds without putting the issue before county voters, and fears that the site will be a traffic mess on game days. The stadium site is not served by Atlanta’s rapid-transit system and will be located alongside one of the busiest interchanges on a notoriously gridlocked interstate system.

The Atlanta area is in the midst of two major stadium projects. The NFL Falcons are building a new retractable-roof stadium next to their current home at the Georgia Dome.

That $1.2 billion facility is also scheduled to open in 2017.

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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