Truist Park and The Battery generated nearly $40 million in 2025, county officials say

Deputy County Manager Bill Volckmann told the Cobb County Board of Commissioners during a routine update that Truist Park and The Battery generated just under $40 million in combined local and state revenue in 2025, and that the county is no longer using general fund property taxes to service the original project bonds.

Volckmann said the 2015 projection had anticipated $6.4 million a year from general fund property taxes to service the bonds but that current revenues exceed that need. "We're not using $6.4 million; we're actually putting money back into the general fund," Volckmann said, explaining that 2025 revenues directly tied to the development returned about $1 million and Braves property taxes added roughly $2.1 million, for about $3.1–$3.2 million net to the county.

The presentation highlighted large increases in taxable value at The Battery: in 2014 the site comprised four parcels with about $5 million in taxable value and generated approximately $67,000 in tax revenue; in 2025 it comprised about 60 parcels with taxable value over $644 million, generating $8.74 million in tax revenue. Volckmann said that, across the taxing entities, The Battery and Braves property paid more than $56.2 million in property taxes since 2016 — about $18.8 million to the county, $31.4 million to the school district and $6 million to the Cumberland Improvement District.

Volckmann also described other revenue streams in 2025 derived from on‑site businesses and hotels: occupation taxes, liquor‑by‑the‑drink, hotel‑motel taxes and special local option sales tax. He reported those revenues totaled about $31.1 million in 2025, with the county receiving just under $8 million, the Cobb County Board of Education $4.5 million and the state $18.6 million.

Combining property tax and other receipts, Volckmann said the county's share in 2025 was about $11.4 million and the aggregate total across entities was just under $40 million for the year. He summarized multi‑year impacts as well: five‑year non‑property revenues of $138 million; adding property taxes raises that five‑year total to $176 million; adding the Braves' five‑year rental payments raises it to $207 million.

Mike Plant, speaking for the Braves, credited the county's support for large events and regular operations that drive visitation. "We had about 250,000 visitors over that week‑long period," Plant said of All‑Star week, and he added that analytics show "71% of the fans and the visitors come from outside Cobb" and about 20% come from outside Georgia, bringing outside dollars into the county's tax base.

Plant said retail and restaurant activity at The Battery produced a record sales year, about $137 million, and noted the team's acquisition of the 36‑acre Penn & Park parcel to support game‑day parking and site operations; he said rising rents there add roughly $1.4 million in receipts benefiting local taxing entities. He described community investments including partnerships on Ryan Park and Safety Village, roughly $250,000 given to 19 nonprofits last year, ongoing educational and youth‑baseball support, and veterans outreach through the Warrior Alliance, which Plant said had more than 5,000 on‑site interactions.

Looking ahead, Plant said new and continuing development will remain a focus: a recently opened J. Alexander restaurant, a Shake Shack expected in August, ongoing tower construction at The Henry with the first 23‑story tower expected to top out in August, pedestrian bridge improvements and planned World Cup activities. He said the team continues to coordinate with the Cumberland CID, the state and the county on infrastructure projects, including a proposed bridge across Cobb Parkway.

No motions or votes were recorded during the update; the presentation concluded after questions were invited and none were raised. The Board received the report with no formal action taken during the session.