West Villages Improvement District: Braves Season Ticket Holders Ready For Baseball

Sun Newspapers
By Alexandra Herrera Staff Writer, Dec 27, 2018

NORTH PORT — CoolToday Park construction is in the seventh-inning stretch — with crews working around the clock to finish the new park for the last spring training game March 24.

For local Atlanta Braves fans though, it’s the top of the ninth inning with season-ticket holders picking up their tickets Wednesday night.

Some 2,500 fans were treated to a private event at Heron Creek Golf & Country Club to pick up their season tickets.

During the private event, season-ticket holders — known as members of the Beach Club — were treated to light snacks and a chance to shake hands with Andruw Jones, a well-known Braves player and Brian Bridges, director of scouting for the squad.

Jones was, in 1996, the youngest player to hit a home run in a post season game and followed that up with two home runs in his first two at-bats in a World Series — just one of two players with that accomplishment. He is No. 40 on the career home run list and received 10 Gold Gloves between 1998-2007.

The event is one of many for season-ticket holders, according to Mike Dunn, vice president of Florida Operations for the Braves. He called Wednesday’s event exciting not only for the Braves staff but for the fans of the team.

“(Season tickets are) still available at the preview center,” Dunn said.

Dunn said season tickets will be available until Jan. 15 when single game day tickets will go on sale.

Joel Slack and his wife, Shirley, moved to Grand Palm to be close to the team. Shirley grew up in Venice and wanted to come home and the Braves coming to their backyard was the push he needed.

Joel Slack is a lifelong fan, born and raised in Georgia. In the 1980s, he worked security at the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

“It couldn’t have worked out (better), almost like home,” Joel Slack said.

Joel Slack said he watched the process to pick where the park would be built and he said that at one point he was worried that they moved too soon.

“(I was) following from Savannah, I was worried and I was really anxious,” Joel said.

Once building began, Joel Slack felt they had made the right choice. He recalls one day he tried to drive back to see construction on the park.

He told security that he just wanted to see his park. That didn’t happen.

Slack will have to wait until March. Still, he’s anticipating. The couple got seats right behind home plate and are looking forward to the season kicking off.

“We’re thrilled,” Joel Slack said.

Dunn is looking ahead to March when the park will host its open house. He said there will also be opportunities for those who do not have season tickets to get to see the park before games are played.

Along with the open house, Dunn said the park is pushing for plenty of community events. Dunn has said previously that the park will be a place for the community gather.

There are plans to host concerts, movie nights, broadcasting of Braves games and other open events at the park. Along with the events, there will also be a tiki bar in the park that’s open for lunch and dinner.

“(There’s) a lot of things lined up,” Dunn said.

The park’s features are just one draw for fans, the real excitement will be the spring training games that will start for the full season in 2020.

Like the Slacks, Brian Wynne and his son, Houston, are just waiting for the first pitch at the stadium at 4:05 p.m. March 24.

Wynne lives in Nokomis and grew up in Sarasota County, though he spent some time in Atlanta — he first became a fan in 1991.

“I can remember the day,” he said.

Wynne recalls the team made the playoffs in 1991 after going from worst to first, it was then he became a fan.

For him, this move close to home is really exciting.

“You can’t ask for more,” he said.

Wynne called it special as its something he shares with his son. Houston is a freshman at Venice High School and plans to try out for the baseball team in January.

While Wynne is excited for spring training, he’s also excited for the rookie players and seeing college games. There are plans to host games at the park for college baseball, travel baseball teams and possibly local school teams.

Wynne is excited for those opportunities, but to also share it with his son who may have the opportunity to play on the field.

“(It) would be cool, I’d enjoy that,” Houston said.

Wynne said it would be special to see his son playing on the same field as professionals.

“(This is a) long time coming,” Wynne said.

To purchase season tickets for the 2020 Braves season can call 941-413-5000.