Cobb still mum on taxpayers' share for new Braves stadium?

MARIETTA, Ga. - A deal for a new Atlanta Braves stadium in Cobb County may have been one of metro Atlanta's best kept secrets ever until revealed Monday.

But Cobb County officials are still keeping secret how much their county and possibly taxpayers will pay to win the team.

They still won't confirm widespread reports, including from Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, that Cobb's share of the $672-million project could end up being around $450-million.

They won't reveal what the figures are for a few more days when they and the Braves will release a "Memorandum of Understanding".

The tax issue will be particularly sensitive in the mostly Republican and mostly conservative county where new taxes are frowned upon.

"Our concern is that we don't want to see individual taxpayers in Cobb footing the bill," Larry Lamberton of the Cobb Taxpayers Association told 11 Alive on Tuesday.

"We have no idea how they plan to fund it, you don't know, I don't know, so until we know the details of that, it's hard for us to take a position whether that's the thing we support or not," he added.

Cobb County Commissioner Bob Ott, who represents the area where the stadium would be built, wouldn't discuss specifics of the deal.

But he told 11 Alive the commission will do its best to protect taxpayers.

"They have to wait until the final details come out, but with the knowledge that in the past the commission has been very diligent and tried really hard to protect the individual taxpayer," Ott said.

One possibility for funds would be a corporate sponsorship of the stadium.

Another is the huge Cumberland area, which is a small city unto itself, including Cumberland Mall, the Cobb Galleria and Cobb Energy Center, as well as scores of hotels, businesses and office complexes.

It's possible they could help fund it with their own taxes through the Cumberland Community Improvement District.

And there's also the possibility of hotel motel taxes, like the ones Atlanta is using to pay its $200-million share for a new Falcons stadium.

"If the businesses that are directly going to benefit from this are the ones to pay for the investment, then that's something we could look at and maybe we could support," said Taxpayer Association Chairman Lambert.

Whatever deal is revealed in a few days in the memorandum of understanding, Cobb County's Commission will vote on it at their November 26th meeting.