Georgia State to convert Turner Field into new football stadium

Turner Field will have a new tenant once the Atlanta Braves leave for Cobb County in 2017.

The 18-year-old stadium will be sold to Georgia State University and real estate firm Carter after the winning bid was announced Monday.

Georgia State plans to build student housing, apartments, and retail shops in the surrounding area while converting Turner Field into a football stadium for the Panthers.

"Our most important objective is that the future redevelopment of this area is one that we can all be proud of," Atlanta city council member Keisha Lance Bottoms told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "We believe that we have the right match for Turner Field and the surrounding communities."

The Braves played their inaugural season at Turner Field in 1997, and will play one final year at the stadium before moving to the newly constructed SunTrust Park located north of Atlanta.

Georgia State currently plays its home games at the Georgia Dome.