With the ever-increasing pace at which professional sports franchises move locations, surrounding communities face social and economic burdens. The Atlanta Braves announced in November that the 2017 season will open in a new $672 million stadium in Cobb County. Turner Camp will only be 21 years old when their team vacates it and has it torn down. The announcement stunned many fans due to the lack of notice received and the apparent young age of the current stadium. City officials say a professional team will increase tax revenue, create economic growth and even bring the city closer together. Empirical studies have shown that stadiums and arenas contribute nothing to the income or employment of metropolitan areas and show that public investments are not justified (Santo, 2007, p. 456; Baade, 1996, 2000; Baade & Dye, 1990; Ade & Sanderson, 1997 Coates & Humphries, 1999; With professional sports franchises changing locations so frequently, are there economic and social implications of a professional sports franchise on the surrounding community? But over the past decade, sports have become a national pastime, not just regional entertainment. With the four major professional sports leagues occupying 38 metropolitan areas, more than half the population has almost immediate access to a local team (Rappaport & Wilkerson, 2001, p. 56).A fan base so large one would think that the landmarks of the historic national pastime would remain, however, the average age of all Major League Baseball (MLB) stadiums is only 24 years old. . Twenty-four years includes two stadiums that are more than a century old, Wrigley Field... center of paper... Beyond the economic catalyst debate: Can public consumption benefits justify an investment in a municipal stadium? Journal of Urban Affairs, pp. 455-479. Swindell, D., & Roseentraub, M. (1998). Who benefits from the presence of professional sports teams! Public Administration Review, 11-20.Tucker, T. (2013, November 12). Cox Media Group. Retrieved from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/baseball/braves-plan-to-build-new-stadium-in-cobb/nbpNQ/Zimbalist, A. (1998). The economy of stadiums, teams and cities. Review of Policy Studies, 17-29. Zimmerman, D. (1997). Subsidizing stadiums: who benefits, who pays? In R. Noll and A. Zimbalist, Jobs and Taxes in Sports: The Economic Impact of Sports Teams and Stadiums. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press. Zirin, D. (2010). Bad Owners: How Owners Are Ruining the Game We Love. New York, NY: Scribner.