- Lloyd Brown
GSU Baseball Complex – Georgia State Panthers
Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43
GSU Baseball Complex
2819 Clifton Springs Rd
Decatur, GA 30034
Georgia State Panthers website
Year Opened: 1986
Capacity: 1,092
Home of the Panthers
Georgia State University was founded in 1913 as a night/commuter school for business students. That all changed in the 1990s as the school began to construct dormitories and other student housing near its campus in the heart of downtown Atlanta. Today it has transformed into the largest school in the Georgia University System, with more than 60,000 students.
The athletic teams at Georgia State are known as the Panthers and play in the Sun Belt Conference. The baseball program got underway in 1958 and played in a variety of locations until the Georgia State Baseball Complex opened in 1986. The team has won two baseball conference championships and one conference tournament championship. They have made one appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Food & Beverage 3
There is one concession stand at the baseball field. They offer basic baseball items… but at terrific prices. The menu includes hot dogs ($2.50), hamburgers ($3), sausage ($3), fish sandwiches ($5), fries ($2.50), chips ($1), and candy ($1). Beverages include Coca-Cola brand sodas at $2.50 and bottled water ($2).
There are no restaurants close to Baseball Complex, so these low prices are very welcome.
Atmosphere 2
You would assume that the largest school in the state would boast of the finest athletic facilities available, but in the case of the GSU Baseball Complex, you would be very mistaken. The atmosphere at a Panthers game can be likened to a large high school or community park facility, which in essence is what the GSU Athletic Complex is.
Due to the urban location of the main GSU campus, all sports except basketball, football, and indoor volleyball are located in a sports park more than 10 miles from the school. This impacts attendance, recruitment, and funding for all of the outlying sports. Change is coming.
The GSU Baseball Complex offers seating for 1,092 on aluminum bleachers that run from dugout to dugout. The school has done a nice job of branding for the home team, with the use of banners on poles surrounding the field, the GSU colors and logo on the press box building, the scoreboard, and the pressed metal lettering on an arch you pass through as you enter the complex.
The dugouts are simple, with cinder block construction. The outfield fences were salvaged from the Brave's original stadium in Atlanta before it was torn down in 1997. 2010 is the last year that any major renovation was done on the facility.
Georgia State’s Athletic Department has a master plan to upgrade all of Georgia State’s sports facilities. A major factor in this plan was the acquisition of the former Turner Field and its adjoining property. This land is only a few blocks from the main GSU campus. Turner Field was retrofitted into a football facility for the GSU football program and has been rechristened as Georgia State Stadium, with games beginning at the stadium in 2017. Baseball will relocate into downtown Atlanta, with a new stadium in the footprint of the former
Atlanta/Fulton County Stadium. The section of outfield wall that Hank Aaron’s 715th home run ball sailed over will be incorporated into the stadium. This on-campus facility will greatly enhance the atmosphere as students will have much more accessibility to the sport than they do at present.
Neighborhood 2
The GSU Athletic Complex is located 10 miles from the main campus of the school. It is located next to the Dekalb County satellite campus of the school. Unfortunately, the athletic complex’s other neighbors include the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the county youth detention center, and Georgia Regional Hospital. There are no hotels, restaurants, or attractions within proximity of the stadium. There are several chain fast food locations between the interstate and the GSU Athletic Complex.
If you turn left upon exiting at Candler Road, rather than right, it will take you to the city of Decatur. Decatur has become one of the hottest suburban areas in the metro Atlanta area. It is known as a foodie and entertainment hot spot. Amongst the dining spots we recommend are the Kimball House and the Brick Store Pub. Eddie’s Attic is a music performance venue you will want to check out, as you never know who might show up and play a set. Past performers have included the Indigo Girls, John Mayer, and Sheryl Crowe,
Fans 3
Despite its isolated location away from the main campus, the GSU baseball team has a loyal core of supporters. They are primarily family members and friends of players on the team. In addition, the home games get a good turnout from the students from the Dekalb County satellite location of GSU, which is adjacent to the Athletic Complex.
Access 3
The GSU Sports Complex is located 10 miles east of the main Georgia State University campus in downtown Atlanta. Due to the urban location of the school, the baseball, soccer, softball, and track facilities are all located off campus.
From Downtown Atlanta: Take I-20 East to the Candler Road exit (#65). Exit onto Candler Road and turn right. Follow Candler Road until the Panthersville Road intersection. Turn right onto Panthersville Road and follow it until you reach Clifton Springs Road, then turn right. Turn left into the parking lot adjacent to the football stadium.
Return on Investment 3
There is no admission charge for Panther baseball games and parking is also free. The concession stand offers a limited number of items at extremely low prices.
Extras 1
The outfield walls of the baseball field are the original outfield walls of Atlanta/Fulton County Stadium, the first home of the Braves when they moved to Atlanta from Milwaukee.
Final Thoughts
Due to the isolated nature of the GSU Athletic Park, most Georgia State students have never been to a school baseball game or even know where the Athletic Complex is located. As the Athletic Department’s plan to relocate all off-campus sports to the property purchased surrounding the former Turner Field moves closer to fruition, there will be a massive change in the atmosphere of not only the baseball program but also the soccer and track and field programs.
Plans are to move the very successful basketball program to the new site as well. The new location will be only a few blocks from the central campus with frequent shuttles to the stadium. Additionally, the land purchased will offer student housing as a part of the school’s master plan.