Because I went so early in the season, the ballpark village planned was not quite filled out yet. About half of the stores were leased and the apartments were not finished yet. There were still parties out on the lawn and plenty of restaurants open though. The vibe was still buzzing, and it's going to be even better once all of the stores are filled out and the apartments are leased. Also, if you get to try the Hopsecutioner Ale, don't give it a pass.
The ballpark itself is really nice, but nothing staggering about it. I think the designers of the next wave of ballparks realize that they can't beat San Francisco, or Pittsburgh, or Baltimore, so the thought is to combine something fresh and modern with a surrounding village that ensures more money comes in and the surrounding area stays hopping well into the night. The ballpark, even though it is in Cobb County, was not too hard to get to (at least from where I was) and parking was easy off of the highway. The hall of fame also had some interesting items and a great tribute to Hank Aaron.
It remains to be seen how the ballpark village concept plays out here and in other possible areas such as Dallas and Oakland, but it isn't off to a bad start. Anything extra that can keep the younger generation coming can't hurt.
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