Good morning, everyone,

Today I have just a little bit of news for you, but it’s really good! Dr. Doug Hurt received word that he received an SEC Travel Grant to work with colleague Dr. Adam Payne at Auburn University on the role of sports landscapes in urban development. Next summer, they will work together to investigate how the boom in new baseball stadiums has reworked urban landscapes over the past 30 years, using Truist Park (home of the Atlanta Braves) in Atlanta, Georgia (and the associated entertainment/shopping complex at The Battery Atlanta) as a case study. Their research will use sense of place as a lens for understanding the cultural dimensions of urban change through new ballpark construction, instead of the more conventional approach, which is to focus on political and economic factors. Be sure to congratulate Dr. Hurt on getting the well-deserved support for this exciting project.

M-I-Z!

G-E-O!

Soren

Professor & Chair

Department of Geography