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Sport

The legacy of the 1996 Olympic Games has left Atlanta with several world-class sporting venues, including Turner Field (the former Olympic Stadium and now the home of the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team); the Georgia Institute of Technology Aquatic Center; the Georgia International Horse Park and the Stone Mountain Lincoln Tennis Center. Needless to say, sport is big on corporate promotion, with CNN boss Ted Turner owning the Atlanta Braves and Coca-Cola backing the basketball.

The national passion is baseball and, on days when the Atlanta Braves play, the city stops as everyone tunes into a ball-by-ball account of the game at Turner Field. April-September is baseball season, when you can catch the Atlanta Braves in action, often in early evening matches in a very full programme. Tours also are available of Turner Field, including visits to Coca-Cola Sky Field and a Braves luxury suite. Fans can view Braves memorabilia at the Ivan Allen Jr Braves Museum & Hall of Fame (tel: (404) 614 2311, information; Ticketmaster for tickets), including tributes to Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro and the championship teams of the 1990s. Tickets for championship games range from US$5 (standing room) to US$35.

The Atlanta Falcons American football team plays at the Georgia Dome (tel: (404) 223 9200), which was also the venue for the NFL Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000 and will host the NCAA basketball championships in 2002. The Atlanta Hawks play NBA basketball. A new professional fast and furious ice hockey team - the Atlanta Thrashers - now represent the city in the NHL, appearing for the first time in the 1999-2000 season, in the new Phillips Atlanta Arena. Tickets cost US$10-65. Atlanta also has a professional soccer team - the Atlanta Ruckus. Tickets for all sporting events are available through Ticketmaster (tel: (404) 249 6400; web site: www.ticketmaster.com).

Golf:
Twenty four of Atlanta's golf clubs have combined in a Last Minute Tee Times service (tel: (800) 671 0750 or (770) 664 GOLF (4653); web site: lmtt.com), to enable visitors to check availability and book a day's golf, starting from US$60. A booklet called Last Minute Tee Times Golf Course Guide is available at hotel receptions; another guide to local golf is the free Georgia's Golf Newspaper, available at travel centres and courses. The better courses are generally north of the city centre in the Appalachian foothills. There are also 12 driving ranges, also mostly north of Atlanta. Two public courses at Stone Mountain - Stonemont and Lakemont - serpentine through a forest of Georgia pines and around Stone Mountain Lake (tel: (770) 465 3278). They offer breathtaking views of natural rock formations, and the rest of the family can disport themselves with other amusements while one member plays golf. Stonemont is the more demanding, but both have teaching pros, a golf shop and run golf schools in season.

Tennis:
The Atlanta Athletic Club hosts a Tennis Challenge tournament in April (web site: www.atlanta-tennis.com ). The Racquet Club of the South, 6200 Peachtree Corner Circle, off Peachtree Industrial Boulevard (tel (770) 449 6060), is an upmarket recreation centre, which has outdoor and indoor tennis courts. More informal but perfect for just keeping up your game is the Bitsy Grant Tennis Center, 2125 Northside Drive, Buckhead (tel: (404) 351 2774). Here charges are from US$1.50 per hour on hard or clay courts; no reservations necessary.

Speedway:
Atlanta has a 2.48km (1.54-mile) speedway track, just 30 miles south of the city at Hampton, on highway 19-41. Details of the programme are available (tel: (770) 946 4211; web site: www.atlantamotorspeedway.com ). Finals of the NAPA 500 takes place in November.

Swimming:
Atlanta Scuba and Swim Academy, 732 Johnson's Ferry Road, Marietta (tel: (770) 973 3120), offers swimming, scuba and snorkelling in two heated pools but are open for limited hours only in winter.

Whitewater-rafting:
The Chattahoochee River is blessed with stunning scenery and rated as one of the USA's ten best whitewater-rafting venues. Two sections are raftable (June-August); Section 3 is suitable for children from 10 years upwards, and experienced rafters do not need a guide. Section 4 is technically difficult, with whirlpools and drops over waterfalls; guides are required. Southeastern Expeditions (tel: (404) 329 0433 or (800) 868 7238, reservations; fax: (404) 634 4946) run one-day trips (cost: US$65 Section 3; US$80 Section 4) or two-day trips (cost: US$235).



Copyright © 2001 Columbus Publishing
    
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