Maglev train CEO still hopes for mass transit system from Braves new home

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Before the Atlanta Braves announced they were leaving for Cobb County, they were working with the city of Atlanta to build a $30 million mass transit system.

Tony Morris, the president of American Maglev, said for months he was in talks to build the mass transit train for the Atlanta Braves and Turner Field.

Morris said after startup costs, his magnetic levitation train is less expensive than buses and light rail systems.

"We had spent significant amount of time with the Braves and the city, and we can't say enough good things to say about the Braves or the city, and how well they had embraced this concept," Morris said.

But then the Braves announced they were moving to Cobb County.

"It was a little bit sad, because we had invested so much time and effort in it," Morris said.

Morris said he hopes he can talk with Cobb County officials about a mass train system at the proposed stadium site at interstates 75 and 285. But so far they've been reluctant to consider a trains system like he is proposing.

"We will continue to evaluate any transportation needs that may arrive out of this and address it accordingly as we move forward with the appropriate solutions," said Cobb County Commission Chairman Tim Lee.

With the Braves-Cobb County deal moving forward, Morris is still trying to get his mass transit deal off the tracks.

"We were hoping for a different outcome, but maybe we can get two projects out of it instead of one," Morris said.

WSBTV