DALTON, Ga. — Many of you may have had a negative reaction to the Atlanta Braves’ decision to abandon downtown Atlanta and build a sparkling new stadium in the suburbs of Cobb County. I admit, I had my own reservations about the project.

But when it comes down to it, there’s just something special about a brand new ballpark.

I got the opportunity a little over a week ago to attend the official opening of SunTrust Park when the Braves hosted the San Diego Padres on April 14. My older brother and 41,000 others joined me in what turned out to be a successful home opener as Atlanta center fielder Ender Inciarte hit the first major league home run at the new park and the Braves won 5-2.

That night was special because of the memories associated with the grand opening. The organization did a fabulous job of honoring the past history of the franchise by unveiling the signage representing the team’s retired numbers during the pregame festivities. They welcomed all of those players still living, with the exception of Greg Maddux, on to the field as their names were called and their numbers revealed along the base of the club level on the left field side.

Predictably, Chipper Jones got one of the loudest ovations as he stepped out on the field with Ozzy Osborne’s “Crazy Train” — his walk-up music while playing for Atlanta — blaring through the stadium sound system. I thought his ovation would be the loudest, but I was wrong. The roar that greeted Hammerin’ Hank Aaron was enough to give even casual fans goosebumps. The 83-year-old “true home run king,” as the Braves’ organization still calls him, looked his age as he slowly made his way out in front of the mound with the assistance of a walker, but the fans kept cheering with every step.

Aaron’s ceremonial first pitch, caught by acclaimed manager Bobby Cox, was really more of a light underhand toss, but no one cared. A casual passerby may have thought he had just hit home run No. 715 judging by the tidal wave of sound coming from the stadium.

Once the game started the crowd and the team celebrated the many “firsts” of the new park, several of which involved Inciarte. He caught the first out, giving the ball a little kiss before sending it back to the infield, then also got the first hit and scored the first run in the bottom of the first. Then in the sixth inning Inciarte sent a towering home run into the right field seats.

It was an experience I will likely remember for the rest of my life. As far as getting to enjoy the many features of the new park, that was somewhat limited. Fans heeded the organization’s warnings to arrive early and the area surrounding the stadium was crowded more than three hours before the first pitch. But it was hard not to appreciate how good the park looks. The Braves did a tremendous job of building an attractive venue.

One last point about opening night will be directed toward all those naysayers who complained about how bad traffic would be around the new stadium. Maybe the traffic was lighter because it was Good Friday and many people didn’t work, or perhaps some were so afraid of the foretold gridlock that they simply stayed away. But whatever the reason, it was a piece of cake parking and getting to and from the stadium that day. My only advice to ensure you have a similar experience is to listen to the Braves’ advice and purchase a prepaid parking pass.

My experiences at SunTrust Park in recent days weren’t limited to opening night. I got to go back for a game against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, and that game was just as enjoyable for different reasons. Unfortunately the score wasn’t one of them, as the Nationals clubbed two grand slams and routed my hometown team 14-4. But there were only 22,000 people there for the mid-week game, which meant the many new features of the park were more accessible.

My favorite area is the Monument Garden in the concourse behind home plate, the centerpiece of which is a new statue commemorating Aaron. The bronze masterpiece is quite the sight and is surrounded by several other pieces of unique memorabilia celebrating the history of the franchise. Some of the cooler items included the glove used by Tom Glavine in the title-clinching game six of the 1995 World Series, a plaque honoring the franchise’s gold glove and silver slugger award winners and even the knee brace worn by Sid Bream as he made the famous slide into home plate to win the 1992 National League Championship Series. It’s just a beautiful area, complete with a water feature that provides just enough spectacle to go along with the history.

The development surrounding the stadium is called The Battery and features several restaurants. The lighter crowd meant there was no wait at most of these establishments as late as an hour and a half before the game started. A friend and I were able to get a table at the Terrapin Taproom and Fox Brothers BBQ. I highly recommend a brisket sandwich and recreation ale.

As is the case with most new stadiums, be prepared for some steep prices. I expected that going in and therefore the $8 for a beer inside the stadium didn’t phase me, but consider yourself warned.

All in all, I have to say I was won over by SunTrust Park. The area around the stadium is still in development and will only get better as more places open. And once inside there really doesn’t seem to be a bad seat in the house. For opening night I was within 10 rows of the top of the stadium and even with third base and still felt like I had a very good perspective. Against Washington I was in the outfield seats behind left-center field and my only issue there was not being able to see the video board, but the view of the field was excellent.

I loved Turner Field and made a ton of wonderful memories there. Its time as the home of the Braves ended far too soon, but I just have to say there’s nothing quite like a new ballpark. Here’s to hoping the Braves get to hang a few more championship banners at the new place than they did at the “Ted.”

Chris Hillyard is a sports reporter for The Daily Citizen. He can be reached at chrishillyard@daltoncitizen.com.