Tributes from Atlanta officials, sports teams, and other dignitaries are pouring in after the passing of media mogul Ted Turner, who died on May 6 at the age of 87.
“A brilliant businessman, consummate showman and passionate fan of his beloved Braves,” said a statement from the Atlanta Braves organization, a team Turner owned from 1976 to 1996. “Ted’s visionary leadership and innovative approach to broadcast television transformed the Braves into ‘America’s Team.’ Under his stewardship, the ball club experienced one of the greatest runs of sustained excellence in Major League Baseball history and brought a World Series championship to Atlanta in 1995.”
“We will miss you, Ted. You helped make us who we are today, and the Atlanta Braves are forever grateful for the impact you made on our organization and in our community,” the statement continued.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens issued a statement calling Turner “Titan. Visionary. Genius. Pioneer. Philanthropist.”
“These words only begin to describe the late Ted Turner,” the statement said. “And Atlanta is so much better because he chose to build much of his legacy here.”
Dickens said Turner’s tenure at CNN, which he founded in 1980 as the world’s first 24-hour news station, “forever changed the way the world receives news.”
CNN officials called Turner “an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless, and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement.”
“He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN,” its CEO Mark Thompson said in a statement about his death. “Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognize him and his impact on our lives and the world.”
Tony Ressler, the principal owner of Atlanta Hawks, which Turner owned from 1977 to 1996, called Turner was a true original and a “force of nature whose impact will be felt for generations.”
“I was among those personally influenced by Ted. I first met him while working to raise capital to expand Turner Broadcasting during my time at Drexel many years ago,” Ressler recalled in an emailed statement. “Even then, he was larger than life –boundless in imagination and willing to pursue his dreams on a scale that few could even contemplate.”
Steve Koonin, Atlanta Hawks CEO, said Turner didn’t just build businesses, “he built movements.”
“From TBS, TNT, TCM, and all of the related networks as well as his ownership of the Atlanta Hawks, Braves, and Thrashers, he transformed Atlanta into a global center for media and sports, leaving an indelible mark on the world,” Koonin said.
“What set Ted apart was not only his ambition and creativity, but his belief in people and his instinct to empower those around him to think bigger and move faster,” Koonin said. “We all strived to find our ‘Inner Ted.'”
