Tea Party Battles Business over Braves Stadium

A suburban Atlanta county has spawned the latest skirmish between tea party conservative and mainstream business interests.

Republicans on the Cobb County commission have business backing for their commitment of several hundred million dollars to help build a new baseball stadium for the Atlanta Braves. But tea party activists and other citizens' groups maintain that the deal is crony capitalism that gives public money to a private business.

Debbie Dooley of the Atlanta Tea Party says several citizens' groups are exploring possible challenges to the plan to redirect property taxes to cover stadium debt. They're also looking at recall petitions aimed at Cobb commissioners.

Commission Chairman Tim Lee maintains that the investment will pay for itself by spurring economic activity in and around the stadium slated to open in 2017.