The City of Atlanta is launching its study to find out what the people who live around Turner Field want for their neighborhood once the Braves leave.

The launch comes even though developers looking to buy the site have already turned in their bids.

Community members still packed Thursday night’s launch meeting at the FanPlex building in Summerhill to learn how the study will work and to provide their thoughts on the stadium’s future.

City Planning Commissioner Tim Keane says he isn’t worried that the developer will be chosen before the study is completed. He prefers it that way.

“Because the reality is whoever the selected master developer is there will be many builders. This plan has to be durable. It has to be something many people can build off of, and that’s what it will be,” he says.

The Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority (AFCRA), which will make the final decision on what happens to the stadium, has received bids from three different developers.

Keane says AFCRA has the ability to make sure the chosen developer takes the study’s recommendations into account no matter how ambitious those recommendations might be.

“It’s going to be a really significant plan, so that will need to be represented in the contract with the winning bidder,” he says.

The city expects the study to be completed by July 2016. In the meantime, officials will be hosting workshops to allow the community to continue to pitch in it two cents.

Tags: Atlanta; Atlanta Braves; Turner Field; Tim Keane; AFCRA