ATLANTA -- The Braves say they are planning a new Hank Aaron statue at SunTrust Park, which will open in 2017.

The Braves said in a statement released Friday they no longer will contest the fate of the Aaron statue that now sits at the main entrance to Turner Field.

The team had said Wednesday that Aaron should decide the fate of his current statue. The Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority says it owns rights to the statue. The Braves on Friday said the debate over the statue was "divisive."

The Braves say they hope the current statue is preserved "in a manner befitting his legacy as the greatest Brave of all time."

The Braves are entering their final season at Turner Field, built for the 1996 Olympics.