Cobb County officials began preparing years ago to host the MLB All-Star Game and associated events — in 2021.
Then, about three months before that game, the MLB pulled it from Georgia in response to the state’s newly signed restrictive voting law.
Now, on the first day of All-Star Restaurant Week and six days before the marquee event, Cobb County’s moment has arrived.
“It’s very exciting,” County Manager Jackie McMorris said at a Wednesday news conference outside Truist Park.
The County Commission in late 2023 approved $1.6 million to cover overtime and equipment costs for this week.
Flags advertising the game, partially funded by the Cumberland Community Improvement District, have gone up along area roads and the Cobb Parkway pedestrian bridge.
Many of the logistics are similar to those of individual Braves games, officials said. But the festivities last a week and include events at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Some are in Atlanta.
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
“We’ll be looking at a broader area,” Cobb Department of Transportation Director Drew Raessler said.
The county expects a sold-out crowd of about 41,000 inside Truist Park for the main event Tuesday night, and between 10,000 and 20,000 in The Battery commercial district and the Galleria for other events, Public Safety Director Mike Register said.
State and federal law enforcement officers will also lend a hand, Register said.
And then there is Beyoncé.
The megastar is scheduled to perform at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday.
“I understand the Beyhive will be in town as well,” McMorris said, referring to Beyoncé fans. “We might get some people coming from the concert who want to be part of the excitement here.”
Past All-Star Game host cities have calculated an economic impact between $37 million and $190 million, Cobb County officials said in a heavily debated 2023 memo. The county expects to rake in sales and hotel tax revenue this week, but the overall impact is hard to predict because Atlanta will also reap the benefits, county spokesperson Ross Cavitt said.
Cobb leaders shadowed their counterparts in Arlington, Texas, during last year’s Midsummer Classic.
“It was 110 degrees, so we got to see firsthand what the heat looked like,” Deputy Fire Chief Carl Crumbley said.
Fire personnel, medical providers and the metro Atlanta Ambulance Service will be stationed throughout the stadium, The Battery and the Galleria. Crumbley advised visitors to bring water.
County departments have held tabletop exercises to discuss how various emergencies would be handled, Register said. Local law enforcement officers are staffing operations centers at the stadium, The Battery and the Galleria, and the county will make extensive use of its camera feeds at the Real-Time Crime Center, said Register.
“I think that we are prepared,” he said.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
