Atlanta Mayor Isn't Shutting City Down for NBA All-Star Weekend
The Claim
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is "shutting the city down" for NBA All-Star weekend.
News posted on
Emerging story
The NBA All-Star weekend takes place in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. Leading up to the weekend, social media users have been claiming that the city will be shut down.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation found that Bottoms has asked fans not to travel to Atlanta. She also asked clubs and bars not to host All-Star events. In a statement, she said: "People should not travel to Atlanta to party. Under normal circumstances, we would be extremely grateful for the opportunity to host the NBA All-Star game, but this is not a typical year. I have shared my concerns related to public health and safety with the NBA and Atlanta Hawks. We are in agreement that this is a made-for-TV event only, and people should not travel to Atlanta to party."
Similarly, league officials have said that they are trying to keep large groups from gathering so stop the spread of COVID-19.
However, despite discouraging fans from coming to the city to celebrate, the mayor has not implemented any new regulations. The Brookhaven City Council has even extended alcohol pouring hours until 4 AM during the All-Star game weekend.
Because the mayor has not taken any official steps to "shut the city down," we rate this claim as fake.
