Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Worries Shutdown Could Impact Super Bowl Travel
*By Carlo Versano*
If there's one person aside from the 800,000 unpaid federal workers who is hoping the government shutdown ends soon, it's Keisha Lance Bottoms.
The mayor of Atlanta is less than two weeks away from hosting Super Bowl LIII, which is a logistical and security nightmare even when the city's airport *isn't* being slowed down by mass TSA sick-outs.
"I'm extremely concerned," Bottoms said of the possibility that the shutdown may continue through Super Bowl weekend.
Though Atlanta is "no stranger to big events" ー it has hosted Super Bowls, MLS championships, college football championships, and, of course, the 1996 Olympics ー it relies, as every city does, on government workers like air-traffic controllers and TSA agents to move people in and out of its airport, the world's busiest. Bottoms said the prospect of thin airport staffing is "quite frightening" during a week when passenger traffic is [expected](https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/by-the-numbers-what-atlanta-can-expect-as-super-bowl-liii-comes-to-town/) to increase by a full 33 percent a day, with 750 additional flights landing daily at Hartsfield Airport.
"We are most concerned about security" at the airport, Bottoms said. Stadium and game security will be handled by private contractors and a mix of local and federal law enforcement agencies unaffected by the shutdown.
Super Bowls are typically one-time economic boons for their hosts, and this year, when Atlanta will show off its gleaming, year-old stadium, could generate as much as $400 million in game-related revenues, according to Bottoms.
Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council, added that the city has been planning for this year's Super Bowl since 2016, when it was awarded the bid by the NFL, and is particularly thrilled about flaunting its Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The venue has made headlines for its dazzling retractable roof and having the world's largest "halo" scoreboard, but it's also famous (in a good way) for its concession prices.
Fans can get a hot dog and a soda (with refills) at the stadium for $3.
"It's really the finest sports and entertainment venue in the world," Corso said.
Shutdown or not, Bottoms said the city is gearing up to host the Rams and Patriots in what is expected to be an exciting match-up, after both teams scraped by in overtime to reach the big game (and not without [controversies](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/21/sports/nfl-calls-los-angeles-rams-new-england-patriots.html).
"It's an opportunity for us to showcase our city in a way that we wouldn't otherwise have on the worldwide stage," Bottoms said.
"You can already feel the energy."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/stage-is-set-for-super-bowl-liii-in-atlanta).
The skateboarding legend, who became the first person to land a '900' trick back in 1999, has successfully turned his sporting career into a business empire. It all boils down to perseverance and taking risks, he tells Cheddar's Jon Steinberg.
The social media network's live video platform will help grow its monthly active users, especially as consumers rapidly ditch cable for on-demand content, says Motley Fool analyst Jason Moser.
Frank Zaccanelli, a former owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, says the NFL's decision to adopt a new policy on the national anthem without consulting the NFL Players Association was, "one of the dumbest things I've ever heard."
Former ESPN anchor Bram Weinstein says that, while players may not strike because of the league's new policy, there will likely be some kind of response.
"Your Call Football" allows viewers at home to pick their favorite of three pre-selected plays while a real game takes place. The two-team league ends its first three-game season on Thursday night.
After the Supreme Court lifted the ban on sports gambling this week, the National Hockey League said it wasn't changing its rules against the practice. And teams won't act until the league decides to do something, says the L.A. Kings' chief operating officer, Kelly Cheeseman.
The Seattle City Council passed a new law that will require companies making more than $20 million a year to pay a 'head tax.' Amazon and other Seattle-based companies will pay a tax of 14 cents per employee per hour worked, which comes out to roughly $275 per employee each year. The tax will raise money for affordable housing since home prices have risen recently in Seattle. In response, Amazon's vice president said this move "forces us to question our growth here." A Starbucks exec criticized the city for spending "without reforming and fail[ing] without accountability."
A number of top Tesla executives have left the company in the past few months. Aaron Cole, managing editor at Motor Authority, joins us to discuss whether investors should be worried that this 'drain brain' will have negative consequences for the electric carmaker. The company is ramping up production to meet its ambitious Model 3 targets.
Cheddar's Brad Smith speaks with Joe Gibbs, Pro Football Hall of Famer and owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, at a special event outside the New York Stock Exchange celebrating Stanley Black & Decker's 175th anniversary. Gibbs talks about how NASCAR is focusing on expanding its digital outreach to reach a younger audience. He also weighs in on the Supreme Court's decision to reverse a ban on sports gambling.
The car racing organization's biggest focus now is trying to reach millennials by adjusting how the sport can be consumed, says Joe Gibbs, owner of a NASCAR racing team and a former NFL coach.
Increased interest in the Overwatch League could push franchise fees as high as $100 million in the future, says eSports expert Rod Breslau, better known as "Slasher." The League is currently wrapping up its first season and the Grand Finals are scheduled to kick off at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, on July 27.
