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 obstacle race organizer had to be tough enough to convince the rapper to skip his own workout routine, said Rich Abend, VP of Global Partnerships. "[Flo Rida] happens to be an incredibly fit person," he said.
Matt Barnes, who won the NBA Championship with the Golden State Warriors last year, says professional athletes shouldn't be punished for using marijuana and that he actually played his best when high.
The NBA team was one of 17 teams to take part in the first-ever NBA 2K league draft earlier this month, where top video game ballers were selected to compete in an eSports championship.
James Comey's new book "A Higher Loyalty" officially hits stores on Tuesday, but juicy details are already leaking out. The former FBI Director likens President Trump to a mob boss in the book. Trump criticized Comey on Twitter on Friday, calling him an "untruthful slime ball." Comey will do an interview this Sunday ahead of the book's release.
President Trump issued an executive order late Thursday night calling for a review of the U.S. Postal Service. The president wants a task force to look into the financial troubles facing the USPS. In recent weeks, Trump has criticized Amazon for contributing to the USPS's financial downfall. Even though Trump didn't specifically mention Amazon in the executive order, it's implied that he wants the task force to look into his claims against the tech giant.
And Cheddar CEO Jon Steinberg sits down with two-time NBA all-star Baron Davis to chat about his life as a tech investor. He's the founder of Sports and Lifestyle in Culture, or SLIC, a company that features and promotes original content from athletes.
The 17-year-old Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast tells Cheddar she worries about limiting herself. The athlete is launching a new clothing line with JCPenney for tweens and teens and a children's book inspired by her Olympic journey.
Approximately 5 million people buy fake tickets every year from unofficial sources. Ticketmaster and the NFL want to combat that problem with a new digital ecosystem, says Greg Economou, Head of Sports for Ticketmaster North America.
The golfer defied all expectations to win his first major championship at the Masters in Augusta, Ga., over the weekend. "It was a dream come true," Reed told Cheddar Monday.
President Trump is stoking fears of a trade war with China yet again. On Thursday evening, Trump threatened more tariffs on China worth $100 billion dollars, on top of the tariffs Trump is already planning. China immediately fired back, saying the country will continue to meet Trump's tariff threats with counter-actions.
President Trump also made news when he finally broke his silence on the Stormy Daniels controversy. When asked by reporters if he knew about the payment by his lawyer to Daniels, Trump quickly said, "no." Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels' lawyer, said Trump denying knowledge of the payment is "a gift from the heavens."
Executives and fighters from the UFC were at the New York Stock Exchange to ring the opening bell on Friday in celebration of the organization's 25th anniversary. Amanda Nunes, a UFC fighter, and Lawrence Epstein, the COO of the UFC, join us to weigh in on the milestone and preview the UFC 223 taking place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn this weekend. Epstein also commented on the arrest of UFC star Conor McGregor, saying McGregor's actions don't represent UFC's values.
Lawrence Epstein, COO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, says McGregor's actions are "not representative of who we are" and that there's the potential he's kicked out of the organization. The UFC lightweight fighter was arrested Thursday for stirring up a brawl in New York and attacking a bus of other UFC fighters, leaving two of them injured.
