In his Saturday tweet praising the league’s change, Obama added that “there is no better way for America’s pastime to honor the great Hank Aaron, who has always led by example.”
The MLB’s decision to change the game comes at a time when the tourism industry, one of the hardest hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, is still struggling to recover.
The “estimated lost economic impact” with the “relocation of the MLB All-Star Game is more than $ 100 million,” according to a statement from Holly Quinlan, a Cobb County tourism authority.
Kemp criticized the MLB decision at a news conference on Saturday, saying he was giving in to the “fear and lies of liberal activists” and putting “the wishes” of Biden and Stacey Abrams, a Democrat from Georgia and a supporter of the right to vote ” ahead of the economic well-being of working Georgians who relied on the All-Star Game to make money. “
Atlanta Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield on Saturday that the MLB decision was likely to be the “first of many boycotts of our state” and asked Republican state lawmakers, who approved the measure, to repeal it. or make changes.
Bottoms told CNN that, although she dislikes the MLB’s decision to remove the game from her city, “I certainly understand”, adding that “it is hurting our economy and it is my hope that, finally, leaders across the state will to hear. “
“Just as lawmakers and the governor made the decision to move forward with this bill, people are deciding not to come to our state. And it will affect millions of Georgians, jobs, small businesses, our corporations, and it is very unfortunate,” she said.
The new host city for the July 13 game has yet to be announced, according to the league.
This story was updated with additional details on Saturday.
CNN’s Ali Main, Brian Rokus, Jessica Campisi, Chris Isidore, Steve Almasy and David Close contributed to this report.