After Atlanta’s mayor made waves for discouraging travelers to come to the city for the NBA All-Star Weekend, Brookhaven leaders decided to take the opposite approach.
The DeKalb County city, which borders Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood, extended alcohol pouring hours for bars and restaurants during the All-Star Weekend. The March 7 game at State Farm Arena will feature a gathering of the NBA’s best players, but Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is warning fans to avoid watch parties to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Brookhaven’s extension passed 3-1, with Councilwoman Linley Jones being the sole dissenting vote.
“I just want to acknowledge when we’re talking about extended hours of service, we’re talking about the bars and restaurants having All-Star parties, whether at this point in the pandemic that’s a good idea,” Jones said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
The extension was proposed by the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce, which represents the city’s bars and restaurants. Alan Goodman, president of the chamber, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in November that roughly 20% of the city’s bars and restaurants had permanently closed since the pandemic began.
“We’re doing what we can to help them, and we feel that this would be a terrific addition for the restaurants and bars,” Goodman told the City Council on Tuesday.
Pouring hours will be permitted from 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. on March, 4, 5 and 7. The day before the NBA game takes place, March 6, will have slightly more limited hours, running from 11 a.m. to 2:55 a.m.
Goodman added that the extra alcohol pouring time will likely help the area’s hotels, since Brookhaven could attract more travelers.
Mayor Pro Tem Joe Gebbia, who presented the alcohol ordinance, said that the city’s COVID-19 guidelines will be followed and emphasized. In addition, the Chamber will continue to supply restaurants and bars, including those in the city that aren’t Chamber members, with free COVID-19 kits that include gloves, masks, thermometers and other protective equipment.
“There’s no willy-nilly on this as far as being lax,” Gebbia said. “It’s just a great opportunity and there are constraints that come with it.”
Bottoms put out a statement roughly two weeks ago that pleaded with fans to not travel to Atlanta and for the city’s bars and clubs to not hold any events related to the game.
“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,” Bottoms’ statement read. “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.”
Fans will not be able to attend the game, and no NBA-sanctioned events will be open to the public. LeBron James, one of basketball’s biggest stars, has spoken out against the game taking place.
“I have zero energy and zero excitement about the All-Star game this year,” he said after a game earlier in February. “I don’t even understand why we’re having an All-Star game.”
Jones cited the complaints by Bottoms and James — along with the light at the end of the tunnel brought by COVID-19 vaccines — before voting against the measure.
“This small extension of the hours could make Brookhaven the epicenter for gatherings at just the wrong time,” she said.
Following the vote, Councilwoman Madeleine Simmons said bars are going to be open that weekend anyway, so there’s not much point in limiting the economic benefit to the city’s businesses.
“With them already being open and with people already being there, you just really hope they’re in compliance with CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines to begin with, and they’ll continue that for the few hours longer,” she said.
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