MLB All-Star game to stay in Denver, judge rules

A federal judge on Thursday ruled that the Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star game will remain in Denver after rejecting an effort to move the event back to Atlanta, Reuters reported.

MLB moved the summer classic from Atlanta after Georgia’s legislative approved legislation that drew criticism from Democrats, voting rights groups and MLB players, who all said it was designed to reduce access to the polls by minority groups.

A conservative small business group, Job Creators Network, sued, arguing its members in Atlanta would be irreparably harmed by the move.

U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni, an appointee of former President Obama, ruled that the group did not have standing to sue, and that it is “not at all clear why it cares more about small businesses in Atlanta than small businesses in Denver,” according to Reuters.

Alfredo Ortiz, president and CEO of the Job Creators Network (JCN), said in a statement after the ruling that the group will continue to fight for small businesses that were affected by the league’s decision. He did not say whether they would appeal the ruling.

“As the nation’s leading small business organization, JCN has no choice but to continue fighting for these small businesses that can’t stand up to MLB on their own,” Ortiz said. “If we don’t continue to fight for small businesses, they will continue to be victimized as they have been by the MLB, destroying the backbone of our communities.”

The Hill has reached out to MLB for comment. 

JCN sued the MLB last week, arguing it should pay $100 million in damages to local businesses in Georgia as a result of moving the All-Star Game to Colorado.

Lawyers of the league said in a court filing on Monday that JCN didn’t provide any evidence for their claims and argued that the court shouldn’t waste their time on “political theatrics.”

The All-Star Game will be played in Denver on July 13.

Updated on Friday at 1:30 p.m.