PLAYING HARDBALL

Denver Will Get All-Star Game After MLB Dumps Atlanta Over Vote-Suppression Laws

“MLB chose the Rockies because they were already in the bidding process to host a future All-Star Game,” the league said Tuesday.

Coors Field in Denver has been chosen to host this year’s All-Star Game after Major League Baseball decided to pull the event from Atlanta over Georgia’s new voter-suppression laws. The league confirmed days of speculation, saying on Tuesday that the Colorado Rockies were chosen as hosts as they were already in the bidding process for a future All-Star game and therefore had much of the logistics ready. Georgia’s new legislation imposes ID requirements for absentee ballots and makes it illegal to approach voters to give them food and water as they wait in line to cast their ballots.

Prior to the MLB’s announcement on Tuesday, leaders in Colorado were already buzzing with excitement that the game might be coming back to Denver for the first time since 1998. “I’m excited and hopeful that Major League Baseball makes the best decision and formally chooses to play the 2021 All-Star game in Denver,” Gov. Jared Polis said.