According to a news release posted to the Cobb County website, Cobb Public Safety Director Michael Register has requested that the Cobb Board of Commissioners approve $1,589,752.00 in expenditures for “safety, security and transportation expenses” for the 2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game to be held in Truist Park.
Here is a copy of the agenda item (as of this writing, the item has not yet been added to the agenda packet posted online for this evening’s BOC meeting, but it was made available at this link in the county’s news release).
FROM: Michael Register, Agency Director
DATE: November 28, 2023
PURPOSE
To authorize the request to include contingency funding, within the FY2025 annual budget, for safety, security and transportation expenses associated with hosting the 2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and sponsored events.
BACKGROUND
The Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star game will be held at Truist Park in 2025. Additionally, numerous MLB-sponsored events will be held throughout the county, primarily concentrated in the Battery and Cumberland areas. The All-Star game and related events are designated as a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level III, which indicates a heightened awareness status. The Cobb County Police Department (CCPD) is the lead law enforcement agency, though other public safety entities are partners to ensure the overall safety and mobility of our residents and visitors. Per normal protocol for major events in the metro Atlanta region, CCPD has completed mutual aid and assistance agreements with jurisdictions within Cobb and with partner-agencies in the metro Atlanta area. All Agreements have been reviewed and approved to form per the County Attorney’s Office. The Cobb Public Safety Agency and Sheriff’s Office has identified essential needs including equipment, training, lodging, supplies, etc. with an estimated cost in the amount of $1,020,554.00 to properly manage the events. The attached spreadsheet details the projected costs for the required priority one and priority two preferred items for the mutual aid officers assigned from jurisdictions outside Cobb County. The projected cost of overtime is $557,338.00 for police and sheriff employees, $143,842.00 for fire employees, and $13,248.00 for emergency communication employees. In conjunction with Cobb PD, PARKS requested a strike team for the Bob Callan Trail for graffiti issues, garbage issues, etc. at a cost of $3,760.00, with a projected overtime cost of $6,641.00. To further ensure the safety of those attending this event and to appropriately manage traffic flow for residents and visitors in the immediate/surrounding areas, Cobb DOT has identified additional equipment, signage and services that will be needed. Traffic management also includes potential increased CobbLinc transit services and additional equipment for Cobb County International Airport – McCollum Field to effectively manage anticipated increased usage of these services. Estimated costs for essential needs identified by Cobb DOT total $360,489.00. The projected cost of overtime for Cobb DOT employees is $62,442.00, resulting in a total estimated cost of $422,931.00 for Cobb DOT specified needs associated with the MLB All-Star events.
The Cobb Communications Department will use targeted social media advertising to inform Cobb residents and businesses about the impact this event might have on their daily commute, traffic patterns, and opportunities to participate in any activities that could help the tourism or retail component of the event. They will also purchase a drone to provide images and videos to use in outreach about traffic closures or re-routing surrounding the event. Pictures and video footage will be added to the current digital library. Estimated costs provided by Communications are $5,000.00 for advertising, $3,500.00 for drone and accessories, and $3,437.00 for overtime and personnel costs. Therefore, the total estimated cost in the amount of $1,589,752.00 requested for the anticipated safety and security expenses associated with the All-Star Game and related sponsored events, has $786,948.00 allocated for overtime expenses and $802,804.00 for all other related resources, materials, and capabilities. Based on data provided by Baseball Almanac, the economic impact shows the Midsummer Classic is a significant economic boom for hosting cities. We anticipate this event to have an enormous sociological and economic impact on the County. In the past, hosting cities have experienced an economic impact ranging from $37M to $190M. Our surrounding hotels/motels, restaurants and event venues will benefit significantly from the AllStar Game. We anticipate a robust return on this requested investment.The County will continue to work with its partners to cover and/or seek reimbursement for costs associated with the All-Star Game and other MLB-sponsored events.
IMPACT STATEMENT
It is requested that the Board of Commissioners authorize a contingency funding request for the FY2025 (October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025), in the amount of $1,589,752.00 to ensure the costs associated with hosting the 2025 MLB All-Star Game and other MLB sponsored events do not have a substantial impact on annually adopted County resources. Any portion of the contingency funding appropriated within the adopted FY2025 budget, that is not needed for these purposes, will be returned to fund balance within the General Fund upon completion of expense processing.
FUNDING
Funding will be available per the attached spreadsheet to offset one-time expenses associated with hosting these events during that fiscal year. This action will have no impact on any FY2024 County fund.
RECOMMENDATION
The Board of Commissioners authorize the request to include contingency funding, within the FY2025 annual budget, for safety, security and transportation expenses associated with hosting the 2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and sponsored events, in the amount of $1,589,752.00; authorize the corresponding budget transactions, specifically the submission of this request for inclusion in the proposed FY2025 annual budget proposal; and further authorize the Chairwoman to execute the necessary documents.
About Cobb County
Cobb County is the third most populous county in Georgia, smaller only than Fulton and Gwinnett counties.
The governing authority is the five-member Cobb County Board of Commissioners, which includes a Chairperson and four district commissioners.
The current board is:
| Chairwoman | Lisa Cupid |
| District 1 Commissioner | Keli Gambrill |
| District 2 Commissioner | Jerica Richardson |
| District 3 Commissioner | JoAnn Birrell |
| District 4 Commissioner | Monique Sheffield |
The U.S. Census Bureau gives the following quick facts about the county:
| PeoplePopulation | |
| Population Estimates, July 1 2021, (V2021) | 766,802 |
| Population estimates base, April 1, 2020, (V2021) | 766,149 |
| Population, percent change – April 1, 2020 (estimates base) to July 1, 2021, (V2021) | 0.1% |
| Population, Census, April 1, 2020 | 766149 |
| Population, Census, April 1, 2010 | 688078 |
| Age and Sex | |
| Persons under 5 years, percent | 5.6% |
| Persons under 18 years, percent | 22.7% |
| Persons 65 years and over, percent | 13.3% |
| Female persons, percent | 51.3% |
| Race and Hispanic Origin | |
| White alone, percent | 61.7% |
| Black or African American alone, percent(a) | 29.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent(a) | 0.5% |
| Asian alone, percent(a) | 5.7% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent(a) | 0.1% |
| Two or More Races, percent | 2.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino, percent(b) | 13.7% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent | 50.2% |
| Population Characteristics | |
| Veterans, 2016-2020 | 40562 |
| Foreign born persons, percent, 2016-2020 | 15.6% |
| Housing | |
| Housing units, July 1, 2021, (V2021) | 311450 |
| Owner-occupied housing unit rate, 2016-2020 | 65.8% |
| Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2016-2020 | $273,900 |
| Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2016-2020 | $1,672 |
| Median selected monthly owner costs -without a mortgage, 2016-2020 | $474 |
| Median gross rent, 2016-2020 | $1,264 |
| Building permits, 2021 | 3247 |
| Families & Living Arrangements | |
| Households, 2016-2020 | 283359 |
| Persons per household, 2016-2020 | 2.63 |
| Living in same house 1 year ago, percent of persons age 1 year+, 2016-2020 | 84.6% |
| Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2016-2020 | 20.5% |
| Computer and Internet Use | |
| Households with a computer, percent, 2016-2020 | 97.2% |
| Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2016-2020 | 93.3% |
| Education | |
| High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-2020 | 92.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-2020 | 48.4% |
| Health | |
| With a disability, under age 65 years, percent, 2016-2020 | 6.2% |
| Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent | 13.8% |
| Economy | |
| In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-2020 | 69.6% |
| In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-2020 | 64.3% |
| Total accommodation and food services sales, 2017 ($1,000)(c) | 2056579 |
| Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2017 ($1,000)(c) | 5569500 |
| Total transportation and warehousing receipts/revenue, 2017 ($1,000)(c) | 1536858 |
| Total retail sales, 2017 ($1,000)(c) | 18543691 |
| Total retail sales per capita, 2017(c) | $24,615 |
| Transportation | |
| Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2016-2020 | 31.2 |
| Income & Poverty | |
| Median household income (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020 | $80,830 |
| Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020 | $41,480 |
| Persons in poverty, percent | 9.2% |
| BusinessesBusinesses | |
| Total employer establishments, 2020 | 21492 |
| Total employment, 2020 | 358927 |
| Total annual payroll, 2020 ($1,000) | 21780372 |
| Total employment, percent change, 2019-2020 | -0.3% |
| Total nonemployer establishments, 2019 | 86497 |
| All employer firms, Reference year 2017 | 17066 |
| Men-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | 10386 |
| Women-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | 3537 |
| Minority-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | 3058 |
| Nonminority-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | 12177 |
| Veteran-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | 1204 |
| Nonveteran-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | 13909 |
| GeographyGeography | |
| Population per square mile, 2020 | 2254.8 |
| Population per square mile, 2010 | 2026.4 |
| Land area in square miles, 2020 | 339.78 |
| Land area in square miles, 2010 | 339.55 |