After a year that saw his historic downtown Atlanta tavern nearly shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic, Brian Maloof was looking forward to not one, but two all-star events in 2021 that could have reinvigorated his struggling business.
In early March, the NBA was holding its All-Star Game just a couple of miles from Maloof’s business, Manuel’s Tavern, a long-time watering hole for journalists and Democratic operatives. And in July, Major League Baseball was on deck to hold its All-Star festivities across town.
Maloof expected to benefit from both events. Instead, the NBA event was a…
