G_M
Starter
Just a little more fuel for the fire!
By Bill Bradley -- Bee Sports Editor
Published 9:30 am PDT Friday, April 15, 2005
Las Vegas is negotiating to host the 2007 NBA All-Star Game and the Kings owners are involved in bringing the game to the city, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported in Friday's editions.
If awarded, it would be the first time a city without an NBA franchise would be awarded the event. The Review-Journal reported NBA Commissioner David Stern, a staunch opponent of legalized betting on the league's games, became receptive to the proposal after Goodman secured over the last 10 days assurances from Las Vegas' gaming companies that they would not accept wagers on the game, which would be played at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The Review-Journal said the push for the All-Star game began earlier this month when Maloof's brothers, Joe and Gavin, who oversee operations of the Sacramento Kings, contacted Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.
Las Vegas has been speculated as a destination for the Kings if they fail to get a new arena in Sacramento.
"They said they felt we had a good shot of getting the game," Goodman told the Las Vegas paper. "I told them, 'Guys, it's never going to happen, because the commissioner doesn't like betting.' "
But Goodman then reached out to Southern Nevada's gaming companies and persuaded executives it would be in the city's best interest if they agreed to ban betting on the event.
"They agreed to take it off the board," Goodman said. "They were all very enthusiastic. They want to do what's best for the community, and this would be very big."
Goodman met with NBA officials Thursday.
"This is huge for Las Vegas, and it looks like the stars are aligning," he said about 15 minutes before he met in his City Hall office with Ski Austin, the NBA's senior vice president of events and attractions; Palms developer George Maloof, whose family owns the Sacramento Kings, and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President Rossi Ralenkotter.
However, Stern told the Review-Journal on Thursday it's still too soon to say whether All-Star weekend will come here, though he expects to announce a decision before the NBA Finals conclude in June.
"It's certainly something that we are taking under serious advisement," Stern said of staging the game in Las Vegas. "[All-Star weekend] has become so big as a destination event that hotels, transportation and convention space have become significant.
"When a city presents itself, says it's conveniently located and is a destination our fans would love to go to, we decided that we would consider it."
The idea will be presented to team owners at a meeting next Thursday. Should the city's bid for the 2007 weekend fail, Stern said Las Vegas could be in line to host the event in a subsequent year.
By Bill Bradley -- Bee Sports Editor
Published 9:30 am PDT Friday, April 15, 2005
Las Vegas is negotiating to host the 2007 NBA All-Star Game and the Kings owners are involved in bringing the game to the city, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported in Friday's editions.
If awarded, it would be the first time a city without an NBA franchise would be awarded the event. The Review-Journal reported NBA Commissioner David Stern, a staunch opponent of legalized betting on the league's games, became receptive to the proposal after Goodman secured over the last 10 days assurances from Las Vegas' gaming companies that they would not accept wagers on the game, which would be played at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The Review-Journal said the push for the All-Star game began earlier this month when Maloof's brothers, Joe and Gavin, who oversee operations of the Sacramento Kings, contacted Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.
Las Vegas has been speculated as a destination for the Kings if they fail to get a new arena in Sacramento.
"They said they felt we had a good shot of getting the game," Goodman told the Las Vegas paper. "I told them, 'Guys, it's never going to happen, because the commissioner doesn't like betting.' "
But Goodman then reached out to Southern Nevada's gaming companies and persuaded executives it would be in the city's best interest if they agreed to ban betting on the event.
"They agreed to take it off the board," Goodman said. "They were all very enthusiastic. They want to do what's best for the community, and this would be very big."
Goodman met with NBA officials Thursday.
"This is huge for Las Vegas, and it looks like the stars are aligning," he said about 15 minutes before he met in his City Hall office with Ski Austin, the NBA's senior vice president of events and attractions; Palms developer George Maloof, whose family owns the Sacramento Kings, and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President Rossi Ralenkotter.
However, Stern told the Review-Journal on Thursday it's still too soon to say whether All-Star weekend will come here, though he expects to announce a decision before the NBA Finals conclude in June.
"It's certainly something that we are taking under serious advisement," Stern said of staging the game in Las Vegas. "[All-Star weekend] has become so big as a destination event that hotels, transportation and convention space have become significant.
"When a city presents itself, says it's conveniently located and is a destination our fans would love to go to, we decided that we would consider it."
The idea will be presented to team owners at a meeting next Thursday. Should the city's bid for the 2007 weekend fail, Stern said Las Vegas could be in line to host the event in a subsequent year.
