THE NBA WANTS TO BE A PART OF IT IN OLD NEW YORK

     NBA Commissioner David Stern officially announced yesterday
that the Knicks and Madison Square Garden have been selected to
host the '98 NBA All-Star Weekend, to be held February 6-8 (NBA).
The weekend is projected to generate $25M for the city's economy
and will mark "yet another coup" for the Garden, which will bring
the Grammy Awards to the building next year (N.Y. TIMES, 9/27).
MSG President Dave Checketts: "With the U.N. here, we saw a
chance to use New York as a capital of the world.  We played up
the international aspect" (N.Y. POST, 9/27).  Knicks
VP/Administration Ed Tapscott is credited with leading the New
York All-Star effort (Barbara Barker, NEWSDAY, 9/27).