The NBA Kings "are mounting an effort to land the crown jewel of NBA events: the league’s annual All-Star Game," according to Lillis & Kasler of the SACRAMENTO BEE. The "fledgling bid" for the '19 game "comes with an unusual twist: Kings officials are proposing to partner with Napa Valley resorts to host the four-day All-Star Weekend." The Napa connection "is an attempt to address the NBA’s concerns about Sacramento’s shortage of upper-end hotel rooms to accommodate the thousands of fans, team executives, media and advertisers who would attend." Kings President Chris Granger said that the NBA "generally insists on at least 5,000 hotel rooms in the proximity of the arena to host the game ... far more than what is available in downtown Sacramento." The Kings have "never hosted the All-Star Game since joining the league" in '85. Kings execs "have had informal discussions with NBA officials about the idea." Granger: "We have a lot of work to do, but it’s raised some eyebrows. We think that the Napa Valley angle, coupled with what we believe will be the best arena in the league, starts to make the package more interesting" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 2/14).
COMING INTO PORT: In Portland, Mike Richman noted NBA Commissioner Adam Silver this past weekend "addressed the possibility of bringing the NBA's biggest showcase to Portland." The Trail Blazers submitted a bid to host the All-Star Game in '17 or '18, and Silver on Saturday night said it is still "too early to say" whether the city will be granted the game. Silver: "One of the issues historically with respect to Portland is frankly the number of hotel rooms. ... I would love to have an All-Star Game in Portland. But it's an issue of whether we can fit in town." The Blazers "are aware of the city's hotel room issues and have already made progress on developing the necessary accommodations." Last June, the Metro Council "voted unanimously to subsidize" a $212M, 600-room Hyatt Regency Hotel at the Oregon Convention Center. A decision on the '17 and '18 games "could come as soon as April when the NBA Board of Governors holds its next meeting" (Portland OREGONIAN, 2/15).
