The NBA today announced that the '17 All-Star Game will be played in Charlotte at Time Warner Cable Arena. The festivities will be spread across the city, including Bojangles’ Coliseum playing host to the Celebrity Game traditionally held on the Friday of All-Star weekend. The league's week-long NBA Jam Session is expected to be held at the Charlotte Convention Center. The NBA ASG was last held in the market in '91 at Charlotte Coliseum (John Lombardo, Staff Writer). In Charlotte, Rick Bonnell notes NBA Commissioner Adam Silver last year while visiting the city said that he "thought it was a sure thing Charlotte would be awarded an All-Star Weekend after city officials agreed to various upgrades and renovations" at TWC Arena. Charlotte last fall agreed to pay $27.5M toward improvements to the arena, and the NBA "saw those improvements as key to an All-Star bid." The league "uses All-Star Weekend as its primary event to network with sponsors, which consumes many of the tickets." But Hornets season-ticket holders "should have access to some events" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/23).
ROSE CITY HAS ITS THORN: In Portland, Mike Richman notes the city's "dream of hosting an NBA All-Star Game has been pushed back at least one year" with Charlotte landing the '17 event. One of the "key issues holding Portland back in its effort to land the weekend long event is a lack of hotel space" (Portland OREGONIAN, 6/23).
