It's A Date: All-Stars

[ricco67]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2935278

Dec. 7, 2004, 12:34PM

It's a date: All-Stars in '06

Game, sideshows for NBA headed to Toyota Center

By JONATHAN FEIGEN

Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

The Rockets' long and zealous pursuit of an NBA All-Star Weekend officially ended today when NBA commissioner David Stern, Rockets owner Leslie Alexander and Houston mayor Bill White announced that the 2006 All-Star Weekend will be held at Toyota Center and other Houston facilities.

The Rockets had been considered certain to land the event for more than a year, following the city's host duties of the baseball All-Star Game and Super Bowl.

When attending the Toyota Center basketball opening last season, Stern said he had been "beaten down" by the Rockets' lobbying effort.

"We're definitely coming," Stern said then.

Though Stern would not then commit to which season the three days of events would fill the George R. Brown Convention Center and Toyota Center, the Rockets had bid for the 2005, 2006 and 2007 events. The 2005 All-Star Weekend had been awarded to Denver, and other cities interested in the event had been told to concentrate their efforts on 2007.

In July, Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau president Jordy Tollett said, "It is a firm deal for '06.

"I'm so happy I can't stand it."

Tollett estimated the three days of events would bring $60 million to $70 million to the city's businesses and tourism industry.

jonathan.feigen@chron.com

[UrbaNerd]

YAY!