Anybody think we will ever get an NBA All-Star game here in Oklahoma City? After all this city has done to support this the Thunder i don't see why not!

We don't have enough hotel rooms. I believe they need 30,000. They have held the All Star game in Salt Lake City and Charlotte, however. Maybe the room requirement has increased recently.

We don't have enough hotel rooms. I believe they need 30,000. They have held the All Star game in Salt Lake City and Charlotte, however. Maybe the room requirement has increased recently.

Do you know, off hand, how many we have? Also curious as to how close they have to be.

They just don't look at hotel rooms, they also look at entertainment options, transportation infrastructure, and amenities. But hotel rooms play a big part. I could see Oklahoma City hosting NBA All-Star weekend after the convention center, convention center hotel, and street car are all completed, so we are looking at another 7-8 years!

Moreover, I wonder how Oklahoma City will fare hosting the NBA Finals! Since the NBA Finals is the second biggest event in the NBA, especially if we have home court advantage, and we host 4 games.

Moreover, I wonder how Oklahoma City will fare hosting the NBA Finals! Since the NBA Finals is the second biggest event in the NBA, especially if we have home court advantage, and we host 4 games.

Unless someone finds a way to beat Chicago, we will be hosting may be 3 of the finals games.

Unless someone finds a way to beat Chicago, we will be hosting may be 3 of the finals games.

What could happen is we end up with the same record, but we will have the tie breaker because we beat them in our only time we played them this year!

Do you know, off hand, how many we have? Also curious as to how close they have to be.

I believe Oklahoma City has ~13,000 hotel rooms total.

NBA finals is no problem. 90% of the fans will be season ticket holders, so rooms won't be a problem. Media will double or triple but that's only about 300-500 additional folks. Jimmy Goldstein will bring three girlfriends with him but since their models they should all be able to fit in one Marriott Courtyard suite.

Unless someone finds a way to beat Chicago, we will be hosting may be 3 of the finals games.

Uh, did you see what Miami did to Chicagom in the playoffs last year. I'll believe Chicago can beat Miami in a playoff series when I see it. Besides, we have plenty worry about before then too (e.g., Spurs, Grizzlies, maybe Mavs IMHO).

I believe there will be one here once the Maps 3 projects and core to shore prejects are complete, Which is decades in the future.

I believe there will be one here once the Maps 3 projects and core to shore prejects are complete, Which is decades in the future.

OKC will need to grow at an even faster pace to see an All Star game in the next 25 years IMHO.

OKC will need to grow at an even faster pace to see an All Star game in the next 25 years IMHO.

Obviously growth isn't a signficant issue. New Orleans was awarded the next All Star game and it is smaller than OKC.

Not gonna happen! move on

Obviously growth isn't a signficant issue. New Orleans was awarded the next All Star game and it is smaller than OKC.

New Orleans has over 36k hotel rooms and tons of late night options

I heard David Stern address the question of OKC hosting the All Star game to a reporter the last time he was in town.....His reply was ' A requirement is to have 6,000 hotel rooms within a mile radius of the arena, when that happens, you have a chance'.

We don't have 6,000 rooms within a 2 mile radius.

we do have 6,000 rooms but not all in downtown

2 mile radius, not downtown. As far as downtown it does not even have a place to get a meal after 10. Roach coaches do not count. OKC does not meet the requirement. Time to move on.

2 mile radius, not downtown. As far as downtown it does not even have a place to get a meal after 10. Roach coaches do not count. OKC does not meet the requirement. Time to move on.

It's not time to move on. If this is something we want--and I don't see why it shouldn't be-- then we should continue discussing what we need to get there and prepare. True, there's no way we're getting the All Star game next year, the year after that, or maybe even within 5 years, but I could definitely see us getting it in about 10 years if things continue to go well with growth downtown. We're just now starting to get a mass of apartments built and building a few new hotels. This will eventually lead to more night options and more business downtown, which will hopefully begin a continuous cycle of downtown growth.

So, we know for a fact we need greater hotel capacity, more entertainment options, and a better transit system at the very least. We're well on our way toward at least of those. Let's keep the growth going and maybe by 2020 we'll see an All Star game.

New Orleans has over 36k hotel rooms and tons of late night options

I certainly understand that. I was responding to a comment that OKC would need to grow faster, whch implies a larger populaton being a deciding factor, which it isn't.

2 mile radius, not downtown. As far as downtown it does not even have a place to get a meal after 10. Roach coaches do not count. OKC does not meet the requirement. Time to move on.

you might want to get out more okc has tons of places to get a meal after 10 ...

There certainly is a possibility of getting an All Star game at some point in time. If SLC can host one, I don't think we have to worry about our amenities. By the time we have enough hotel rooms to be competitive, there will be enough amenities, enough restaurants, etc to make us marginally acceptable. However, we should expect complaints from the media, regardless. I remember all the complaints when Jacksonville hosted the Superbowl.

I suspect we haven't had an NBA team long enough to be considered, regardless. We have to pay our NBA dues by supporting a team well for a few more years.

I certainly understand that. I was responding to a comment that OKC would need to grow faster, whch implies a larger populaton being a deciding factor, which it isn't.

I didn't say growth in population. I meant growth in general - downtown population, amenities, hotel.

you might want to get out more okc has tons of places to get a meal after 10 ...

not downtown, or even in bricktown... i think almost every kitchen in bricktown is pretty well closed by 10, even if the establishment is still open. I remember the guys from ESPN making this very complant that after the game there is no place in the area around the arena for the crew to go and eat. I could be wrong, and if i am, can you please list the places that would be within this 6k hotel rooms in a one mile radius of the arena?

Hosting an NBA All Star Weekend of Events is going to require:

Where to eat after 10 p.m.(?), LOL Bobos' roach coach, Mama Lou's, Skyline and there's more that I wouldn't recommend.

Seriously, here are some of the major accommodation requirements:

18,000 - 20,000 quality hotels rooms and not counting Motel 6 or the I-35 hotel corridor or those rooms which rent by the hour if you know what I mean.

Many of our few quality eating establishments in Bricktown could adjust their closing times for an NBA All Star Event.

Where we stand? Oklahoma City has about 13,000 hotel rooms in the metro area. As for quality (?), that is the question.

We will definitely need at least two anchor hotels downtown with in excess of 700 rooms; something double the size of the Marriott Renaissance or the Marriott on the Northwest Expressway.

How do we increase hotel development? Building the Convention, Exposition & Trade events in our area--downtown and fairgrounds.

The new downtown convention center is going to be the key to spur a lot of development; we're just getting started and on the right track.

Right now, Tulsa would have a better chance of landing the NBA All Star Weekend than Oklahoma City. Ouch! We've got a lot of building ahead.

Hosting an NBA All Star Weekend of Events is going to require:

Where to eat after 10 p.m.(?), LOL Bobos' roach coach, Mama Lou's, Skyline and there's more that I wouldn't recommend.

Seriously, here are some of the major accommodation requirements:

18,000 - 20,000 quality hotels rooms and not counting Motel 6 or the I-35 hotel corridor or those rooms which rent by the hour if you know what I mean.

Many of our few quality eating establishments in Bricktown could adjust their closing times for an NBA All Star Event.

Where we stand? Oklahoma City has about 13,000 hotel rooms in the metro area. As for quality (?), that is the question.

We will definitely need at least two anchor hotels downtown with in excess of 700 rooms; something double the size of the Marriott Renaissance or the Marriott on the Northwest Expressway.

How do we increase hotel development? Building the Convention, Exposition & Trade events in our area--downtown and fairgrounds.

The new downtown convention center is going to be the key to spur a lot of development; we're just getting started and on the right track.

Right now, Tulsa would have a better chance of landing the NBA All Star Weekend than Oklahoma City. Ouch! We've got a lot of building ahead.

being that tulsa has 0% chance .. we do have a better chance than them ..

Hosting an NBA All Star Weekend of Events is going to require:

Seriously, here are some of the major accommodation requirements:

18,000 - 20,000 quality hotels rooms and not counting Motel 6 or the I-35 hotel corridor or those rooms which rent by the hour if you know what I mean.

Where we stand? Oklahoma City has about 13,000 hotel rooms in the metro area. As for quality (?), that is the question.

We will definitely need at least two anchor hotels downtown with in excess of 700 rooms; something double the size of the Marriott Renaissance or the Marriott on the Northwest Expressway.

How do we increase hotel development? Building the Convention, Exposition & Trade events in our area--downtown and fairgrounds.

The new downtown convention center is going to be the key to spur a lot of development; we're just getting started and on the right track.

Right now, Tulsa would have a better chance of landing the NBA All Star Weekend than Oklahoma City. Ouch! We've got a lot of building ahead.\

Do you have a source for the 18-20,000 hotel room requirement?

On what basis would Tulsa have a better chance of landing the NBA All Star Weekend?

\

Do you have a source for the 18-20,000 hotel room requirement?

On what basis would Tulsa have a better chance of landing the NBA All Star Weekend?

I know for a fact I heard a reporter this year ask Stern about our chances for an All Star game and Stern replied 'Do you have the minimum required 6,000 hotel rooms within a 1 mile radius of the arena?'. So I don't know where 18 to 20 k is coming from.

I know for a fact I heard a reporter this year ask Stern about our chances for an All Star game and Stern replied 'Do you have the minimum required 6,000 hotel rooms within a 1 mile radius of the arena?'. So I don't know where 18 to 20 k is coming from.

He may have said that, but the All-Star Game is going to be in the Toyota Center next year (and was also in Toyota Center in 2006). There are not 6,000 hotel rooms within a 1 mile radius of the Toyota Center. And I doubt there are 6,000 hotel rooms within a 1 mile radius of: Cowboys Stadium (2010); USAirways Center (2009); Pepsi Center is questionable (2005)

The 6,000 hotel room within one-mile of each other for an NBA All Star game makes sense; it's the first solid requirement I've heard. The 18,000-20,000 hotel rooms in the metro area was what is needed to make us a solid tier II convention city which would put us in competition with cities like Kansas City, Nashville, Indianapolis & Columbus.

Many of the cities which have previously hosted an NBA All Star Weekend have many large hotels in the downtown area with accommodations for 600 to 1500 rooms each.

Let's first become a solid tier II convention city.

We are a long ways from hosting an NBA All Star Weekend.

Tulsa hotels: http://www.hotels.com/de1505111/hotels-tulsa-oklahoma/

He may have said that, but the All-Star Game is going to be in the Toyota Center next year (and was also in Toyota Center in 2006). There are not 6,000 hotel rooms within a 1 mile radius of the Toyota Center. And I doubt there are 6,000 hotel rooms within a 1 mile radius of: Cowboys Stadium (2010); USAirways Center (2009); Pepsi Center is questionable (2005)
In 2005 that number might have been close for Denver but not now with the large convention center hotels built in the time since and the conversion of a bunch of buildings into small boutique hotels, especially in the LoDo area.

The NBA All-Star game has almost become a smaller version of the Superbowl scene with all of the ancillary activities outside of the sanctioned league activities. Large events always take awhile to build the infrastructure for, I know that most people in Austin are not going to be ready for the F1 crowd this November, they only think they will be because of SXSW. Since we will have our house sold by then I have been looking at hotel rooms, even places like the Holiday Inn Express locations are either fully booked or are asking in excess of $500 a night for a room.

OKC isn't ready for an NBA All-Star game, in fact most of the NBA markets struggle to make it work. If things keep going the to the Superbowl type of atmosphere only the tourist meccas are going to be able handle all of the activities and crowd that those demand now.

The 6,000 hotel requirement(if there is such a requirement) is just a nice way of saying a city doesn't have enough entertainment, dinning, transportation, or convention options.

The hotels come naturally as these things increase and more importantly the number of people visiting the city increase. Im getting the sense that some of you think its only the lack of hotels is why we don't have an all-star game.

He may have said that, but the All-Star Game is going to be in the Toyota Center next year (and was also in Toyota Center in 2006). There are not 6,000 hotel rooms within a 1 mile radius of the Toyota Center. And I doubt there are 6,000 hotel rooms within a 1 mile radius of: Cowboys Stadium (2010); USAirways Center (2009); Pepsi Center is questionable (2005)

In 2004 Houston had 5000 hotel rooms in the downtown area - I'd bet they have at least 6000 rooms 8 years later -

http://www.houstontx.gov/mayor/press/20040714.html

In 2004 Houston had 5000 hotel rooms in the downtown area - I'd bet they have at least 6000 rooms 8 years later -

http://www.houstontx.gov/mayor/press/20040714.html

No. They don't. They currently stand at 5120.

In 2005 that number might have been close for Denver but not now with the large convention center hotels built in the time since and the conversion of a bunch of buildings into small boutique hotels, especially in the LoDo area.

Well, we are talking about the time when the event was held, not some random time afterwards. According to downtown Denver information I can find, they claim to have 8,400 hotel rooms. Since the Pepsi Center is a bit outside of downtown, even now, it's a bit of a stretch to come up with 6,000 rooms within a 1 mile radius of the Pepsi Center. Having added more than 2,500 rooms since they held the NBA All-Star game and with a number of their downtown rooms being outside the 1 mile radius, they certainly did not meet the supposed minimum requirement at the time of holding the game at Pepsi Center.

Bottom line: if there is such a requirement, they apparently waive it about as often as they enforce it.

No. They don't. They currently stand at 5120.

Well dang them Texans - they always tell you how much bigger and better they are.

Well, we are talking about the time when the event was held, not some random time afterwards. According to downtown Denver information I can find, they claim to have 8,400 hotel rooms. Since the Pepsi Center is a bit outside of downtown, even now, it's a bit of a stretch to come up with 6,000 rooms within a 1 mile radius of the Pepsi Center. Having added more than 2,500 rooms since they held the NBA All-Star game and with a number of their downtown rooms being outside the 1 mile radius, they certainly did not meet the supposed minimum requirement at the time of holding the game at Pepsi Center.

Bottom line: if there is such a requirement, they apparently waive it about as often as they enforce it.
The Pepsi Center is right at the edge of downtown, there are always a bunch of people walking to the arena from downtown and LoDo. I have done that several times when staying downtown before I moved up here. We have walked from The Magnolia, The Kimpton-Monaco and the Hyatt at the convention center to Pepsi Center or Coors Field, we have usually taken the shuttle bus to Mile High for Broncos games.

The "6,000 room" requirement may also be a relatively new thing since it seems the All-Star game has become more about everything else outside of the game itself. One of those things they conveniently use when they feel like using it. That is one reason why I expect to really rotate between tourist oriented places like Miami, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Las Vegas with an occasional bone thrown to a team owner to host one every once in awhile. I've never been to any kind of all star game but if it came back to Coors Field I would try to go, especially since I work two blocks from there.

Other NBA cities which have yet to host an All-Star Game:

Portland (Trail Blazers founded in 1970)
Sacramento (Kings moved there from Kansas City in 1985)
Toronto (Raptors established in 1995)
Memphis (Grizzlies moved there from Vancouver in 2001)

Portland's had a team for over FORTY YEARS and they still haven't gotten an All-Star Game. We're in for a long wait. In all probability, the Thunder will be relocated before we get the chance. Either that, or most of us here will be dead before we ever see it happen.

Cheers.

... In all probability, the Thunder will be relocated before we get the chance. ...

The Thunders ownership structure makes it unlikely the team will be relocated in the next twenty/thirty years. Plus with the new CBA's media revenue sharing small markets are more viable now than ever. On top of that the players under contract for the next five years make it likely to have excellent attendance for several years.

The Thunders ownership structure makes it unlikely the team will be relocated in the next twenty/thirty years. Plus with the new CBA's media revenue sharing small markets are more viable now than ever. On top of that the players under contract for the next five years make it likely to have excellent attendance for several years.

Unless of course there was an oil bust. Which also seems unlikely.

Unless of course there was an oil bust.

The Gaylord (Bennet) family is not that heavy into oil.

Unless of course there was an oil bust. Which also seems unlikely.

Only 3 of the 8 owners main business is involved primarily in oil or gas, all the owners are minority owners so it is easier to replace someone needing to get out than sell the team quickly. Granted their would be collateral damage if there was a oil bust but OKC is not as dependent on oil/gas as a few decades ago.

I wonder about Dallas hosting and having an event like the Rookie vs. Sophomore game or something in OKC. I don't know if that'd be a possibility or not, probably not. Anyways, I could see us hosting it in 7-10 years.

Oklahoma City has far exceeded expectations in the sports world of most cities of our size. In 1997 we were trying to get the NHL and a decade later, we brought the NBA to town. Nashville was trying to get the NBA in 1995 and had to settle for the NHL.

Let's count our blessings and move on...

The Thunders ownership structure makes it unlikely the team will be relocated in the next twenty/thirty years.

It's entirely possible that it may be twenty or thirty years before we're awarded an All-Star Game.

Let me just say, until the downtown area is cleaned up by Core to Shore and MAPS, we will not see an NBA All Star game. South of the old i-40 is completly embaressing for our city if we were to get an All Star game in the next 10 years. And dont forget there is no parking lot what so ever. I still cant believe they didnt include a parking lot when they were building the Ford Center.

... And dont forget there is no parking lot what so ever. I still cant believe they didnt include a parking lot when they were building the Ford Center.

uh, whaaaat? You might look over by the se curve of the arena. I've nevah paid to park there, but it does exist. As do several others not so very far away.

I doubt the majority of people coming to an All Star game care anything about parking, unless it's for their limos. You could argue we don't have enough taxis and limos for an All Star game more convincingly.

South of I-40 will have a lovely park on it by the time we get an All Star game.

Speaking of which, I was totally amazed at the number of people, children and dogs who were at the Myriad Gardens last weekend. I'm not the least bit worried about the new Central Park being underutilized. People seem to have discovered downtown.

uh, whaaaat? You might look over by the se curve of the arena. I've nevah paid to park there, but it does exist. As do several others not so very far away.

Come on thats not considered a parking lot if not even a thousand people can squuez in there.

Come on thats not considered a parking lot if not even a thousand people can squuez in there.

Then what's it considered? It's not a mall.

How is surface parking lot suppose to be better than a parking structure, unless they had built in an area where land was so cheap it could be offered complementary with tickets there is hardly any difference. Even then many if not most pro teams with surface lots charge for parking anyway. At least downtown there is free street parking after 6:00 and several garages in walking distance so you do not have a monopoly.

so, no parking lot at all was actually oh, but that one doesn't count? riiiight. thanks for that clarification.

Most downtown arenas that I know of do not have a large quantity of attached parking spaces, it is expected to park in area garages and surface lots around the venue. The urban ones that do have a large amount of parking (either structured or surface) around them were built just out side of downtown areas (like Dallas or Denver) on brownfield sites.

How is surface parking lot suppose to be better than a parking structure, unless they had built in an area where land was so cheap it could be offered complementary with tickets there is hardly any difference. Even then many if not most pro teams with surface lots charge for parking anyway. At least downtown there is free street parking after 6:00 and several garages in walking distance so you do not have a monopoly.

At least people wouldnt have to struggle as much if there were more surface parking lots. They could have came up some type of landscaping where there would be a parking lot like San Antonio, or even Dallas. Just saying

At least people wouldnt have to struggle as much if there were more surface parking lots. They could have came up some type of landscaping where there would be a parking lot like San Antonio, or even Dallas. Just saying

San Antonio's arena is out in the boondocks so you can't compare the two. And to even request more surface parking lot downtown is just backwards.

We've got too much surface parking in downtown OKC the way it is. And again, no one going to an All Star game from out of town cares about parking. They're not renting cars. Me, I'd walk to the games, but most people who live here have long since figured out where they park to go to the Peake.

Three years later I'd say we're still aways off but getting closer.

Three years later I'd say we're still aways off but getting closer.


It's not an impossibility...


To host a weekend of celebrity-infused parties, complete with star-player glitz and glamour, the league requires cities to have 5,500 downtown hotel rooms. Right now, Sacramento has 3,500.

NBA Commissioner: Sacramento?s All-Star Game Hopes Rest On Number Of Hotel Rooms « CBS Sacramento (http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2015/02/03/nba-commissioner-sacramentos-all-star-game-hopes-rest-on-number-of-hotel-rooms/)

Oklahoma City will have close to 4,000 downtown hotel rooms come 2017. We should have 2,542 by mid year. If we continue to keep pace at this rate of 1,500 new downtown hotel rooms every 5 years, we could reach that goal come 2022.

Checking into OKC: More than 3,600 hotel rooms planned in next three years.

Checking into OKC: More than 3,600 hotel rooms planned in next three years | Oklahoma City News & Articles (http://www.visitokc.com/articles/view/Checking-into-OKC-More-than-3-600-hotel-rooms-planned-in-next-three-years/799/)