Just read on Clay Bennett's wiki page that he was named chairman of the NBA's Relocation Committee in April 2011.....hmmmmmm....now all those Seattle fans who cursed him, better be kissing his feet now, because now he has major power granting a city an NBA franchise! He was in Sacramento recently re the King's relocation issues...

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlesports/2011/04/15/what-clay-bennett-is-the-chairman-of-the-nba-relocation-committee/

Well, his franchise seems to have set the standard for doing it right.

Thinking back on all the things Sonics fans have said in the last three years, this just makes me laugh.

I sure hope Seattle are denied a team for a thousand years and more.

Seattle gets a team when they get a new arena, it is that simple...maybe hard to figure out when you rarely see the sun...

I sure hope Seattle are denied a team for a thousand years and more.

Why would you hope that? I'm certainly glad their team moved here but I have nothing against the city based on a few jerks who made stupid comments. I haven't heard of any great clamoring for a new team there but I think if they ever got a new team that would make a great rivalry for OKC.

It seems Seattle has moved on and really hasn't cared for getting a new franchise except for the select few that still want to whine about OKC. Its whatever. I like Seattle a town, so I'm not going to judge the whole city because of a few fans that want to hold a grudge because more people didn't show up to games when the team was there.

Since Clay Bennett has major pull now in the NBA, hopefully he can sway Stern and friends to have OKC host NBA All-Star weekend in 2013!

Not enough hotel rooms in OKC for an All Star game. I believe they require 30,000.

Thunder?Why would you say that about Seattle?I for one hope one day they get another team,The ones from The Pac NW who have attacked and are attacking OKC and Thunder fans are in The minority!

Not enough hotel rooms in OKC for an All Star game. I believe they require 30,000.

Really? That's too bad, it will be sad when we host an NBA Final series, and win a championship, but can't host a NBA All-Star weekend...what is our hotel rooms at right now? are we even close?

I don't think Bennett being on a relocation committee gives him a bunch of pull in NBA matters. He probably was selected for that spot because he was the last guy that had to move a franchise. And we are no where near hosting an all star game. We are at least 15 years and a new arena away from hosting it.

Since Clay Bennett has major pull now in the NBA, hopefully he can sway Stern and friends to have OKC host NBA All-Star weekend in 2013!

Really doubt OKC is or will be seriously considered to host an all star game. Just today, Sportscasters on Washington DC sportstalk were lamenting the possiblity of having a finals in OKC or Memphis. OKC does not offer the wealth of upscale anything to make celebrities or the affluent from the coasts want to spend 4-5 days partying (ha,ha)here. Wish it weren't true, but OKC is simply not ready for that kind of prime time and won't be for some time.

I don't think Bennett being on a relocation committee gives him a bunch of pull in NBA matters. He probably was selected for that spot because he was the last guy that had to move a franchise. And we are no where near hosting an all star game. We are at least 15 years and a new arena away from hosting it.

I heard it was also since he has been active in developing/being in public-private partnerships from the 89 Olympic festival through MAPS, but any owner outside of the five largest cities that are not billionaires doing it as a vanity play should have experience with that too.

Since Clay Bennett has major pull now in the NBA, hopefully he can sway Stern and friends to have OKC host NBA All-Star weekend in 2013!

We've gone through this argument numerous times, OKC has nowhere near enough hotel rooms, amenities, retail, entertainment to handle it.

We've gone through this argument numerous times, OKC has nowhere near enough hotel rooms, amenities, retail, entertainment to handle it.

I disagree. We have plenty of all that. As for entertainment, those can easily be planned and set up on the streets downtown.

Thunder, disagree all you want, but you don't live in reality. Have you ever been to a major city outside of Oklahoma?

What cities recently hosted the NBA All-Stars other than L.A. and what do those cities offer in upscale amenities? You guys need to be more granular in detail. Don't just say upscale anything. I mean, based on that you've just disqualified every city in the country except for LA, Chicago, NYC and Miami. Maybe Dallas.

What cities recently hosted the NBA All-Stars other than L.A. and what do those cities offer in upscale amenities? You guys need to be more granular in detail. Don't just say upscale anything. I mean, based on that you've just disqualified every city in the country except for LA, Chicago, NYC and Miami. Maybe Dallas.

Notable small markets that hosted NBA All Star Game, Salt Lake City 1993, Oakland 2000, Denver 2005, New Orleans 2008, compared to the big 3 L.A., Chicago, New York, these are small markets.

OKC can do a lot in two years to bring it up to par to host an NBA All Star weekend, we already have momentum just need more hotels and amenities which are all in the works.

Notable small markets that hosted NBA All Star Game, Salt Lake City 1993, Oakland 2000, Denver 2005, New Orleans 2008, compared to the big 3 L.A., Chicago, New York, these are small markets.

Okay DCSooner and metro, time to chime in. What upscale and entertainment amenities do Salt Lake City and New Orleans offer that would make your celebrities and affluent from the coasted (as if affluent people don't exist in Oklahoma as residents) want to stay in those two cities and party for 4-5 days?

Okay DCSooner and metro, time to chime in. What upscale and entertainment amenities do Salt Lake City and New Orleans offer that would make your celebrities and affluent from the coasted (as if affluent people don't exist in Oklahoma as residents) want to stay in those two cities and party for 4-5 days?

Pulse, I understand your point about Salt Lake City but don't understand how you could ask that question about New Orleans. Have you been there? It's one of America's major party cities and has a great number of cultural and historical attractions as well. It was devastated by the hurricane but not wiped off of the map and is still a big attraction for visitors.

Okay DCSooner and metro, time to chime in. What upscale and entertainment amenities do Salt Lake City and New Orleans offer that would make your celebrities and affluent from the coasted (as if affluent people don't exist in Oklahoma as residents) want to stay in those two cities and party for 4-5 days?

Ok, first let me say that OKC is improving rapidly. Having said that, cities that host major sporting events are generally blessed with great weather (Phoenix, LA, Miami), natural landscapes (ocean, ,mountains, rivers, etc)(LA, Miami SF Denver etc), vibrant downtown areas (NY,Chicago, Boston), great cuisine (meaning varied). New Orleans is not a big city but New Orleans has a distinctive cultural identity based around food and music, to some extent Memphis also has a food and music identity but is not percieved as an upscale place primarily due to its crime statistics and generally less than affluent demographic. OKC has none of these features (consistently great weather, vibrant DT, positive distinctive cultural identity, natural landscapes.

Generally Super Bowls and Final Fours and NBA Championship Series appeal to not only the super fan, but the high rollers who want to be seen at the event not particularly for the sporting event itself. Televsion ratingsnmatter, OKC is the 45th largest TV market larger that only Memphis and NO. SLC + Ogdan UT pop=1.7M.SLC has major resort hotels and ski resorts.

OKC is not now nor has it ever been known as a "destination city". People do not come to OKC necessasarily for leisure and relaxation (outside of when I visit my mother in Lawton). These events requires major convention hotels like W and others not Days Inn, etc. I venture to say OKC has the smallest airport of all the the NBA cities. (Memphis and SLC are mini hubs) NO is a tourist destination as well as SLC. It is not easy to get to OKC.

Where would anyone coming in for the finals Shop for high end merchandise? Nowhere. In OKC we are still trying to get upscale "chain stores". Heck, you can't buy alcohol in a grocery store. Do you know how backwards people on the East Coast think that is? 3.2 beer ha!

Listen, I love OKC and Oklahoma, BUT I am not delusional, but realistic. We still have a ways to go to move from the both percieved and real image of a "slow, uneducated, flat wasteland". As I said in the beginning, Things are changing but as you no doubt are aware in Oklahoma change moves like syrup.

Ok, first let me say that OKC is improving rapidly. Having said that, cities that host major sporting events are generally blessed with great weather (Phoenix, LA, Miami), natural landscapes (ocean, ,mountains, rivers, etc)(LA, Miami SF Denver etc), vibrant downtown areas (NY,Chicago, Boston), great cuisine (meaning varied). New Orleans is not a big city but New Orleans has a distinctive cultural identity based around food and music, to some extent Memphis also has a food and music identity but is not percieved as an upscale place primarily due to its crime statistics and generally less than affluent demographic. OKC has none of these features (consistently great weather, vibrant DT, positive distinctive cultural identity, natural landscapes.

Generally Super Bowls and Final Fours and NBA Championship Series appeal to not only the super fan, but the high rollers who want to be seen at the event not particularly for the sporting event itself. Televsion ratingsnmatter, OKC is the 45th largest TV market larger that only Memphis and NO. SLC + Ogdan UT pop=1.7M.SLC has major resort hotels and ski resorts.

OKC is not now nor has it ever been known as a "destination city". People do not come to OKC necessasarily for leisure and relaxation (outside of when I visit my mother in Lawton). These events requires major convention hotels like W and others not Days Inn, etc. I venture to say OKC has the smallest airport of all the the NBA cities. (Memphis and SLC are mini hubs) NO is a tourist destination as well as SLC. It is not easy to get to OKC.

Where would anyone coming in for the finals Shop for high end merchandise? Nowhere. In OKC we are still trying to get upscale "chain stores". Heck, you can't buy alcohol in a grocery store. Do you know how backwards people on the East Coast think that is? 3.2 beer ha!

Listen, I love OKC and Oklahoma, BUT I am not delusional, but realistic. We still have a ways to go to move from the both percieved and real image of a "slow, uneducated, flat wasteland". As I said in the beginning, Things are changing but as you no doubt are aware in Oklahoma change moves like syrup.

I have to say I agree with all but what you had to say about not being able to buy alcohol in a grocery store. It may seem backwards to people on the West Coast, but people on the East Coast (in the NE) are used to alcohol laws as stringent as Oklahoma, i.e. Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In New York you can buy beer in a grocery store, but not wine, and also in New York liquor stores cannot open additional locations, which bans liquor chains, just like Oklahoma.

Yes, New Orleans is known for jazz music and great cuisine, but outside of Mardi Gras cities like Boston, Chicago and San Francisco still stand out over New Orleans.

There are qualities that Oklahoma City could be known for, but those get quickly overlooked. But, like we both agree, it's improving quickly. I can't count how many times I've met people from other states that are shocked to find out there is more to OKC than BBQ and churches. Heck, one of my colleagues is still surprised Oklahoma City has lakes.

I venture to say OKC has the smallest airport of all the the NBA cities. (Memphis and SLC are mini hubs) NO is a tourist destination as well as SLC. It is not easy to get to OKC.

You would be right. Amongst the NBA cities, OKC has--by far--the lowest amount of airport passenger traffic. Not only tough to fly to, but expensive.

Also, having only ~2,000 hotel rooms in the downtown area (including the motels at I-40/35 and Eastern) isn't even remotely close to being adequate for hosting an All-Star game.

SLC was in the early 90's, a lot has changed since then, and so has the NBA. Vegas and Dallas were two of the most recent cities to host. Enough said.

I know we are not in the position now to host NBA All Star weekend, but 2-3 years from now we might have a chance, once Project 180, Aloft, Hilton Garden, Okc Arena renovations, are complete. I am sure we will also have new hotels and amenities by then... Also if the Thunder win 1 or 2 championships between now and then will make it more attractive....

I know we are not in the position now to host NBA All Star weekend, but 2-3 years from now we might have a chance, once Project 180, Aloft, Hilton Garden, Okc Arena renovations, are complete. I am sure we will also have new hotels and amenities by then... Also if the Thunder win 1 or 2 championships between now and then will make it more attractive....

G.Walker, I think it important for me to say that for all the real or perceived negatives I pointed out, these comments are meant to spur discussion and action to make OKC a truly great city. I am a proud native Oklahoman that wants very much to see my captial city and State grow and prosper. I hate the fact that we lose so many of our most talented to other cities and States. At this time, OKC is extremely fortunate to have corporate and government leadership that wants to move the city forward and is putting significant financial and human resources behind doing that. The past 15 years of development has been phenominal (sp) and we need another 20 years of this kind of investment. As for the Thunder, I believe their moving to OKC has been one of the most transformational changes over the last 20 years. I hope the citizens understand the tremendous value the team has in changing perceptions and promoting our city and State. OKC will be a better city because of the discussions held on this board and the ideas represented by people who care about OKC. A stream begins with a little trickle, a lake from a stream, a river from a lake and the ocean from a river. LET's get started!

G.Walker, I think it important for me to say that for all the real or perceived negatives I pointed out, these comments are meant to spur discussion and action to make OKC a truly great city. I am a proud native Oklahoman that wants very much to see my captial city and State grow and prosper. I hate the fact that we lose so many of our most talented to other cities and States. At this time, OKC is extremely fortunate to have corporate and government leadership that wants to move the city forward and is putting significant financial and human resources behind doing that. The past 15 years of development has been phenominal (sp) and we need another 20 years of this kind of investment. As for the Thunder, I believe their moving to OKC has been one of the most transformational changes over the last 20 years. I hope the citizens understand the tremendous value the team has in changing perceptions and promoting our city and State. OKC will be a better city because of the discussions held on this board and the ideas represented by people who care about OKC. A stream begins with a little trickle, a lake from a stream, a river from a lake and the ocean from a river. LET's get started!

Very, very well said. Not only encouraging, but inspiring. Now I understand what you are trying to convey. It is my wish, in my lifetime, that I see Oklahoma City surge to heights never imagined or foreseen by our founding fathers or even today's greatest visionaries. That is a solid definition of the American dream. Indeed, let's get started.

I know we are not in the position now to host NBA All Star weekend, but 2-3 years from now we might have a chance, once Project 180, Aloft, Hilton Garden, Okc Arena renovations, are complete. I am sure we will also have new hotels and amenities by then... Also if the Thunder win 1 or 2 championships between now and then will make it more attractive....
I wish, but we won't even be close unfortunately. We would still need to DOUBLE our hotel count citywide, and we would need more high end retail and entertainment options, and much better mass transit.

NBA All-Star game brings with it some things we may not want to embrace so eagerly i.e. private parties with strippers and drugs.

NBA All-Star game brings with it some things we may not want to embrace so eagerly i.e. private parties with strippers and drugs.

Which there is already plenty of in OKC. Besides, do we want OKC to be a "big league city" or not? Sometimes you just take the bad with the good. The majority of people coming to an All-Star game aren't going to partake in those sorts of things. The international exposure and infusion of money into the local economy would far outweigh a temporary increase in "immoral" or illegal behavior by a small minority.

NBA All-Star game brings with it some things we may not want to embrace so eagerly i.e. private parties with strippers and drugs.

This is exactly the type of negative, stereotypical, mindset that keeps Oklahoma from progressing. The notion that strippers, drugs, private parties don't happen in OKC now! What evidence do you have that a 4-5 day event particulary an NBA event will turn our pristine city into a cesspool. Statement is odd given the NBA demographic. Maybe a 5 day national finals rodeo will bring the same?

NBA All-Star game brings with it some things we may not want to embrace so eagerly i.e. private parties with strippers and drugs.

As a Denver resident and downtown employee, I wholeheartedly agree with this. When Denver hosted it a couple of years ago it brought plenty of the things OKC wouldn't embrace much at all. There are thousands who come to the weekend without intending to go to the game. It does bring business but it definitely brings a lot of crime and "interesting" visitors.

dcsooner - many locations don't really want the event because of the documented crime increases. Some in Denver had vowed "never again" after it was here. Of course, opinions often change.

This is exactly the type of negative, stereotypical, mindset that keeps Oklahoma from progressing. The notion that strippers, drugs, private parties don't happen in OKC now! What evidence do you have that a 4-5 day event particulary an NBA event will turn our pristine city into a cesspool. Statement is odd given the NBA demographic. Maybe a 5 day national finals rodeo will bring the same?

The main difference in a garden variety any given Saturday private party with strippers and a special event weekend private party with strippers is probably limited to the denominations on the bills hanging off the g-strings.

I would take hosting the NBA Finals any year over the All Star Game.

Agreed. No one can require a certain number of hotel rooms either. I do, however, have a friend who is helping organize the NCAA wrestling tournament here in 2014, I believe, and he's concerned about number of hotel rooms and transit around the city. Hopefully we'll have 3 new downtown hotels by then.

As a Denver resident and downtown employee, I wholeheartedly agree with this. When Denver hosted it a couple of years ago it brought plenty of the things OKC wouldn't embrace much at all. There are thousands who come to the weekend without intending to go to the game. It does bring business but it definitely brings a lot of crime and "interesting" visitors.

dcsooner - many locations don't really want the event because of the documented crime increases. Some in Denver had vowed "never again" after it was here. Of course, opinions often change.

People don't want to talk about it, and try to push this under the rug, but OKC has several strip clubs all over the city, "massage parlors", and private clubs. Moreover, OKC also has a huge prostitution problem, not to mention OKC is also a big drug traffic hub, since it sits right at the crossroads of two major interstates in the US, so you can save your spill about an All-Star weekend bringing strippers and drugs, such events will go unnoticed in this city, lol.

I think some of you underestimate the magnitude of seediness this event would bring, lol. If you've never lived in a city that had to deal with this kind of thing, you wouldn't understand, lol. Trust me, the police force won't be lol.

Does this sound like something we need here?: http://www.8newsnow.com/story/6107862/violence-erupts-during-nba-all-star-weekend

When Jax hosted the Super Bowl we didn't have a crime increase or any problems. However, that was because the 'usual suspects' didn't show up because they knew they would be bored out of their minds in Jax. Of course, that didn't go over well with the NFL who trives off of that culture. So given the choice between having future Super Bowls in Jacksonville or Miami - Miami will win every time.

I think some of you underestimate the magnitude of seediness this event would bring, lol. If you've never lived in a city that had to deal with this kind of thing, you wouldn't understand, lol. Trust me, the police force won't be lol.

Does this sound like something we need here?: http://www.8newsnow.com/story/6107862/violence-erupts-during-nba-all-star-weekend

Pure BS. I've been to several major championships, both college and pro (Final 4, NBA finals, Super Bowl, World Series) and I've never encountered any problems.

Pure BS. I've been to several major championships, both college and pro (Final 4, NBA finals, Super Bowl, World Series) and I've never encountered any problems.

I notice you didn't mention going to an NBA All-Star weekend.

I notice you didn't mention going to an NBA All-Star weekend.

Because that's one event I have yet attend, and don't plan on it, not a fan of "All Star" games.