Clay Bennett

[metro]

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.

[G.Walker]

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....

[dcsooner]

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!

[okcpulse]

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.

[metro]

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.

[earlywinegareth]

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.

[semisimple]

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.

[dcsooner]

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?

[mugofbeer]

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.

[kevinpate]

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.

[Snowman]

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

[betts]

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.

[G.Walker]

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.

[earlywinegareth]

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/610786...l-star-weekend

[Kerry]

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.

[rcjunkie]

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/610786...l-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.

[ljbab728]

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.

[rcjunkie]

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.