NEW ORLEANS (NBA) - The NBA has confirmed that the 2008 All-Star Game will be played in New Orleans.
NBA Commissioner David Stern had previously hinted that the Crescent City - still recovering from the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Katrina last August - would be awarded the game to help the recovery effort.
"The award of NBA All-Star 2008 is our vote of confidence in the progress that is being made in the reopening and rebuilding of New Orleans' tourism infrastructure," Stern said.
"New Orleans will become the basketball capital of the world in February 2008, and demonstrate to a global audience that New Orleans is very much open for business."
The All-Star Game will undoubtedly help the economics of the hurricane-ravaged city. New Orleans will also serve as the host city for the NBA's mid-year marketing meetings - the largest annual gathering of NBA league and team officials - in January 2007.
"We're thrilled by the news," Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco said. "We salute commissioner Stern and his staff for their confidence that we can put on a great show. New Orleans has historically been one of the favorite sites for the biggest sports events - the Super Bowl, the Final Four and the BCS championship game."
The New Orleans Hornets franchise relocated to Oklahoma City for much of last season and are not due to return to New Orleans full-time until 2007-08, although some games will be played at the New Orleans Arena.
Hornets owner George Shinn, who moved the team from Charlotte, North Carolina to New Orleans after the 2001-02 season, was forced to make the move because of the hurricane damage.
"I can't think of a better way to show people that our city is back and revitalized than by hosting the NBA's signature event," Shinn said.
PA Sport