New Orleans To Host 2017 NBA All-star Game
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced that New Orleans has been selected to host NBA All-Star 2017. The 66th NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday 19th February, at Smoothie King Center – home of the New Orleans Pelicans.
The game was previously scheduled to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, due to a state law that discriminates against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, the NBA decided to move the game to another state.
The recent House Bill 2 (HB2) invalidates some local anti-discrimination measures that protected LGBT people. The league however stated at the time it had the hope of rescheduling the game for 2019.
In addition to the game, the Smoothie King Center will host the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge on Friday 17th February, Feband State Farm All-Star Saturday Night on Saturday, 18th February, while the NBA All-Star Practice, NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and NBA Development League All-Star Game presented by Kumho Tire will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
“New Orleans is a world-class destination for sports and entertainment and we are very appreciative that the city is once again hosting our All-Star festivities,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver. “We are grateful to Tom and Gayle Benson and the Pelicans organisation and to Governor John Bel Edwards, Mayor Mitch Landrieu and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation for inviting us back for what promises to be another exciting and memorable celebration of the game.”
New Orleans Pelicans owner Tom Benson added: “We are grateful that the NBA has selected us to host the 2017 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans. We have made tremendous upgrades to the Smoothie King Center and know the building will be a first-class venue to host the myriad of events associated with All-Star weekend.
“New Orleans has hosted the All-Star Game twice in the past nine years, and is a perfect destination for NBA fans. As we know, the NBA will engage thousands of local children and charities during this weekend. On behalf of my wife Gayle and the entire Pelicans organisation, we thank Governor Edwards, Mayor Landrieu, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau, SMG, and all of the others that worked so hard in a short amount of time to bring the All-Star Game to New Orleans.”
Image: ©Getty Images
