Vegas OKs bid for '07 NBA All-Star game
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-13 08:54

Tourism officials have approved a $4.5 million bid to host the NBA All-Star game in 2007, hoping to persuade the league to make Las Vegas the first city without a team to hold the event.

The board of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority authorized the bid during a meeting Tuesday.

Memphis, Tenn., is the only other city with a confirmed interest in hosting the All-Star weekend in 2007 or 2008. New Orleans and Charlotte, N.C., have been mentioned as possible bidders.

League officials have made two trips to Las Vegas to scout possible locations, including the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus.

Last month, state gambling regulators approved a league request blocking Nevada sports books from accepting wagers on All-Star events held in the state.

Such bans are not unprecedented. The Palms hotel-casino does not accept bets on professional basketball games because it is owned by the Maloof family, which also owns the Sacramento Kings. Mayor Oscar Goodman praised George Maloof, who attended Tuesday's visitors authority meeting, for suggesting Las Vegas host the NBA All-Star game.

Next year's NBA All-Star game will be in Houston.

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