Celtics/Boston Officials Lose Out On Their Bid To Host 2004 All-Star Game

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

       Boston Herald   http://www.bostonherald.com       

       Hub drops the ball for hoops All-Stars in 2004
      by Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa 
      Thursday, September 16, 1999
      <snips>
      Catch this - the city's sports and marketing bigwigs have blown off 
      hosting the NBA All-Star Game in 2004 because the clock ran out before 
      they could net the $2 million needed to get into the game! 
      And that wasn't the only problem. As the bid window closed last month, the 
      Boston Celtics still hadn't figured out a way to host the game and not 
      tick off their season ticket holders who would be shut out of All-Star 
      Game tickets. We'd say that's a BIG problem.
      Then there was the FleetCenter, which would have had to spend a huge chunk 
      of change to host the hoop-la and not take in one cent of revenue during 
      the All-Star event. The greedy NBA gobbles up everything in its All-Star 
      wake - ticket sales, concessions and parking. And you know that didn't 
      score any points over on Causeway Street!
      ``All of us involved really have to take a harder look at how we are going 
      to pay for the game and we needed more time to work out the best 
      competitive bid,'' said Celtics marketing cheese Stuart Layne. ``It cost 
      the Red Sox close to $2 million to bring the All-Star Game here last 
      summer. The Sox may have had their reasons why to do it, but from our 
      point of view, all the parties have to make it work.''
      So Layne, along with FleetCenter skipper Rich Krezwick, the Mass. Sports 
      Partnership and the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, decided 
      to pass on the 2004-2005 bid but will continue to huddle about hosting the 
      hoop-la in 2006 or 2007. Since, despite the whining, it would be a boon to 
      Boston and the state.
      The league's demands also include 5,000 hotel rooms each night, and two 
      supersonic soirees - one costs $500,000 - for 6,000 basketball bigwigs, 
      sponsors and other hoop hangers-on. Then there are transportation costs, a 
      large lodging tab and other assorted All-Star dreck.
      Layne said the Mass. Sports Partnership is taking the lead role in the 
      discussions and will also be out in the business community stumping to 
      raise the dough.
      But will they score???? Do stay tuned.