2008 Woodie Awards
NBA finds big success in Big Easy
All-Star weekend draws tourists back to New Orleans after Katrina
Michael Kunzelman
The Associated Press
Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: Sports
NEW ORLEANS - A peaceful NBA All-Star weekend in New Orleans should silence skeptics who question whether the city is equipped to host major events as it recovers from Hurricane Katrina, city leaders said Monday.
New Orleans largely avoided the violence that tarnished last year's game in Las Vegas, where five people were shot and hundreds arrested during All-Star weekend, city officials said a day after Sunday's game.
In New Orleans over the weekend, police reported 98 arrests near All-Star festivities and a shooting early Monday in the French Quarter that left three people with minor injuries. Police said the shooting didn't appear to be linked to any All-Star activities.
"This event was a slam dunk for New Orleans and a slam dunk for the NBA," said Mayor Ray Nagin, who was flanked by New Orleans Hornets owner George Shinn at a City Hall press conference.
Shinn said other NBA owners who attended the game showered the city with praise.
"Everybody was as positive as could be," he said. "We all should just be very proud of what's happened."
Only about two-thirds of the city's population is back and parts of the city remain in ruins more than two years after the storm. However, New Orleans already has been the site of several major sporting and cultural events since Katrina devastated the city in August 2005. In addition to annual Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest celebrations, the city has hosted this year's Sugar Bowl and college football's national championship game.
Doug Thornton, vice president of the company that manages the Louisiana Superdome, said a successful All-Star weekend should ease any lingering concerns by event organizers about violent crime rates and a slow storm recovery in New Orleans.
"This was a test for us in many ways," Thornton said, "and I think we passed the test."
Shinn also expects the All-Star game to give a boost to the hometown team, which ranks near the bottom of the league in average attendance despite having the best record in the Western Conference halfway through the regular season.
New Orleans largely avoided the violence that tarnished last year's game in Las Vegas, where five people were shot and hundreds arrested during All-Star weekend, city officials said a day after Sunday's game.
In New Orleans over the weekend, police reported 98 arrests near All-Star festivities and a shooting early Monday in the French Quarter that left three people with minor injuries. Police said the shooting didn't appear to be linked to any All-Star activities.
"This event was a slam dunk for New Orleans and a slam dunk for the NBA," said Mayor Ray Nagin, who was flanked by New Orleans Hornets owner George Shinn at a City Hall press conference.
Shinn said other NBA owners who attended the game showered the city with praise.
"Everybody was as positive as could be," he said. "We all should just be very proud of what's happened."
Only about two-thirds of the city's population is back and parts of the city remain in ruins more than two years after the storm. However, New Orleans already has been the site of several major sporting and cultural events since Katrina devastated the city in August 2005. In addition to annual Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest celebrations, the city has hosted this year's Sugar Bowl and college football's national championship game.
Doug Thornton, vice president of the company that manages the Louisiana Superdome, said a successful All-Star weekend should ease any lingering concerns by event organizers about violent crime rates and a slow storm recovery in New Orleans.
"This was a test for us in many ways," Thornton said, "and I think we passed the test."
Shinn also expects the All-Star game to give a boost to the hometown team, which ranks near the bottom of the league in average attendance despite having the best record in the Western Conference halfway through the regular season.
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