All-Star Wrap Up: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, David Stern and Mayor Oscar Goodman on the NBA in Vegas
The 2007 NBA All-Star game may be over, but NBA fever in
Vegas is still at an all-time high as everyone waits to
find out if we will get an NBA team of our own. It seems
like everyone has an opinion on the idea, including
everyone from NBA stars Shaquille O'Neal
and Kobe Bryant to officials like Vegas
Mayor Oscar Goodman and NBA
Commissioner David Stern. Even
entertainers
Wayne Newton,
Danny Gans and
Carrot Top shared their thoughts about the
NBA in Vegas with Luxe Life.
Let's start with Shaq:
Let's start with Shaq:
RL:
Do you see the basketball team here as a slam dunk in terms
of support knowing what you know about the city?
Shaq: You gotta have that one incredible
player. If it is just a regular team, it won't work. If you
have that player whoever it may be, it will work. Here in
Vegas and every event they got, they have that big guy.
Lance Burton, Wayne Newton,
Cirque du Soleil; they always have that go-to-guy to
make it work.
RL: Are you saying that for a team to work
in Vegas, there has to be a superstar?
Shaq: To work, yes, because there is so
much here to do.
RL: You mean too many competing things?
Shaq: Yes, especially around that tip-off
time. Cirque starts at 7:30, Lance Burton starts at 7:30,
Wayne Newton starts at 7:30, so you have to have that guy to
draw the fans away.
RL: Are you that man? Do you think you may
move closer?
Shaq: Maybe.
RL: Would you be interested in being a part
owner of a Vegas team?
Shaq: I sure would. I would be interested
in a Vegas team and a Vegas hotel. Everything. You can be my
partner.
Next up, the MVP for the second time, Kobe Bryant, who told
me we already have the greatest shows in the world in Vegas
but if he had only 1 ticket to go to any show it would be
'O' even over
Prince and
Celine!
RL: Kobe, what do you think about the
strong possibility of a team here in Vegas?
Kobe: I think it would be great. The
perfect match. I think that personally I would rather not
have a team, that way we could keep our Lakers fan base. But
I think Vegas is a great city.
RL: Shaq just said that he would even
invest and be one of the owners.
Kobe: Oh yeah?
RL: Do you think that is something for you?
Would it be a hassle here with all of the competition? Would
you go see 'O' over a basketball game?
Kobe: If it makes sense, yeah. It just
depends, if you have a market here. If you have a hometown
market that will come to the games here. I think it would
turn into a tourist attraction as well. There are a lot of
business possibilities that you have, especially here in
Vegas. If it is a great opportunity, it depends on venue. I
think the big issue would be the venue.
RL: And the gambling?
Kobe: They say that's not a big issue.
Well, listen to the commissioner he says that gambling is
not really something that he is worried about because a lot
of cities have opportunities to place bets and what not, so
from what he says it isn't realty a big issue for him so if
they get the venue straightened out, there may be a team
here in the future.
It was time to talk to another all-star, and somebody
originally from our hometown; UNLV alum Shawn Marion,
who's mother still lives here now plays for the Phoenix
Suns. First he reminisced on just why the NBA All-Star game
is so much bigger than all the other respected All-Star
games
SM: I guess when you see athletes on TV,
you see mostly basketball players, basketball and baseball,
and you have to realize that we have a lot of endorsements
and we are the face of everything. When everybody looks at
the b-ball players we are the center of attention to some
degree and it is great to come and be apart of it. There are
people from all over the world to make a weekend of it,
driving in, flying in. When you have it here in Vegas, it
puts in on a whole different level, Vegas doesn't sleep, and
it just rises to another level.
RL: Tell me you views on the possibilities
of a team coming to Vegas.
SM: I mean, me personally, they should take
a city vote. Everyone should vote on whether they want a
team or not. I mean me, I don't want a team here, because I
like coming here and I have the extra aura above me. I like
to come here and relax. I love Vegas and occasionally get in
a little poker. Vegas is growing up fast!
RL: Do you approve of the NBA expanding to
Vegas?
SM: They are trying to make money so
they got to make money. The salaries go up and the profits
go up.
RL: Do you think there will be too many
temptations here for an NBA team?
SM: I don't think so, there are just as
many temptations here as any other city, they just stay up a
lot later here.
Our merry Mayor of mirth, Oscar Goodman
(seen above with NBA Commissioner David Stern) now has the
task of putting together a proposal for the NBA to seriously
look at to clear Vegas as a new NBA city. Here's our candid
chat on the subject:
RL: Very seriously, how has it all gone?
Oscar Goodman: It has been a wonderful
week.
RL: Was it what you expected?
OG: Much better. The NBA Cares had a
wonderful impact on the community for the schools and the
community centers, and now the kids who may have never had a
chance to see a b-ball player, got to meet them. All the
parties have been outstanding. Some of the best entertainers
are here, the basketball is great and the best thing is my
discussion with the commissioner. We are going to get
ourselves a team here, the ball is in my court, I am going
to throw it back to him, and the owners so they say that, by
April 23, Las Vegas will have a franchise. It's the perfect
partnership. The perfect marriage. It was a wonderful
meeting with the Commissioner and I'm feeling very good and
very positive about it happening here. I am confident I am
not going to blow it because after all it's my wife,
Caroline's birthday and that's a good omen.
RL: Will the casino sports books have to
make a compromise?
OG: The suggestion is that we will have to
make a compromise from the folks at the casinos and consider
the UNLV rule, taking the team off of the board. I am not
sure we want to go that far. I think gambling is good, it is
good for the support and it keeps the sport honest.
RL: What about a new arena?
OG: There is no issue, I have had five
private groups come to me and say they want to build it. If
you make a deal with the franchise and they build it, or you
have another group build it and the franchise rents it. I am
going to go for the city of Vegas and I know it is going to
come true.
RL: Did you meet with any of the owners
this weekend and did they love Las Vegas?
OG: They loved Vegas and they love the
party that we have had here, they all say go for it. We're
going to get a new arena built. It's a non-issue!
Entertainer Wayne Newton is a strong
supporter of Mayor Goodman's plans for a NBA team in Vegas.
RL: Wayne, are you going to give as much
support as you can to Mayor Goodman to get a team in Vegas?
WN: Not only will I support that, I would
support Mayor Goodman in anything he wanted to do. We go
back a long way. I think it is a great idea, and the time
has come, our city can support it, we have the best fans in
the world here. So I think that it is something that is
going to happen.
RL: So tell me together has this been everything and more that you envisioned?
Joe Maloof: I envisioned the NBA coming to Vegas, but I never thought about this type of scale. As Steve Wynn said, he has never seen an event like this in 40 years.
RL: Do you think the fact that this did so well will stand with the commissioner and we will finally have a team?
George Maloof: I think it will. I think eventually we will have a team here. There is the betting issue and if there is a compromise, something can be worked out.
RL: Who do you think is a likely candidate to move here gentlemen? Are you set in Sacramento?
JM: No, no, but I think Las Vegas is right for an NBA team.
RL: Expansion team or a home for somebody else?
Gavin Maloof: Either or.
RL: That would make it 31, that would be a little difficult to schedule games.
JM: Maybe, but they would figure out a way.
RL: George you have been so instrumental in making this whole event work for your resort, the city, sum it up, has it been all you expected?
GM: I think it has been overwhelming, and bigger than anyone expected. It reminds me of back in 91 when the Rebels played in the championship, there is that same unity.
RL: So you are satisfied with everything that happened here?
GM: It couldn't be better.
Commissioner Stern agreed -- mostly: "We've had a great time in Vegas. It's lived up to all of the attributes in terms of a tourist destination that we could have hoped for: rooms, shows, restaurants golf, and maybe even a couple of people might have stopped in the casinos. This whole week has tied it all together about the celebration of our game. We're in a new golden era of the NBA in terms of the stars we have on a global scale so we have had the opportunity to showcase what the future is right here in Vegas. I am so proud of the effort of everyone involved in doing a great job. We've had our 4th consecutive year of record attendance in the league and we'll be active again this summer in Vegas with the FIBA Tournament of the Americas, which will determine eligibility for the Olympics. Everything in Vegas this weekend has been about breaking old records and setting new records and this is our best All-Star yet in every sense. Time and time again I have been asked about the effects of gambling here but I'm not worried about games being fixed. You can't be against gambling per se because 48 states have a version of the lottery or video poker, slots so if the owners were to be satisfied with respect to the basketball betting issue's disposition then we can do the analysis as to whether Vegas can support an NBA team. The ball starts by being in Mayor Goodman's court for the next move. This event in the Thomas & Mack was a one-time thing because its just not equipped to hold major league events in its current building. Vegas has been great across the board otherwise, except for maybe widening some traffic lanes. I thought the arena looked spectacular. I felt like I was inside a videogame, but that arena is not suitable for future All-Star events.
Mirage headline entertainer Danny Gans (seen above) also talked with me: "Of course I would support it. I think it is about time, this is the greatest city in the world and it would be great to have a team. So I think there are enough people who live here, not to mention all of the people flying in. I think it is a great idea. I think we should call it the Vegas Gamblers."
Luxor comedian Carrot Top (above) added: "This weekend, shows the excitement that basketball can bring and this town has everything but sports and I think this town really needs those to compete with other cities. The Vegas Carrot Tops would be a really great name."
As one NBA player commented: "This has been the best ever. If we can't do Vegas every year lets plan it for every other year! But Ludacris (seen above), had the last word about a full-time team here: "I think they won't be able to concentrate because of all of the shows, the restaurants and the gambling. You just have so much party-time going on!"
