SOURCE: MSNBC

Continued from page 1

Then there was last February's All Star game, which scared the heck out of Las Vegas.

It wasn't dangerous, and reports afterward of riot-like conditions-except where the NFL's Pacman Jones was-were bogus. But Las Vegas-and its visitors-got an impression of what the NBA would be like, though it was completely mistaken. Even so, it is said to have substantially cooled the ardor of many locals for the NBA.

The NBA All Star game has become one of the biggest hip-hop party events of the year.

Whereas the Super Bowl might attract the NASCAR crowd, the All Star game, with the NBA's majority black population, has come to attract the hip-hop music world.

It's actually quite the fun weekend, though something Las Vegas rarely sees.

Just about every hotel was bustling and bursting with men wearing pounds of jewelry and beautiful women in frilly low cut outfits.

The crowds were not unlike Times Square on New Year's Eve. You could barely move in the lobbies of most of the hotels. It was hardly an unsafe atmosphere, and, in fact, was primarily festive. The people who come to NBA All-Star weekend come for the parties, the dancing and the good times. The sponsors and their families and friends attend the games.

That weekend didn't represent the audiences that attend regular season NBA games.

But Las Vegas doesn't know that. There was a sort of good riddance message for the NBA upon the end of the weekend. The airport was tied up for hours, it was difficult to get a taxi. Main roads were gridlocked. Many of Vegas' regular customers were said to not be happy. And they let the casinos know.

It was a false impression. It really was an enjoyable, fun loving crowd to be in. But it was not the picture Las Vegas seemed to enjoy. Look, they don't send anyone away, but it is a pretty conservative part of the country. It's a delicate issue to confront, so the casinos have been mum. After all, everyone's money spends the same. It just didn't look that weekend like the Las Vegas they know there.

Page 1, 2