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2012 NBA ALL STAR WEEKEND ORLANDO

In May 4 2010, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced in a press conference that Orlando has been selected as the site of the NBA All-Star Weekend 2012, the 61^st edition of this popular event.
The NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, February 26 in the Amway Center, the new Orlando Magic Stadium to be opened in the fall of 2010. In the previous 2 days, the Amway Center also host the Rookie Challenge and the regular contests of the Saturday Night. The NBA All Star Jam Session will be held in the Orange County Convention Center.

This is the second time the All-Star visits Orlando, 20 years after the unforgettable 1992 edition, when Magic Johnson came back to the courts after starting his battle against the AIDS to win the MVP trophy and send a huge message to the whole world.
Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson or Clyde Drexler were some of the greatest stars in 1992. Craig Hodges won his third three-point contest and Cedric Ceballos made a name for himself with a "no-look" dunk.

Comments about Orlando selection

"As a premier entertainment destination with a new, state-of-the-art arena and a wide array of hospitality options, Orlando is an obvious and compelling choice to host this celebration of our game," said David Stern. "We thank the Magic, Orlando and Orange County for once again welcoming NBA All-Star."

“We are proud that Orlando, and especially its revitalized downtown, will be showcased during NBA All-Star 2012,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “With the majestic Amway Center hosting great events like NBA All-Star, our vision for a world-class downtown is well on its way to being realized."

"Orlando is the entertainment capital of the world, making it the ideal city to host the action of NBA All-Star," said Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty. "On behalf of the county, we look forward to welcoming NBA fans and players from around the world and doing what Orlando and Orange County do best: helping create memories that will last a lifetime."

Another All-Star Weekend with an Asterisk?

The 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend has been scheduled for the 24-26 February, really late compared to another editions, and hard to be called a "midseason break". One of the reasons is the presence of the nearby Daytona 500, which dominates Central Florida earlier in February. Another cause could be to have more freedom for manoeuvre in case of lockout. 1999 NBA All-Star Weekend had to be suspended due to the lockout (the regular season was shortened to 50 games), and Philadelphia had to wait until the 2002 editon.
The current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2010-11 season, and Stern already has warned the players that league revenues are declining, and the percentage of those revenues dedicated to salaries will be declining. Reaching a new agreement between the league and its players it's expected to be a difficult task.