Cleveland Awarded 2022 NBA All-Star Game

The city of Cleveland, a refurbished Quicken Loans Arena and the Cavaliers have been awarded the 2022 NBA All-Star game. The tip-off will come 25 years after they hosted the 1997 All-Star game. That contest was the 50 ^th All-Star Game and featured a celebration of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was in town Thursday to make the announcement and teased another huge celebration in February of 2022, on the league's 75th anniversary.

"We're going to be planning similar things for 2022 and we'll also make this another remarkable, outstanding event in NBA history," Silver said.

Silver acknowedged politicians in attendance including Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish and Congresswoman Marcia Fudge.

"I won't make any comment about national politics right now, but they work on a local level," Silver said. "And I can say that in all of my activites around the country in working on arenas and All-Star games and the kinds of support that we see for our teams in these communities, they wouldn't happen without bipartisan leadership, without cities, counties and states working together. And this is a model example of that happening just here today."

It's unlikely the All-Star game would've been awarded to Cleveland without the $185 million renovation of Quicken Loans Arena. Budish says the county investment, appproximately $60 million from a reserve fund and the county bed tax, was well worth it. 

"Now our investment is really paying off by bringing us the NBA All-Star game for 2022 and that will have an expected economic impact of $100 million in the region, which is very, very significant," Budish said.

The projection is in line with what other cities gained after recently hosting the All-Star game.

The city of Cleveland is expected to contribute $88 million to the renovation through admission taxes between 2024 and 2034.

Crain's Cleveland reported interest on two, $70 million bond issues would bring the cost over 17 years to more than $250 million, split roughly 50-50 between the Cavaliers and the city and county.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert thanked the public entities that serve as the landlord for The Q.

"(They) provide long term investment into this great facility that's not only going to allow the NBA All-Star game, but I'm sure other types of events in the future that we probably wouldn't have a shot or a chance at getting and it puts Cleveland on the stage for the whole world to see," Gilbert said.

Congresswoman Fudge had some kind words for Silver.

"Mr. Commissioner, I've heard really, really good things about you, how smart and everything you were," Fudge said. "And once you made that announcement I knew they were telling the truth. You could not have picked a better place for the 75th All-Star game than Cleveland, Ohio.

The Q renovation is expected to be complete by August. Cavs and arena CEO Len Komoroski said the new Q will be able to compete with any facility in the world for events.