Possible NBA All Star Weekend 2016 in Toronto?!?

[ebrian]

Wow... I didn't know that. That is huge. I hate flying in to Toronto and getting the $50 cab ride to the hotel.

Don't worry, I'm sure they will find a way to make you spend that kind of money anyway

I've read the same thing in the past though, about why Toronto could never host it. It has to do with more than just hotels and things like that too -- currency is another issue, media, weather, etc. The ASG is one giant money-making extravaganza, bigger than anything Toronto has ever seen or hosted.

I'm not saying it can't be done; these are just a few of the many reasons why such undertaking was never attempted before. I'm trying to find Doug Smith's old blog post about this in 2010 but I can't seem to find it or it's not there anymore.

[drunkmunky]

Toronto is revolutionizing it's urban core. 2nd to New York, we have the highest number of tall/high-rise buildings in North America.

We're expecting 20,000+ competitors for the Pan Am Games in 2015 and we have an entire dedicated village that is being constructed in the West Don Lands.

By that time, Union station renovation will be complete, as well the connecting LRT to the airport. Waterfront Toronto's new 'soft' waters edge will also be complete. We'll have brand new Streetcars, the Subway expansion to York University will be complete, and the entire subway fleet will be replaced with the new Subway trains.


Pretty sure we can handle the NBA allstar game....

[intoronto]

Toronto is revolutionizing it's urban core. 2nd to New York, we have the highest number of tall/high-rise buildings in North America.

We're expecting 20,000+ competitors for the Pan Am Games in 2015 and we have an entire dedicated village that is being constructed in the West Don Lands.

By that time, Union station renovation will be complete, as well the connecting LRT to the airport. Waterfront Toronto's new 'soft' waters edge will also be complete. We'll have brand new Streetcars, the Subway expansion to York University will be complete, and the entire subway fleet will be replaced with the new Subway trains.


Pretty sure we can handle the NBA allstar game....

Off course Toronto can handle it.

- Only 6,058 competitors are scheduled for the Pan Am Games and 1,500 for the Parapan Games. Not 20,000
The village is being handed to the private sector after the games.
Union Station is hoped to be done for the Pan Ams but it wouldn't shock me to be done after them.
The subway to York won't be done until fall 2016.

[slaw]

I've read the same thing in the past though, about why Toronto could never host it. It has to do with more than just hotels and things like that too -- currency is another issue, media, weather, etc. The ASG is one giant money-making extravaganza, bigger than anything Toronto has ever seen or hosted.

I highly doubt it is bigger than anything Toronto has ever hosted. Caribana and Pride Week would both dwarf the NBA all star game in terms of size. TIFF as well. Even major fights like UFC would rival the size of the all-star game. Even things like the car show are massive endeavours. Didn't that World Youth Day thing in 2000 or so have like a million person outdoor mass? And that was just one morning of it.

Pretty sure Toronto can handle a few dozen athletes, their assorted hangers on and the press...

[ThePuffyTaco]

If it happens, please don't allow Ne-Yo in Canada.

Or Nick Cannon.

Indeed.

Yup. And 5-star hotels. Thats the biggest change in TO over the last few years. What used to be one option (a dated Four Seasons in Yorkville) is now a brand new four seasons, the Trump, the Shang Ri La and the Ritz. Thats a HUGE difference in the last 3 years in terms of hosting these type of events.

Throw in the subway to the airport, which will be done by 2016 and TO is totally ready from an infrastructure perspective ..

Plus Presto will be GTA-wide meaning an easy to understand transit payment system.

I hate flying in to Toronto and getting the $50 cab ride to the hotel.

Why would you take a cab from the Airport? you should take the Go Bus instead.

I highly doubt it is bigger than anything Toronto has ever hosted. Caribana and Pride Week would both dwarf the NBA all star game in terms of size. TIFF as well. Even major fights like UFC would rival the size of the all-star game. Even things like the car show are massive endeavours. Didn't that World Youth Day thing in 2000 or so have like a million person outdoor mass? And that was just one morning of it.

Pretty sure Toronto can handle a few dozen athletes, their assorted hangers on and the press...

Metro Toronto Convention Centre (just down the street) handles Fan Expo convention which hosts about 50,000 during the course of a 4 day weekend. Anime North, a not for profit convention, hosts 22,000 by the airport alone. Downtown Toronto can surely handle an Allstar game.