There’s still 557 days till the All-Star Weekend here in Las Vegas and despite the long span, locak tourism leaders are already planning how to best cash in on the attention that will accompany this event.

“It is going to be like New Year’s Eve for a whole week” said Rossi Ralenkotter, president of the LVCVA. The plans are to draw as many sports fans as possible to Las Vegas, as it can finally provide more than just pro sport gambling, but also some serious action.

Local marketers, along with NBA officials and local casino reps are about to launch an ad campaign beginning this October. The cost of this campaign is unknows for now.

A look behind the 2007 NBA All-Star Game to be held in Las Vegas:

0
The number of tickets to made available to the general public for All-Star Game.

1,500
Number of Media expected to be credentialed

18,500
Basketball seating capacity at the Thomas & Mack Center

25,000
Visitors expected to attend

43,000
Hotel room nights expected to be used

4,500,000
Dollars spent by the LVCVA to bring All-Star game to Las Vegas

27,000,000
Dollars expected to be generated in nongaming revenue

475,000,000
Estimated number of media impressions generated

After months of speculations, it was officially announced yesterday that the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will be the host organization for the NBA All-Star Weekend in the 2006-2007 season.

NBA All-Star 2007 competitions schedule:

Friday, Feb. 16: League’s top rookies and second-year players play in the Rookie Challenge.
Saturday, Feb. 17: Will feature the Shooting Stars, a shooting competition featuring NBA Legends, NBA and WNBA players; Skills Challenge, a competition of top guards working against the clock to complete a series of passes, long-range shots and agility drills; and the Three-Point Shootout, where six of the NBA’s best long-range shooters compete against each other and versus the clock in the test of three-point shooting accuracy. The evening’s grand finale, the Slam Dunk Contest, will showcase some of the NBA’s best athletes as they take to the air mystifying fans with their gravity-defying creativity.
Sunday, Feb. 18: Highlighting the NBA All-Star 2007 weekend will be the NBA All-Star Legacy Project and a series of events with current and former NBA and WNBA players reaching out to youth-serving organizations.

As a part of the NBA’s attempts to reach to the community, it also plans on partnering with local schools and community-based organizations in Las Vegas and the surrounding areas to showcase the League’s on-going commitment to the community.

As a part of this commitment, the NBA All-Star 2007 will also feature the 14th NBA All-Star Jam Session, the ultimate interactive basketball experience, which will be held at The Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The event is open to the public and will provide fans of all ages the opportunity to take part in NBA All-Star 2007. Jam Session will feature more than 350,000 square feet of non-stop NBA All-Star entertainment, offering fans of all ages the opportunity to collect autographs and meet NBA and WNBA players, compete against their friends at the on-court skills challenges, watch their kids slam dunk at the Kids Zone and much more. Fans can hang out at Club NBA and enjoy the sounds of today’s hottest musical artists. Jam Session’s centerpiece is Center Court where fans can experience NBA stars and celebrities up close. Center Court is home to the NBA All-Star Practice, NBA Rookie and Sophomore Practices and the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

More about the Las Vegas All-Star Weekend press conference:
Yahoo News, USAToday