SAN ANTONIO — It's been years since San Antonio was the host city for an NBA All-Star Game.
In 1996, San Antonio was the basketball capital of the world when the All-Star Game came to the Alamo City.
The event was held at the Alamodome; the year was also the 50th season of the NBA, outdoor concerts filled downtown, music and movie stars descended to San Antonio, and it was Michael Jordan's first game back from retirement and captured the most valuable player award.
San Antonio Spurs legends David Robinson and Sean Elliott suited up for the West team, and current team Vice President of Basketball Operations Brent Barry won the Dunk Contest.
It was a magical time for San Antonio, but the All-Star Game has yet to return.
So, what will it take for the city to host its second event? A lot.
In a report via The Oklahoman, the NBA sets "significant" requirements to be met to be considered a host city:
1. 7,250 hotel rooms and a minimum of three five-star hotels.
2. Convention center of 650,000 square feet of exhibition space.
3. 75 nonstop domestic flights and at least 20 international flights.
Currently, San Antonio falls short of the reported requirements. The city's annual Stock Show and Rodeo is making it more challenging in February, the same month as the All-Star game.
The downtown Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center is set at 514,000 square feet. There are 535 hotels in San Antonio as of January 09, 2024, according to Smartscrapers, and the airport has approximately 40 nonstop destinations.
San Antonio may meet the reported requirements soon, and a rumored new downtown arena might help the city's cause.
But for now, the Frost Bank Center's location is not conducive to hosting the event unless the NBA wants to return to the Alamodome for an All-Star Game for nostalgia.
What say you Spurs fans? Do you think San Antonio will ever host the NBA's annual event again? Let us know on X at @KENS5 and @JeffGSpursKENS5.