NBA commissioner: No decision on moving All-Star Game from Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NBA owners reached no decision Tuesday on whether to move next year's All-Star Game from Charlotte because of North Carolina's law limiting protections for LGBT people.

Commissioner Adam Silver said, however, that the league realizes a decision has to come fairly quickly. He said once again that the law is inconsistent with the values of the league, and he was disappointed North Carolina legislators didn't modify it enough to make the discussion moot.

Silver said owners had a long discussion about the February game and whether the league and its players could celebrate basketball in a state where some people don't have equal rights.

In the end, he said, no vote was taken. But Silver said the league understands the "calendar is not our friend."

The game is expected to have an economic impact upwards of $100 million, but Silver said last month that the league is looking at other venues for the event.

Losing the All-Star Game would be another blow to Charlotte, which lost hundreds of jobs when PayPal halted plans for expansion into the city.

Technology executives from companies such as Google, PayPal and Pinterest sent a letter to Silver on Monday urging him to move the game if the law isn't changed.

Gov. Pat McCrory didn't express concern Wednesday for losing the game.

"I respect people's opinions on both sides of this issue. It's a complex issue which is going to be resolved in the courts," McCrory said.

Hotes, restaurants and entertainment venues are bracing for a loss of some much anticipated revenue. Sid Smith with the Charlotte Area Hotel Association spoke to Channel 9 by phone. He said losing the game could put hotels in a pinch.

"We have to hold the rooms, so who knows what might be sellable or who knows, the All-Star game might be here," he said. "If they pull out, then we just have less time to try to fill those openings."

City leaders said they continue to sell Charlotte as the place to be, while they wait to see if the NBA will believe them.

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