Fans, celebrities and athletes descend on Cleveland for NBA All-Star Weekend

Cleveland scored a 3-pointer when it was named the host city of this year's NBA All-Star Weekend which starts Friday, as an expected 100 thousand people, including celebrities, fans, and players from all around the world descend on our city.

The hope is that it brings a lot of cash to the city, especially local restaurants and bars, who have been hurting during the pandemic. As David Gilbert, the president and CEO of Destination Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission said to Crain's Cleveland Business this week, "The economic impact is going to happen."

Speaking of Gilbert, we'll hear more from him on the benefits this weekend poses to Cleveland residents at the end of the hour today.

To kick off the "Sound of Ideas," we're going to talk to two Ideastream Public Media reporters about exactly what is happening this weekend, and how you can participate.

Then, we'll hear about a local virtual conversation happening in conjunction with All-Star Weekend about Black women getting a seat at the table into the business side of sports, and how that helps the community.

Resources

Get in the Game: A Community Conversation about Black Women Leading in the Business of Sports - Webinar registration

Thursday, Feb. 17 4 p.m.

Can stream conversation at Cleveland Public Library: 

• CPL Louis Stokes Wing (downtown auditorium) 

  525 Superior Ave. 

  Cleveland, OH 44114 

   

• CPL Lakeshore Facility  

  17133 Lake Shore Blvd.  

  Cleveland, OH 44110 

- Glenn Forbes, Host/Producer, Ideastream Public Media 
- Gabriel Kramer,  Reporter/Producer, Ideastream Public Media 
- April Miller Boise, Executive Vice President, Eaton 
- Monica Jackson, Vice President of Inclusion & Diversity, Eaton 
- Shelly Cayette, Chief Commercial Officer, Executive Vice President, Cleveland Cavaliers
- David Gilbert, President & CEO Destination Cleveland and Greater Cleveland Sports Commission