Today, the Sacramento Kings unveiled the vision for Sacramento to host the NBA 2022 or 2023 All-Star game and related festivities.

Along with their partners from the City of Sacramento, Visit Sacramento, and the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, as well as support from across the region, community partners, businesses leaders, and the best fans in the NBA, the Sacramento Kings have assembled a comprehensive bid that redefines the All-Star festivities as a transformative global celebration of basketball.

"Golden 1 Center created a spark that ignited Sacramento’s evolution downtown and beyond," said Sacramento Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé. "With a world-class arena that is home to the best fans in the NBA, we are excited to present a bid that reimagines the All-Star event as a global celebration of sport, art, culture, and diversity."

The All-Star celebrations will be held at a downtown campus anchored by Golden 1 Center – the world’s most technologically advanced and sustainable arena, and will span east toward the city’s convention center complex, south on to Capitol Mall, and north to event space at The Railyards, extending to UC Davis, and more.

Beyond traditional All-Star events, the Kings are planning to create a Global Pavilion, an innovative indoor/outdoor facility that will extend from the steps of California’s capitol to the iconic Tower Bridge in order to reflect and showcase the values of the region. The Pavilion will be home to concerts featuring chart-topping musical artists, cultural discussions unique to the region, and an array of global dishes made from locally-sourced ingredients prepared by acclaimed chefs.

"It’s time for Sacramento to take center court and host its first NBA All-Star Game," said Congresswoman Doris Matsui. "With Golden 1 Center anchoring Sacramento’s downtown, I am confident that the experience for All-Star Game fans will be gratifying and memorable. I’m honored to lend my full support and work with local, state, and federal partners to make it a seamless experience."

Enhanced technology experiences and innovative transportation solutions set Sacramento’s bid apart. All-Star guests will be able to move from transportation hubs to accommodations to venues in 30 minutes or less. A network of autonomous vehicles, dedicated All-star transportation lanes, and a personal virtual assistant will work together as part of the vision to create a seamless and frictionless entertainment experience and visit to Sacramento.

A customized multi-mode event and venue app powered by artificial intelligence will remove traditional barriers when traveling, and introduce unmatched customer service for All-Star guests via a personalized virtual concierge called SASCHA (Sacramento All-Star Concierge Host with AI). The app will ensure that guests can check into their accommodations without waiting in line, offer tailored entertainment and dining options, navigate to and from events, have merchandise delivered on-demand, upgrade experiences, connect with friends, and more.

"Sacramento is a shining beacon of creativity, diversity, and opportunity– a perfect setting for basketball’s biggest celebration of sport and community," said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. "Together with our partners at the Kings and throughout the community, we are thrilled to present a bid that will show the world that Sacramento is truly a great American city."

The Kings and their partners have identified and secured commitments from nationally renowned hoteliers to submit a bid that meets all of the standard accommodation criteria to host an NBA All-Star game and related festivities that will allow guests to travel to and from events within 30 minutes or less. Through innovative partnerships with Airbnb and small luxury cruise ships, the Kings and their partners have identified additional inventory, to allow guests the ability to choose different types of unique accommodations. This includes up to 1,000 Airbnb lodging options, as well as two to three 300-room small luxury cruise ships – an option that has previously been used at large sporting events such as the Rio Olympics.

The NBA will receive an immersive virtual reality experience showcasing the best the region has to offer from the Sierras to Wine Country to Sacramento’s award-winning farm-to-fork cuisine and entertainment options. An interactive, custom All-Star app loaded on an iPad will accompany the virtual reality tour, highlighting the unique features of the bid, overviews of the venue sites, and video testimonials from Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé, and Kings Legends Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic.