Cleveland may be getting an NBA All-Star Game after all.
Two weeks after the Greater Cleveland Congregations reached a deal to withdraw its opposition of the Quicken Loans Arena transformation deal and one week after the Cleveland Cavaliers chose to recommit to the same agreement, construction has begun on the $140 million project, according to Kevin Kleps and Jay Miller of Crain's Cleveland Business.
As a result, Cleveland could be in line to host either the 2020 or 2021 All-Star game. In July the NBA had given the Cavs a deadline of Sept. 15 to begin construction in order to keep the team in consideration as an All-Star Game host for either year.
The team beat the deadline by a day.
Doing so seemed improbable a mere month ago, when the Cavs withdrew their participation in the deal after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the agreed upon deal between the team and Cuyahoga County must head to a public vote. The court's ruling came after the GCC led a petition drive to present the court with the aforementioned referendum against the deal.
The GCC reached a deal to withdraw its petitions on Aug. 31, ending its opposition to the renovation project, which will see the Cavs contribute $70 million, with the other $70 million coming from public funding. On Sept. 6, the team announced its intentions to recommit to the deal.
One of the Cavs' biggest selling points in seeking renovations to the Q was the prospect of bringing the All-Star Game to Cleveland, which the team said would have a $100 million-plus impact on the city's economy. Progressive Field is slated to host the 2019 MLB All-Star Game -- and it now appears another star-studded exhibition in Cleveland may not be far behind.