Long dependent on the tourist dollars, exotic shows and convention meetings, Las Vegas officials have been working in different strategies and plans to attract visitors during the hottest months of the year. In recent years, they have discovered that basketball can also be an incredibly popular attraction among visitors and locals who want to do and see something different. While the city is world famous for its incredible variety of Las Vegas shows and sports events such as boxing matches and the Word Series of Poker, probably no one expected Las Vegas to become an attractive location for basketball teams that range from teens amateurs to professional players preparing for the Olympic Games.

"In the summer months, we are always working harder to bring people in. In the spring, this town is rocking with March Madness. In the fall, it also rocks. Now, basketball has become popular in the summer because we have the two things teams require, rooms and facilities. There's not a gym in this town that won't be used. “said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events.

This month, visitors will have several basketball activities and games to choose from, including:

The NBA Summer League, from July 11^th to July 20^th.
A total of 21 NBA teams, including the Lakers and Clippers, will play a total of 53 games over 10 days at the Thomas & MackCenter and adjacent Cox Pavilion on the University of Nevada Las Vegas campus. The list of professional players expected to participate include O.J. Mayo, the former Trojan now with the Memphis Grizzlies, and Kevin Love, former Bruin now with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The U.S. men's Olympic team, from July 21^st to July 25^th.
The U.S. national team, led by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, will train for four days, beginning July 21^st, at a Las Vegas high school before finishing up with an exhibition against Canada on July 25^th at Thomas & Mack..

Youth basketball, July 22^nd to July 31^st.
Over a thousand teams from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada and New Zealand will enter a series of tournaments that include the Adidas Super 64 Tournament, The Main Event, the Reebok Summer Championships (all three tournaments running from July 22^nd to July 26^th); plus the National Youth Basketball Championships/LV Summer Classic (July 27^th to July 31^st).

Las Vegas will also hold the Eurobasket Summer League in July as well as the Hart Sports Management International Exposure Camp and a series of tryouts for the Las Vegas Aces of the American Basketball Assn. and the Korean Basketball League pre-draft tests.