<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">[imgl]http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20051025/thumb.nccb10310251803.bobcats_arena_nccb103.jpg[/imgl]CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Emeka Okafor considered taking the trolley to work Saturday night, a luxury Charlotte's star forward now has in the Bobcats' new downtown arena. Okafor instead chose to make the two-minute drive from his high rise apartment, ensuring he made it in time for a red carpet celebration the Bobcats had before officially opening the $265 million facility for Saturday night's sold-out game against the Boston Celtics. ``This place is incredible,'' Okafor said before the game. ``I'm just happy we have a place that everybody likes. The other place was not good at all.'' The Bobcats played their inaugural season in the antiquated Charlotte Coliseum, a suburban facility that lacked the amenities and atmosphere found in today's NBA facilities. With fans still bitter about the Hornets' departure from Charlotte in 2002, the Bobcats struggled to draw at the Coliseum and ranked 28th in the league in attendance. NBA commissioner David Stern, on hand for Saturday night's opening, said he was positive that would change now that the Bobcats are in their new home. ``I've taken the tour, sampled the fare, looked at the extraordinary video board -- this is one exciting building,'' Stern said. ``You cannot miss the video board, it is simply the best in the league.'' Indeed, the scoreboard is the arena's staple. Four 16-by-28-foot LED video screens hang over center court, topped by a wraparound three-dimensional sculpture of the Charlotte skyline. </div> Source
