WASHINGTON, May 22 (Xinhua) -- New Orleans will play host to the 2008 NBA All-Star Game, NBA commissioner David Stern announced on Monday.

It will mark the first time the event has taken place in the city of New Orleans, home of the Hornets. The 57th edition of the exhibition showcase will be held on Sunday, February 17, 2008.

Stern said in a statement that the city's selection "is our vote of confidence in the progress that is being made in the reopening and rebuilding of New Orleans' tourism infrastructure".

New Orleans is continuing to recover from Hurricane Katrina, which slammed the region last year in one of the nation's worst natural disasters.

The Hornets are scheduled to play 35 games in Oklahoma City next season and six in New Orleans.