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Newark's Prudential Center To Host NBA Draft Again In 2012

NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- Newark Mayor Cory Booker tweeted the news last week.

On Wednesday, the NBA made it official: the league's annual draft will be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., for the second straight year.

"Prudential Center is state-of-the-art, and we look forward to working with city officials and the arena's staff to produce another memorable event for our fans," NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement.

With Madison Square Garden again unavailable while undergoing offseason renovations, the draft will return to what no longer will be an NBA arena. The Nets will play their final game there in April before moving to Brooklyn.

"Since the opening of the Prudential Center in 2007, Newark has established itself as an all-American sports city and a premier center for basketball," said Booker. "Newark has hosted the New Jersey Nets, Seton Hall Pirates, the WNBA Liberty, last year's March Madness and now, for the second year in a row, we will welcome the excitement and energy of the NBA Draft. The world is recognizing that 'Newark's got game!'"

Booker tweeted last Monday: "Thrilled 2 announce #Newark will host the #NBAdraft + Fanfest for 2nd year in a row @PruCenter June 28th!"

The draft is scheduled for June 28 at 7 p.m.

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(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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