A rumor wafted through town last week, whispering the Reds might be trying to bring the 2006 All-Star Game to Cincinnati.

        They're not. That doesn't mean they won't.

        Another year or two will pass before National League teams can begin wrangling for that season's midsummer classic (American League clubs host the All-Star Game in odd-numbered years). But when the time comes, the Reds could be interested in bringing the showcase to Great American Ball Park.

        “At the proper time, we'll explore it further,” Reds chief operating officer John Allen said. “There's been absolutely no formal application.”

        Though Great American is set to open in 2003, Allen said the Reds declined to bid for the 2004 game. He cited the heavy competition among Houston and San Francisco, which christened ballparks last year, and San Diego, projected to open its new playpen in 2002. Next year's game is committed to Milwaukee.

        Any bid to secure the All-Star Game requires a concerted effort between a team and its city. The All-Star Game has grown exponentially since the Reds last played host in 1988.

        The highly interactive and hugely popular FanFest didn't exist then. Nor did the Futures Game, featuring top minor leaguers, which is held two days before the All-Star Game.

        “It's a huge five-day event,” Allen said. “The team doesn't just sit down, put it together and say, "Boy, isn't this fun.' There's no way any single organization can do that on its own ... Everybody has to realize that it's a community event.”

        Among those willing to help is Don Fatica, interim director of the Greater Cincinnati Sports Corporation, which tries to lure special events to the area. He already has floated the All-Star Game notion with friends and acquaintances and discussed it informally with Allen.

        “I have a big interest in it,” Fatica said. “It takes a lot of volunteers. You think of an event that big ... That's exciting to me.”

Reds not pursuing 2006 All-Star Game - yet Wrinkle in Reds schedule

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