NHL commissioner Gary Bettman today made it official: the 2013 NHL All-Star Game will be hosted by the Blue Jackets in Nationwide Arena. The date is Jan. 26-27, 2013.

"We're looking forward to bringing our All-Star celebration to Columbus," Bettman said.  "The Blue Jackets did a great job of hosting the NHL Draft in 2007, and I have no doubt they will raise the bar even higher when they welcome our All-Star celebration at Nationwide Arena next January."
 
The news was first reported by The Dispatch late Friday.
 
It will be among the biggest international sporting events ever hosted in Columbus, rivaled by golf's Ryder Cup (1931, '87).
 
“As much as it is a showcase for the NHL’s best players, it is also a celebration of hockey fans," said Blue Jackets majority owner John P. McConnell in a statement. "And having it in Columbus is a testament to the fantastic support of our fans and the strength of Central Ohio as a hockey market.”