So the Lakers beat the Nuggets to advance to the finals, and we decided to take a look at both sports venues in 3D to show how you can use Sketchup to add 3D buildings to your maps.

First we went to the Google 3D Sketchup Warehouse where we can find lots of Sketchup models, many published as KML/Z files which can be used directly in Explorer. Sketchup models have long been supported in ArcGIS Desktop in ArcGlobe, part of the 3D Analyst extension. Google acquired the company on March 14, 2006.

We went to the NBA Arenas collection at the 3D Warehouse

and located the Staples Center and Pepsi Center models, home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets respectively. Note that there's a link to "View in Google Earth" (highlighted in yellow below with a red arrow) but obviously we can view these in Explorer too.

If you've let the file association for KML and KMZ be registered to ArcGIS Explorer all you have to do is click the link and the KML/Z will open in Explorer. If the KML/Z file association is registered to Google Earth instead of Explorer you'll see the following dialog when Explorer first starts which lets you choose which application should open the files.

A similar dialog will display from Google Earth if you've set the KML and KMZ file association to Explorer.

You can also right-click the link and save the KML/Z file locally using Save Target As...

And then choose File > Open and click KML to browse for the file.

 Here's the Pepsi Center in Explorer:

And here's the Staples Center. Note that the model author has added additional information about the arena which can be viewed by clicking the model.