Sacramento Kings Arena Plan Dead, Maloof Owners And City At Grim Crossroads

CSN Bay Area's Ray Ratto always tells it like it is, and it is like this: The Maloof brothers are acting like kooks.

CBS-13 in SacTown reports that they [the Maloofs] hired a retired FBI agent to investigate whether Sacramento business leaders who signed an open letter to David Stern urging the commissioner to force the Maloofs to sell the Kings were in fact forgeries.

Yay lunacy!

But wait. There's more. Arena advocate Chris Lehane has asked the attorney general OF THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES FOR GOD'S SAKE to investigate the Maloofs for investigating the signatures.

Yay city-wide brain bubbles!

It is abundantly clear the two sides literally hate each other, don't want anything to do with each other, and soon enough won't have to.

Signature verification? Do you really need to bring the FBI and the Attorney General into this? Apparently so. Oh well, these guys know what they are doing right?

This has gone way beyond an NBA Franchise, the city Sacramento, or even the all-important monetary aspects of this entire arena/relocation fiasco. The Maloof boys got their feelings hurt and now their pride must be restored, not to mention that David Stern really just doesn't give a crap.

Frankly, if David Stern weren't too busy pretending to give a damn about flopping and checking off the days until his retirement, he'd fly to Sacramento with a fistful of owners' proxies, take the team from both the Maloofs and Sacramento and put them on a very high shelf.

But Stern can't be an honest broker here. He works for the Maloofs, not the city, and if he wanted to get nasty with them, other owners might dislike the precedent and get nasty with him.

The Maloofs are in a position to do whatever they see fit at the moment, so why not add more fuel to the fire?

There is an immutable truth here for all to learn, namely this: If it's going bad anyway, give it a push. I mean, it's not like the Maloofs or the city were even trying to fix it any more.

Truer words may never have been spoken (or written).

For more on the Kings, check out Sactown Royalty.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, the Maloofs are trying to keep appearances and make sure the Kings stay in Sacramento. Ken Berger of CBS Sports files this report on his talk with co-owner George Maloof (HT Aykis16 of Sactown Royalty).

Responding to Johnson's accusation that the Maloofs backed away from the deal because they want to move the team, George Maloof said, "Our intention is to stay in Sacramento." But when pressed for a commitment that the family would not file a relocation petition with the NBA, he said, "Ask me in a year."

"We're not even thinking beyond that, and we have no desire to relocate, really, to be honest with you," George Maloof said. "No desire. We feel we have great fans and we want to work something out."

Yeah. Sure.

Convenient for George to take that stand. Because, you know, the Kings can't move this season even if they wanted. The deadline for relocation this season has past. Of course he can't move. The Kings are stuck where they are at least another year, at which point the team might think about filing for relocation. Except they probably can't do that either, since the NBA commissioner seemed to assert the team is staying where they are at least until 2014.

George can keep on doing this song and dance until the end of time, but in the end the only way fans are really going to believe he's committed to keeping the Kings in Sacramento is to get the brothers to come to a new arena deal (where none appears to be forthcoming), or sell the team to an owner willing to keep the team where it is. Until then, all this is window dressing.

To discuss the Kings in general, head on over to Sactown Royalty.

Kevin Johnson is a man of action. So as Johnson realized that the handshake deal consummated during All-star weekend between Johnson and Sacramento Kings' owners, The Maloof Brothers, was falling part, he always had a plan B in his back pocket.

That plan B is Ron Burkle. Here is a portion of what Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick said in his recent story on the Kings' situation and in particular, Johnson's relationship with Burkle.

A year after Johnson partnered with the L.A.-based billionaire to put pressure on the Maloofs to sell the Kings, sources say he remains in constant contact with Burkle and is still hopeful that he will eventually take over the team and keep it in Sacramento. Burkle, the Pittsburgh Penguins owner who was ranked 107th on Forbes' list of richest people in America last year (net worth $3.2 billion), was a major part of Johnson's pitch to stop the Maloofs from moving to Anaheim.

The fight between Johnson and Maloofs has reached a fevered pitch within the public when in the beginning, any discussions were kept indoors. But Johnson believes - and he has supporters - that the Maloofs are in the wrong with backing out of the proposed deal. The Maloofs feel that Johnson is "killing the downtown deal by refusing to negotiate further".

Sacramento, Anaheim, Vancouver, Seattle and all other cities mentioned within the parameters of this situation will all have to wait until this fight declares a winner.

For more on the Kings, be sure to check out Sactown Royalty. Be sure to bookmark SB Nation Bay Area's StoryStream that'll keep you up-to-date with all arena negotiations.

After the death of a new arena deal surfaced and the city of Sacramento tried to figure out why their team, the Kings, again appeared to be moving on, word is now getting out of who could be the favorites to land the Kings if they were to go.

Vancouver.

ESPN's Ric Bucher told "The Kevin Calabro Show" on Friday that Vancouver would be a "very viable spot" for a Kings relocation.

"Maybe, quite honestly, the most viable spot right among places that gets the next NBA franchise that is on the move."

What happened to Seattle? It seemed like a foregone conclusion that Seattle would be the next spot for an NBA team to settle in with their starving fanbase and proven track record. Why Vancouver?

"They have the corporate infrastructure, they have a building that they can readily move into ... they also have a very hot hockey team there currently. It's a place that [the NBA] doesn't want to give up on."

For more on the Kings, be sure to check out Sactown Royalty. Be sure to bookmark SB Nation Bay Area's StoryStream that'll keep you up-to-date with all arena negotiations.

The city of Sacramento is mourning after news came earlier in the week that their arena deal was likely down the drain. While all parties involved once had a handshake agreement in place to build a new venue to host the Kings for decades to come, the Maloof family backed out due to financial concerns. Despite tireless efforts from Mayor Kevin Johnson and the NBA, everything appears to have fallen apart.

Joe Maloof, a co-owner of the franchise, talked to The Sacramento Bee about everything that had transpired in recent days. Here are a few snippets of what he had to say.

On why the Maloofs backed out of the negotiations:

It was a bad deal. The main thing was ... the projected revenues were too high. They were at 2005 levels, before the housing bubble burst and the economy went down. We kept telling (NBA attorney) Harvey Benjamin that. He didn't listen, he didn't listen.

On how he and his family feels just hours after everything happened:

We feel like criminals, and we didn't do anything wrong. This was just the wrong time and this was the wrong deal. When the time is right, we'll do a deal. We'll look at another downtown deal or something at Natomas. Bring us a deal we can sign. Nobody wanted to get an arena done more than we did. We've been talking about it for 13 years. Everyone just needs to calm down. We all need to cool off.

Heh -- good luck with that one, Joe. I don't think anyone in Sacramento is cooling off until they start laying cement for the new arena.

And on what we can expect to happen next:

We've had our ups and downs like every owner, but we're profitable now, one of four or five teams making money. We have to make some moves this summer and get a high draft pick, and fix our team. We have to get our team better. But we are not going to fold. We are resilient. We're coming to the games. We'll be there (today). We're not outsiders anymore. It's our team, our city. Everything in life is timing."

For more on the Kings, be sure to check out Sactown Royalty. Be sure to bookmark SB Nation Bay Area's StoryStream that'll keep you up-to-date with all arena negotiations.

Most in the city of Sacramento had figured their Kings were set to stay for the long haul following a tentative plan for a new arena that was passed a few weeks ago, but those plans are now in serious jeopardy following a rough Friday of press conferences. So what happened with Mayor Kevin Johnson, NBA commissioner David Stern and the Maloof family?

As for the Maloofs, they continued to hold onto their notion that a final financial plan was agreed upon while meeting in Orlando a few months ago, and they are refusing to ante up more money to pay for the new arena. While the NBA league offices and commissioner Stern have typically backed the Kings in their negotiations, Stern said nothing else could be done in their favor during the negotiations. He said he hoped the city council and the Maloof family would continue to work out their differences, but he was "not optimistic" about it.

Mayor Kevin Johnson took the podium later on Friday afternoon and reiterated multiple times that, "Sacramento deserves better." He was clearly upset with the way everything had turned out and said that while he understood the agreements in Orlando were not set in stone, all parties involved had still verbally agreed to them.

In a bit of encouraging news, it does seem like the Kings will be staying in Sacramento through the end of next season. There is still a chance the team stays in Sacramento, but it will take a ton of work from all parties involved. Expect to hear the cities of Anaheim and Seattle ramp up their talks for bringing the Kings to town in the coming months.

A very rough day for NBA fans in Sacramento on Friday, as it appears the deal for a new arena in the city has unraveled. In a series of press conferences, Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, and NBA Commissioner David Stern gave their thoughts on the situation.

Sactown Royalty shared the gist of Johnson's presser, noting:

Mayor Johnson talked about how much the city of Sacramento has done, something also stated by David Stern in his press conference. The city got one year to form a feasible arena plan starting from last year's Board of Governor's meeting. The city did that, and the only ones balking at the deal in the end was not the city, not the NBA, and not AEG, but the Maloofs.

Without the Sacramento Kings as a major tenant contributing $75 million, the arena is pretty much dead in its tracks. On the Maloofs' statements today that they'd possibly be interested in renovating Power Balance Pavilion, Johnson said that if the Maloofs wanted to renovate the arena with private dollars, that was their prerogative. He found it ironic that the Maloofs would say that now after telling him a while ago that an arena renovation was not viable.

"What I learned today, is that sometimes people can change their minds."

Conversely, the Maloofs released a statement of their own, which was to another tune:

Despite best efforts to negotiate an agreement with the City of Sacramento, and at the conclusion of a meeting this afternoon with Mayor Johnson, he advised us that there is nothing to be gained by continued discussions at this time.

We are committed to remaining the Sacramento Kings.

We only received a non-binding term sheet regarding a complex $400 million transaction 8 days before the Mayor's deadline of March 1st. From the moment we received it, we expressed our serious concerns with many of the proposed terms and conditions. Even now, these concerns have yet to be addressed by the City.

The negotiations that have occurred surrounding, as Commissioner Stern said repeatedly today during his news conference a "non-binding framework", never resulted in a deal that was good for the City or good for the team.

We are going to continue to work hard building our exciting young nucleus into a play-off contending team that all Sacramento citizens will be proud of.

We want to thank our loyal fans.

We love Sacramento and we will continue all of our civic and charitable involvement that over the past 15 years has resulted in more than $20 million in cash and in-kind donations to more than 200 community organizations.

David Stern's statement landed somewhere in the middle of the argument, acknowledging that the Maloofs had every right to state their concerns, while admitting that the way they went about it left something to be desired.

"We had an agreement in principle, a framework, a deal. Call whatever you want," Stern said, "In my view, it was subject to any party who said didn't want to do it. Always non-binding. I think it's fair for Maloofs to say they didn't want to do it. If they did it a little earlier, a little simpler and a little more directly, it could have saved some angst."

With the blame game in full effect at the moment, it's tough to really know who's to blame and what the real story behind the stalled effort really is, but the bottom line was laid out by Kevin Johnson when he answered his own question:

"Is the deal as we know it dead? Absolutely."

More on this soon as the story develops.

For more on the Kings, head over to Sactown Royalty.

The livelihood of the Sacramento Kings in their current city saw some rays of hope a few months back, but now may have been completely washed over with gloom after the Maloof family and the city of Sacramento could not decide on financing plans for a new Sacramento stadium. NBA commissioner spoke to the media about the issue on Friday, noting that the current plan is for the team to stay through 2014 in Sacramento but may likely be headed elsewhere afterwards.

"We had an agreement in principle, a framework, a deal. Call whatever you want," Stern said, "In my view, it was subject to any party who said didn't want to do it. Always non-binding. I think it's fair for Maloofs to say they didn't want to do it. If they did it a little earlier, a little simpler and a little more directly, it could have saved some angst."

Stern would continue on to mention that the deal just wasn't right, and the Maloof family had every right to do their own due diligence on how to spend their money:

"Upon closer review, which was their right, the owners of the Kings wanted to reexamine certain assumptions that everyone understood in Orlando about projections and the like. It made them increasingly uncomfortable. Also, they recognized that the fact that it was necessary to bring in a third party, AEG, b/c we needed their funds to finance, b/c of existing debt load, together w/ funds for NBA to advance, came w/ a further burden to the team. They ultimately decided this was a transaction they didn't want to go forward with. That's their right."

Stern continued to explain his disappointment, and that he though the deal that was on the table was one he felt would have worked, the Maloofs were the party that thought it wouldn't be worth it:

"I am extremely disappointed, on behalf of Maloofs and city of Sacramento. But I think that there's nothing further to be done. This is a situation that the Maloofs will make judgments on and city will have to make judgments on. I think we've done as much as we can do. I just want to say that we thought it was a deal under which the Kings could do well in Sacramento and that Sacramento would do well and the NBA would do well."

As for staying through 2014, Stern noted that was the plan but wasn;t set in stone:

"I know we're scheduling them in to Power Balance Pavilion for next year, and it wouldn't pay for me to say anything beyond that."

Stern would conclude that he believes the city and it's fans that they want to keep their team in Sacramento, but if the ownership isn't seeing the value, they all might just get left out in the rain.

For more on the Kings, head over to Sactown Royalty.

The city of Sacramento, mayor Kevin Johnson and Sacramento Kings majority ownership of the Maloof family have been at odds with one another over the possible relocation of the Kings to a downtown Sacramento facility, but in a press conference on Friday morning George Maloof suggested a much cheaper renovation to Power Band Pavilion than the expensive price tag of building a new arena all together.

The Sacramento Bee reports that the Maloofs see the building of a new arena as a potential financial disaster for them and the City, and are hesitant to sign off on anything that would cost them more than they are worth investing.

"Why don't we look at redoing Power Balance?" Maloof asked. "Most of our customers enjoy going to Power Balance. ... It just seems more natural." "It's less money. There's less pressure on everybody," he said.

The Malofs had an economist present before they spoke to the media on Friday, noting hw this deal isn't very financially viable. Kings lawyer Barry McNeil noted that city officials presented their term sheet to the City Council on March 6 even though the team ownership voiced their concerns via a letter the day before, noting it was 'inaccurate and largely irrelevant.'

Maloof has continually said his family is willing to put upwards of $73 million they had agreed to pay but doesn't want to pay the $3.2 million in pre-development costs, which he suggested the city should pony up.

For more on the Kings, check out Sactown Royalty.

Mayor Kevin Johnson has tried his best to keep the Kings in Sacramento. He's worked hard with the NBA and the Maloofs to come together with an arena plan to ensure the team isn't moving anywhere. However, the Maloofs are trying to renege on their original deal, as they seem to be wiggling their way to try and get the owners to agree to let them leave the city.

The Mayor seems to not be all that happy, and went right on the offensive. Here is the official statement from the Mayor's Office. Thanks for Sean Cunningham of News 10 for gathering this up. Here is a segment of that statement.

First, all parties agreed to a deal in Orlando on February 27th, codified in the term sheet subsequently approved by our City Council. At the time, George Maloof explained the Maloof Family's reason for agreeing to the deal, saying to the
Sacramento Bee that is it a "fair deal…worth taking."

Any representation that a deal was not reached is simply not consistent with the perspective of every other party to the negotiation nor the actual statements of the family.

Second, throughout this process, we have worked closely with the NBA as a valued partner at your request, as documented by the following Kings' public statements that the "NBA take the lead on this" while remaining "in very close contact with the league" and being "apprised of everything that’s going on."

Third, and most critically, under no circumstances will the City make material adjustments to the current terms of the deal. Put simply, we have done our part.

We are 100% committed to moving forward under the framework laid out in the term sheet.

And there should be no expectation in tomorrow’s conversation that this deal is subject to further negotiation.

It looks like Johnson is trying to corner the Maloofs into a hole. If the Maloofs continue down this path, they risk alienating not just the city of Sacramento but also the NBA owners to their cause. The city seems to be acting in good faith the entire way, and they're making the owners of the Kings not look too good in this situation.

This situation is about to get really real.

To talk about the letter from KJ to the Maloofs with fellow Kings fans, head on over to Sactown Royalty.

Check out the SB Nation NBA YouTube channel below.

The Sacramento Kings still can't figure out if they're going to be the Sacramento Kings. The owners seem to be backtracking, the NBA is listening, fans of the team are seething, and everyone is a bit on edge about what's going on.

The Maloofs were in New York City today, discussing how the current deal forced them to pay too much of the original pre-development costs. So many mixed messages being sent here.

On one hand, the family has said that they remain committed to Sacramento, and on the other they have unleashed a full-court legal press designed to disrupt the arena funding process.

The family’s newly hired ‘crisis consultant’ Eric Rose started feeding the family’s narrative to the press a few weeks ago, saying they don’t believe the city can deliver on a new arena in time for the 2015-16 season, and that Anaheim was still an option on the table.

Of course, if the city of Sacramento has any holes in its plans to build an arena by 2015-16, we now know that they will be cited by the Maloofs in today’s meetings as a reason the league should allow them to move to Anaheim, where they could make more money whether they keep the team or not.

The city is not happy with what the Maloofs are doing, and say as much (check out the PDF of the official response courtesy of the Sac Bee by clicking here)!

So it appears Kevin Johnson is coming to New York City tonight, as the Sacramento Mayor will try to represent the interests of the city tomorrow. It also might be a ploy by David Stern to get both the Maloofs and the Mayor at the same table and get to hear both sides of the issue.

To add to NY drama: Meeting tomorrow between Maloofs, Mayor KJ and NBA to happen at "undisclosed location" Maloof spokesman says. #nbakings

— Tony Bizjak (@TonyBizjak) April 12, 2012

Good news for Kings fans? They aren't talking about relocation. Yet.

Per @dakasler: Issue of #NBAKings relocation did not come up in Maloof presentation to #NBA owners.

— Ryan Lillis (@Ryan_Lillis) April 12, 2012

To discuss the tough situation with Kings fans, head on over to Sactown Royalty.

Check out the SB Nation NBA YouTube channel for more basketball coverage by looking at the videos below.

More: One more time, with feeling: Either Pony Up or...

Negotiations between the Sacramento Kings organization and the city of Sacramento could be reaching a boiling point. The Maloofs (owners of the Kings) and Mayor Kevin Johnson (the man who's been at the heart of trying to keep the team in Sacramento) seemed to agree to a settlement that would've put the team on track for a new arena in due course.

Things are never as simple as they should be though. Not when it comes to the Kings and Sacramento.

First the Maloofs turned against their own original stance and seemed to back away from the agreement that they would put up any of the money to begin developing the new arena. The Mayor has moved to the counterattack to strike down any such thoughts. Ryan Lillis and Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee files this report.

Mayor Kevin Johnson lashed out at the Maloof family today, calling their statements that the family never agreed to pay for pre-development costs of a new arena "disingenuous."

Hours before the City Council is expected to approve the start of crucial pre-development work on the $391 million arena, the mayor accused the Maloofs of "tactics and antics that are not becoming of a true partnership."

"We as a city can't be jerked around," he said. "We can't keep having this issue flare up."

Johnson then indicated he wants the issue resolved by next week.

It's safe to say that we have a long way to go, and plenty more headaches for Kings fans everywhere.

Talk about the issues between the Maloofs and Mayor Kevin Johnson at Sactown Royalty.

The Sacramento Kings had the city council pass a vote last month that was a huge step towards keeping the team in town and to building a new arena, but with a key financing vote just days away, it appears the negotiations may have hit a snag involving upwards of $3 million dollars.

According to this report from The Sacramento Bee, owners Joe and Gavin Maloof are balking at a request to chip in $3.26 million for pre-arena development costs. The brothers have been hesitant from the start to include this money into the costs despite being willing to pay $73 million towards the cost of the facility.

A Maloof family spokesman in Los Angeles told The Bee today the team does not feel that it should share in pre-development costs because the team is only a tenant in the building, which would be owned by the city.

"The team should not be responsible for the pre-development expenses," team spokesman Eric Rose said. "That has been the position of the Kings from the start."

The two sides will likely continue to negotiate costs in the coming days before the city council and you would have to think they will come to an agreement of some kind. Should the deal fall through, the talks of potential relocation to Anaheim are certain to pop up.

Still, though, with the Maloof family willing to pledge $76.25 million dollars to the cost of a new arena, what's an extra $3.26M? That's like buying your son a Ferrari for his birthday, but refusing to pay for a new sound system.

For more on the Kings and to discuss the new arena, head on over to Sactown Royalty.

The Sacramento Kings, their fans and their mayor won on Tuesday evening. With a proposed arena deal just a few steps away from being finalized, the city council voted after multiple delays. The final verdict: 7-2 in favor of a new arena that will be open in time for the 2015 season.

It seemed like keeping the Kings in northern California was going to be impossible this time last year. The city of Anaheim was more than ready to have a professional basketball team and Seattle has yearned for the NBA to return for years. When the final buzzer rang last season, many thought it was the final horn in Sacramento hoops history.

Without a complete team effort from every party involved, it appeared the Kings were gone.

After many meetings with the NBA's league offices, various investors and a million advisors, the city finally drew up a plan for a new stadium that seemed to please everyone. A lot of work was done over the All-Star Game Weekend in Florida and a big step was taken on Sunday as word came that an agreement would be sent to the city council for a vote.

With many, many supporters in attendance -- including starting point guard Isaiah Thomas -- the city council voted in favor of the new deal. With the agreement in place, there are just a few small steps left before construction begins.

Long Live The Kings.

You won, city of Sacramento. Congratulations.

To celebrate with other fans and for complete coverage on the arena deal, head on over to Sactown Royalty. They're a happy bunch over there.

This time last year, it looked like the Sacramento Kings would leave town for Anaheim and their devoted fan base would be left in the dark. Thanks to an incredible team effort and unrelenting work from Kevin Johnson, the Mayor of Sacramento, it appears the team will be staying in northern California for the long-haul. With the city council voting on the projected arena plan for 2015, it appears SacTown has taken a huge step forward.

Sacramento arena deal passes crucial city council vote. Final tally appears to be 7-2 RT @James_Ham Vote number five is in! Deal is done.

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) March 7, 2012

This vote was the primary hurdle from getting a deal done and the 7-2 approval is phenomenal news for Kings fans everywhere. Again, this team simply would not have stayed in Sacramento without the support, dedication and hard work of those living in the area.

Given the wild history surrounding the arena negotiations everyone should probably hold their breath until the structures start being put into place, but the passing vote sure does make this look like a done deal.

Congratulations, Sacramentans. You've earned this.

For more on the Kings and to celebrate with other fans, head on over to Sactown Royalty.

According to sactownroyalty.com, the Sacramento Kings will be staying in Sacramento.

Mayor Kevin Johnson told the media in Orlando that the city, the Maloof Brothers and the NBA have agreed on the framework of a deal for a new entertainment and sports complex downtown which would provide the Kings with the new facility they've been needing for quite some time now. The goal is to present the deal to the Sacramento City Council on March 1 for a vote on March 6.

SI.com's Sam Amick tweeted that Kevin Johnson wants "to jump up and down." We guess it is safe to assume that Johnson is jumping out of happiness, but that's just a guess. He could just be jumping up and down as a means to stay in shape. We may never know...

But seriously, it looks like the cowbells are here to stay barring any unforeseen complications. Doesn't seem likely as Johnson told the Sacramento Bee's Ryan Lillis, "It's game over."

The Sacramento Kings continue to work on getting a financing plan for a new arena put in place. It's unclear how close they are to making it work. Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty has more from the statement the coach has made.

In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Kevin Johnson explained the delay in the Sacramento City Council vote on a funding plan for a downtown entertainment and sports complex. Johnson said that the city would continue negotiations with the NBA and AEG to come up with a 'term sheet' by March 1, when it would be unveiled to the public. The council would then vote on the plan, assuming it comes together, on March 6.

There's also some good news based on the votes if you read the entire article. Check it out.

Here's some more notes from a press release.

"Sacramento stands ready to meet the March 1 deadline," Johnson said in a statement. "Our approach makes good on the principles that have guided us throughout this process: protecting the taxpayers, creating jobs, and pursuing an open and transparent process."

The new arena would be placed where the old Sacramento railyards are currently located and is estimated to cost around $400 million. The issues seem to be focused around how much each side will be paying for it. The city will be raising about half of it, a significant portion will be raised by AEG (maybe about 10-15% of the costs), and most of the rest is expected to be covered by the Kings.

The only issue is the Maloofs. Do they have the money available to meet the necessary funding for a new arena? We'll know soon enough.

To talk about Mayor KJ, Sacramento arena plans and the Kings, check out Sactown Royalty.

The Sacramento Kings have been staying their execution for quite some time. Will their sentence be commuted to keep them in the capital city? The Seattle Times reports.

In a joint statement released Wednesday, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and NBA Commissioner David Stern said they have agreed to a "work plan" in hopes of reaching a deal to finance a new Sacramento arena by a March 1 deadline.

Johnson, Stern and the Maloof family, which owns the Kings, will meet this weekend in Orlando, Fla.

If a plan can been hammered out in time, a term sheet will be announced March 1 and the Sacramento City Council will vote on the plan at a March 6 meeting.

Two big points to interpret.

1) The Mayor's office is confident he has the votes, but needs to put the full plan in place wants to make sure the city council doesn't rush, and make sure that they come to a proper decision and a correct vote. As long as David Stern delays the deadline to move the team (which is March 1st), it only means both sides need more time to iron out the financial issues.

2) The delays seem to be a result of disagreement between AEG (the people putting the plan together to keep Sacramento) and the Kings about how much money they need to put up to keep the team in Sacramento. The Kings owners are expected to put up a certain amount of money to keep the team here, and they may not agree on how much AEG is asking them.

To talk about the Kings and the relocation efforts, head on over to Sactown Royalty.

Sacramento Kings fans only have a few days left before the deadline to have a deal in place for the proposed $387 million arena put forth by the City, but in a report from the Sacramento Bee Wednesday, NBA commissioner David Stern said that the Kings will make a large contribution to the Sacramento arena project, which should go a long way to keep the team in Sac-Town.

During an interview with TNT"s David Aldridge, Stern noted that hopefully things will 'make sense' before the March 1st deadline to hash out a deal for the proposed $387 million arena deal from the city. Los Angeles based AEG is also seen to be a player in the deal, which is viewed as a 'team contribution' by Stern:

"The team has agreed to a substantial contribution, both directly from itself, but also by catalyzing AEG to be interested. In effect, whatever money AEG puts in is because of give-backs by the team ... so we see that as a team contribution," Stern said. "Whether it ultimately closes all the gaps, we'll know as we negotiate continuously and I fully expect that we will be negotiating in Orlando (this weekend when team and city representatives meet for the All-Star game)"

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson also plans to meet with Stern during the weekend face-to-face, and also expects to have a 'term sheet' to show the City Council for review on Tuesday.

For more on the Kings, head over to Sactown Royalty.

The next crucial step to keeping the Sacramento Kings will be securing the funding they need for a new arena. To keep the costs low on the city, a plan must be put in place that ensures that not too much of a burden is placed on the taxpayers of the city.

The crucial issue seems to be getting enough money from the parking bids, and it appears local leadership has done enough. Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee has more.

By a unanimous vote, the Sacramento City Council voted Tuesday night to allow staff to enter into detailed talks with 11 firms seeking to lease downtown parking. An agreement with one of those companies is being counted on to provide up to half of the $387 million bill for a new downtown sports arena.

In approving deeper talks with those parking firms, the City Council showed it supports moving forward on an attempt led by Mayor Kevin Johnson to create a financing plan for an arena by March 1 and avoid losing the Sacramento Kings.

It's a shift from just one week ago, when four council members voted to place the parking plan on the June ballot – a move that likely would have stalled the arena project beyond March 1.

It's an encouraging sign that such a quick turnaround has been made. This can only mean that support for keeping the team in Sacramento is growing.

Although things look good, the process is not yet complete. Tom Ziller points out that the parking revenue will have to be sufficient enough for the city council to vote in favor of the plan. The vote on February 28th will determine whether the team sticks around the California state capital. If it succeeds, the Kings should be able to begin construction on their new arena; if it fails, the Maloofs will have the freedom to look around for a suitable site, probably Anaheim.

To talk about the Kings, head on over to Sactown Royalty.

The Sacramento Kings are the main candidate for relocation, right as the talk of a new Seattle NBA franchise is beginning to heat up.

Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times recently spoke with Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson about the potential of the Kings relocating to Seattle.

"I honestly was looking through the newspaper trying to figure out if I was going to go to a Seattle SuperSonics game and it just hit me that they don't have a team anymore," said Johnson, who played in the NBA from 1987 to 2000. "I was out talking to people, and the community hasn't recovered from that. I don't wish that on anybody."

Johnson hopes Seattle someday gets an NBA team, but he's adamant it won't be the Sacramento Kings.

Ultimately, however, the final decision will have to be made by the Maloofs. But it is comforting to know that the official stance of the City of Sacramento is "please don't go."

For updates and perspective on the Sacramento Kings, head on over to Sactown Royalty or visit SB Nation Bay Area.

The Sacramento Kings are desperate for a new arena. Without one, the franchise will likely be gone by this time next fall. While recent reports have indicated the arena talks are moving in the right direction, there are a few new complications that will have to be addressed before construction can begin. After a day of meetings, the Sacramento Bee fills us in on a few of these potential problems:

- Although some toxic clean-up has been done at the proposed arena site, "additional remediation work will possibly be required to use the area for an arena."

- The arena may require costly changes in plans for new water, sewer and drainage systems on the site.

These two issues seemingly coincide with each other. With the restaurants, bars, and attractions that would inevitably follow the new area, the surrounding parts would have to be completely cleaned up and suitable for fans and their families. With rigorous testing needed before construction on the water systems can begin, it may take quite a bit of time and money to bring the area up to par.

- Although there are thousands of existing parking spots within walking distance of the arena site, the project likely will require 1,500 to 1,800 new "premium" parking spots close to the arena. The arena development team could negotiate with the state to share 900 spots in the juror lot at a planned new Superior Court building in the railyard. But that will leave the arena project short an estimated 600 to 900 spots.

With many of the home games coming during the school year, the absolute last thing fans with young children or early jobs want to do is sit in traffic for an hour after exiting the arena. It is imperative the Kings have a safe, quick way to get in and out of the parking lots and garages. It may not seem like much, but terrible traffic around the arena could cut down the number of attendance on a nightly basis. 

In addition to the issues with the cleanliness around the potential spot for the new arena and parking concerns, the whole issue of funding came up once again. The amount of money brought into the project will ultimately determine if the team is able to get something done, and at the moment, there are still more questions than answers in Sacramento.

For more Kings coverage, check out Sactown Royalty. 

Early Monday, former Sacramento Kings great Chris Webber took to Twitter to voice his pleasure on the Maloofs decision to keep the franchise in Sacramento.  Later that evening, he shared his thoughts on the air during TNT's Inside the NBA.

The former Kings power forward said he found out the Maloofs decision to stay in Sacramento two days ago.

"It is one more year," Webber began. "But we do have to have our due diligence.  And as a community (we must) show that fans are going to support, show that we have a new arena, which are things we're going to do.

"It's a great day in Sacramento because the Kings were gone," Webber emphatically added.  "And I'm glad we have them there for another year.  And within this year, we're going to make some special things happen."

Webber also added that he's hopeful in renewed efforts to build an arena, stating he has private investors lined up to help pay for a new entertainment-and-sports complex.

"I'm very optimistic," he said.  "And to the fans, keep the faith and keep praying.  But I'm working with a group, I'm working with the mayor, I'm working with the Maloofs.  And the goal is to keep the team there."

Fellow TNT Analyst Charles Barkley weighed-in as well.  The former Phoenix Suns power forward said that it isn't fair to let taxpayers bear the financial burden of constructing new venues.

"I don't think these cities should have to pay for the whole arena," Barkley said. "If these guys who own these teams (and they're going to) own the arena...they should have to put half the money up.

"We can't just keep passing the buck onto the fans," he added.  "We've been doing that for a long time, screwing these fans.  And I really hate when we take a team from a city."

Barkley also pointed out that Sacramento basketball fans have proven through dedication, in good times and bad, that they are more than deserving of an NBA franchise.

"Even when the Sacramento Kings sucked, which was most of the time, they had the best fans." Barkley said.  "They had great fans.  They had the great run with C-Webb and Vlade (Divac) and those guys (who) were there.  But let's be realistic the majority of the time, they've been bad.  But, that place was sold out every single night, they were really noisy and I would hate to see that team leave there."

Fellow analyst Kenny Smith agreed with Barkley.  But the former Kings point guard stressed that the ball to keep the NBA in Sacramento is now in the hands of regional leaders.

"The fans already proved that they can support the team," Smith said.  "It's up to the city and the county to show that they can support an NBA franchise."

Listen to the discussion below.  Download it here. (Audio courtesy of TNT).

NBA Commissioner David Stern conducted a conference call this afternoon with media addressing the Maloofs decision to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

The commissioner said he was very impressed by the overwhelming show of support from the Sacramento community and its leaders, especially Mayor Kevin Johnson.  He lightheartedly joked that perhaps he could use the former NBA point guard's help in collective bargaining negotiations.

"I was extraordinarily impressed for him to do that in such a short time," Stern said of Johnson's efforts to rally $10 million in new corporate commitments for the Kings.

The commissioner also added that the league would be sending a taskforce to assist the Kings with sales, public relations and corporate negotiations. 

"The (NBA) people who are going to be on the ground (in Sacramento) are going to be involved in all aspects of the teams operation," Stern said. "Including its relationship with the media, its relationship with sponsors, it's relationship with season-ticket holders."

With the news of the Maloofs' decision to keep the Kings in Sacramento, Anaheim Arena Management released the following statement (courtesy of KFBK):

"We are disappointed in today’s developments but remain very optimistic about the long-term future of the NBA in Anaheim," said Michael Schulman, Chairman of Anaheim Arena Management. "We wish the Maloof family and City of Sacramento well and hope they are successful in their endeavors. Since we began working toward bringing an NBA franchise to Orange County, we have maintained that this process is about getting a team for the fans, as basketball is a sport loved by Southern Californians. With the nation’s second most populous region, one which serves as home to nearly the same number of people as the entire state of Texas, we are continuing our pursuit of an NBA team for our venue. Southern California has long proved its ability to support major league sports franchises, yet both of our area basketball teams share an arena in the northern-most part of the region. If an NBA franchise came to Anaheim, nearly 10 million people will have greater access to regularly attend professional basketball games due to the location of Honda Center. Recently listed as one of the five most successful arenas in North America (along with Staples Center), Honda Center is without question a leader in the industry. With that in mind, our pursuit continues and we look forward to securing a franchise for area fans in the very near future."

Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait issued the following statement regarding the Kings:

"Anaheim remains an NBA-ready city," said Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait.   "We are proud of the work that was done to bring an NBA team to Anaheim's Honda Center.  In particular, we protected the city's taxpayers and the city's finances from any risk by using private, not public, funds in the financing. 

"As confirmed by NBA Commissioner David Stern, this process has shown that Anaheim/Orange County is a stand-alone market.  With more than 3 million residents, Orange County is its own region – not a suburb.  We believe that there should be more than one venue in southern California to enjoy NBA basketball. 

"Though we are disappointed at today's announcement, we respect this business decision.  I am grateful to the Maloofs for their strong interest in Anaheim and Orange County. I want to thank my colleagues on the city council, the city staff and Anaheim Arena Management for their commitment to this effort.  I especially want to thank Henry and Susan Samueli for their passion and dedication to Anaheim and Orange County.

"The bottom line is this: The final chapter has not been written.  Anaheim/Orange County is ripe for the NBA and we offer an incredibly attractive package to any team.  As a world-class sports and entertainment destination, Anaheim will continue to move forward and we remain optimistic to one day welcoming professional basketball to Anaheim."

The Orange County Register reported first and several other news sources, including Sports Illustrated and the Sacramento Bee, have confirmed with the Maloofs: the Kings officially will stay in Sacramento.

Official Team Statement:

“Out of respect to Kings fans and the regional business community, we have decided to remain in Sacramento for the 2011-12 season. The fans’ spirit and energy, specifically our season ticket holders, has been remarkable and we are truly thankful for their loyalty. We also are greatly appreciative of the support from our corporate sponsors as well as other local businesses that have come forward in recent weeks.

Additionally, we would like to take this opportunity to send a heartfelt thank you to the loyal and hardworking team members within our organization. From the game night staff to the front office, coaches, and players, we are grateful for their professionalism and devotion.

During this process, Mayor Johnson has strongly indicated to both the community and the NBA that he is capable of getting the support to build a state-of-the-art entertainment and sports facility that the Sacramento Region and the tremendous Kings fans so rightly deserve. We look forward to seeing Mayor Johnson bring his vision to reality. However, if an arena plan cannot be finalized in a timely fashion, the NBA¹s relocation committee has assured Maloof Sports and Entertainment that it will support an application to move the franchise to another market starting in 2012-13.”

CSN California reported earlier this evening that both the Maloofs and NBA are expected to issue a statement today formally announcing the Kings will stay in Sacramento.  They also reported that Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is expected to hold a press conference addressing the decision sometime today as well.

The Maloofs met opposition in their proposed move from fellow owners following the NBA's Board of Governor's meetings two weeks ago.  After a fact-finding mission from Oklahoma City Thunder owner and relocation committee chairman Clay Bennett, the NBA promptly expressed their recommendation that the Kings stay in Sacramento to the Maloofs last Wednesday.  

Meanwhile, Sacramento plead its case as a viable NBA market.  Johnson was able to successfully secure $10 million in new corporate revenue for the Kings in just a matter of weeks.  

Though it appears the Kings will be playing in Sacramento next season, their long-term future hinges upon the construction of a new entertainment-and-sports complex.  If no progress is made by the this time next year, we could find ourselves playing this same game all over again - this time with a different outcome.

Brian May of News10 tweets that the Maloof owners have come to their final decision regarding the Sacramento Kings. They will announce it at 10 AM on Monday morning. The Maloofs had the weekend to decide whether to file for relocation or begin the process of returning to Sacramento.

There are three likely and potential scenarios in play.

• The NBA has already made it clear that they would prefer the Maloof owners stay in Sacramento. Whether that preference has any effect on the final decision remains to be seen, but it's becoming clearer that the path to Anaheim could be littered with more loaning, more debt, and lack of making money. And they're not at all guaranteed to be moving, with many hurdles yet to clear. This couldn't possibly end well.
• The road back to Sacramento will require a lot of rebuilding. They will have to reach out to the community, they will have to get an arena in place, or try and wait it out another year and make another bid for Anaheim. Nothing is certain if the Maloofs decide to keep the team and stay in Sactown. No one knows how long they'll be here.
• Or they could be selling the team to someone else. This would ensure the Kings would be in Sacramento for quite awhile, and this is probably what Kings fans are rooting for.

What do you think the Maloofs will choose? Let us know in the comments!

For more on the Sacramento Kings, head to Sactown Royalty.

Yesterday, the Maloofs along with officials from Anaheim spoke with NBA representatives in a conference call arranged by relocation committee chairman Clay Bennett.  Important details of what was discussed have now been released.  From the Sac Bee:

The Kings owners expressed appreciation for local businesses that have pledged $10 million in sponsorship support for next year, but also shared concerns about whether their finances can withstand several years of waiting for a new arena to be built, and whether Sacramento will be able to come up with an arena plan that is financially feasible, given past failures. NBA officials, in turn, told the Maloofs to stay in Sacramento.

And this morning, a press conference held by Mayor Kevin Johnson at the downtown railyards site was abruptly interrupted.  KJ stepped away to take what appeared to be an important phone call.  Rob McAllister of KFBK radio was there and recapped what happened:

The Mayor ran into his black SUV at 10:40 in the morning and remained on the line for 20 minutes. When he emerged form the right back seat, Johnson appeared with a smile on his face. The Mayor would not say who he spoke with. “That is a private call,” he said.

Johnson did say he has not spoken with NBA Relocation Committee Chair Clay Bennett, but asked if it was NBA Commissioner David Stern on the call, “I am refusing to answer that question right now.” Mayor Johnson also would not say whether he knew if the Maloofs had made a decision or not.

The Maloofs are expected to come to a decision regarding the franchise's future before this weekend.

Visit Sactown Royalty and follow this storystream for continued coverage of the Kings relocation Saga.

This morning, Mayor Kevin Johnson and representatives of 30+ businesses met with NBA officials (led by Chris Granger, an NBA Vice President who leads the Team Marketing and Business Operations division) to back up their pledge of $10.2 million for future sponsorship for the Sacramento Kings.

Mayor Johnson called it “a historic day” and that Sacramento had “made a down payment on the Sacramento Kings and this being their permanent home”.

Johnson went on to say that he is confident the city will know the status of the team’s future (at least for next year) by May 2nd, the newest deadline to file for relocation. The NBA’s relocation committee (headed by Clay Bennett, fresh off a visit to Sacramento last week) is expected to reconvene later this week and make their recommendation on whether or not the Kings should stay or move to Anaheim. All indications are that the recommendation will be to stay.

If the Kings do stay, the focus will shift from keeping the Kings here to a renewed focus on building an arena. The Taylor/ICON group currently have a feasibility plan in the works that will be ready by the end of May or early June. If Sacramento can finally put together a solid arena deal throughout the next year, the Kings could remain here for a long time. Otherwise it is very likely Kings fans and Sacramento have to go through this whole saga again, and probably with a much more negative result.

Visit Sactown Royalty for additional coverage on the Kings relocation saga.

Last week, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson reached out to leaders across the greater Sacramento region to organize efforts toward keeping the Kings.  Today, Yuba City Mayor John Dukes announced that he would like to lead the regional charge toward financing a new arena.  Tony Bizjak of the Sac Bee has details:

Dukes said he expects to invite officials from Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Yolo, Yuba and Sutter counties to the meeting this week.

Dukes, who said he volunteered to head the effort, declined to say what financing plan the joint group might advance.

"I want to see us get a facility in this region to attract businesses and create jobs," Dukes said. "Long term, we need a world-class arena to support the Kings and other events. This is a regional facility and needs to be funded regionally."

In response, Johnson's spokesperson issued a statement saying the Sacramento mayor's complete focus is on the May 2 relocation filing deadline and that any discussion beyond keeping the Kings in town is premature right now.

According to News 10, NBA representatives will be in Sacramento again tomorrow when businesses are expected to make initial deposits on their Kings sponsorship commitments.

Visit Sactown Royalty for additional coverage on the Kings relocation saga.

The LA Times is reporting that the Kings, based on conversations with NBA officials, are expected to stay in Sacramento.

NBA officials now expect the Kings to play next season in Sacramento, league executives told The Times on Friday.

Whether the team, which was about to seek permission to move to Honda Center in Anaheim, stays in Sacramento beyond next season remains to be decided.

That will depend on city and county officials and local businesses redeeming the pledges made by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson before the NBA's relocation committee last week in New York, including support for a new downtown arena.

Mayor Kevin Johnson just wrapped up an afternoon press conference and could not delve deeply on the breaking news.  He said that he has not heard from Commissioner David Stern or other league officials regarding the LA Times' report, citing it would be premature to declare victory just yet.

"I say we went from a week ago thinking that we really had no shot of keeping them here," Johnson said.  "I feel a lot more confident about our ability to keep them here."

NBA representatives will be back in Sacramento next week.

Update (5:04 pm):  Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee reached Gavin Maloof on the report and tweeted the following comment from the Kings co-owner.

"Not what we (are) saying. We haven't said. Will let you know when we know."

Update (6:16 pm): The Kings issued this official statement about one hour ago.

“We await the results of the fact-finding visit that the NBA made to Sacramento the past two days. We have not made a decision with regards to relocation filing, and will not make that decision until we have more information from the NBA.”

Visit Sactown Royalty and follow this story stream for continued coverage on the Kings relocation saga.

Sam Amick of SI reported Wednesday growing indications that the Kings could be in Sacramento next year.  In addition to a less-than-stellar television deal awaiting in Anaheim, according to Amick there have been internal discussions among league brass that would suggest they're taking Sacramento's recent efforts seriously.

Two sources said an NBA representative called on Monday to advise the Kings' business team to prepare the season-ticket packages and corporate sponsorship plans that had been on hold since rumors of the move were legitimized in February. Team employees had been in a holding pattern for months, but they were told to be ready to deliver the goods to their customers in the coming weeks should a happy ending be on the horizon. There was similar movement in other areas of the organization, with the notion of a Kings return suddenly seeming somewhere between possible and probable.

However yesterday, an official for the Kings refuted those claims according to a report from Randy Youngman of the Orange County Register.

A spokesman for the Sacramento Kings on Thursday denied a published report saying an NBA representative had called the team earlier this week to alert the team to be ready to sell Kings season tickets in Sacramento for the 2011-12 NBA season.

"We received no such phone call from the league," said Troy Hanson, the Kings' vice president for media relations/basketball operations.

NBA representatives Clay Bennett and Harvey Benjamin are still in Sacramento, continuing their fact-finding mission regarding the capital city's viability as an NBA market.  According to a league official, the NBA has not yet scheduled a visit to Anaheim for Bennett and Benjamin to meet with Honda Center and city officials.

Visit Sactown Royalty and follow this story stream for continued coverage of the Kings Relocation saga.

On March 29th, the city council of Anaheim unanimously approved $75 million in bonds that would go towards enticing the Sacramento Kings to come to Anaheim. $25 million of the bonds would go towards upgrades to the Honda Center and $50 million would be going directly to the Maloofs to help with relocation costs. The bonds were backed by Henry Samueli, owner of the Anaheim Ducks and main tenant of the Honda Center.

A couple days later a committee formed to gather signatures from registered voters in Anaheim in order to block the issuance of the bonds without a vote. Approximately 7,040 signatures would need to be gathered within 60 days, and if they did, the bonds would go up for a vote in June 2012 (barring a special election, which would come at extra cost).

Today, Rob Stutzman (leader of the signature campaign) reported to KHTK’s Mark Kreidler that the group had gathered more than the needed amount (at about 11,000) and were looking for even more as assurance. Stutzman also sent a letter to the NBA explaining exactly what this meant, that the bonds could not be issued until put to a public vote.

Although Samueli could opt to instead finance the loan himself directly instead of through city bonds to save time, this is yet another obstacle in the path of a relocation to Anaheim.

Anaheim's consideration as a relocation destination for the Kings is predicated upon two major factors:

1. Major Corporate Sponsorships
2. Media Market

But according to SI's Sam Amick, item two may not be as lucrative as once thought. Amick reports that Anaheim has a TV deal worth $20 million annually with KDOC, an independent television station in Orange County co-owned by none other than Henry Samueli, a major backer of a Kings move south.  But a $20-million-a-year deal in the nation's second largest media market might not be enough to impress fellow owners and David Stern.

By comparison, the Kings' current deal with Comcast is believed to be worth approximately $11 million annually, not much more than the league-low of $9 million annual agreement for the Charlotte Bobcats. The Clippers' television contract with Fox Sports West is, according to sources, worth $22.5 million annually (although renegotiations are expected considering the team's increased relevance) and the Lakers' Time Warner deal is believed to be worth $200 million annually (potentially 25 years and a combined $5 billion).

 

The math, in other words, just isn't adding up like the Maloofs had hoped. And while the complications continue in Anaheim, optimism is on the rise in Sacramento.

Following last week's board of governors' meetings, Anaheim's response to the growing questions about their city's viability for an NBA franchise has so far been minimal.  The OC Register reported that Mayor Tom Tait stepped down from the board of the Orange County Transportation Authority to focus on "other duties".

Anaheim is amid several high-profile transportation projects, pushing to build the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), a rail, bus and taxi hub near Angel Stadium, and seeking a high-speed rail line between here and San Francisco.

Meanwhile businesses are rallying here in Sacramento, with Mayor Kevin Johnson boasting $8 million in corporate dollars following Thunder Valley Casino Resort's million-dollar commitment Tuesday.  Also, region leaders met yesterday with KJ to discuss plans for today's visit from NBA relocation committee chairman Clay Bennett and what can be done to break ground on a new entertainment-and-sports complex.

Visit Sactown Royalty and follow this story stream for continued coverage of the Kings relocation saga.

Former Kings great Mitch Richmond joined KFBK's morning news program to discuss the Kings relocation saga.  Richmond spent his final NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers and was asked if the Southern California market could support a third professional basketball team.

I know Anaheim can because Anaheim has been trying to get the (Los Angeles) Clippers for a while.  They've been trying to parlay and get the Clippers down there.  Every time the Clippers play or the Lakers play there, they sell out.  And I think that city gets tired of driving to LA for a game because they do have rich city in that area.  And I think it probably can support them and that's probably why they went that way.

Richmond admitted he had been out of the loop regarding the Kings possible move to Anaheim.  But based on the recent developments after last week's board of governors meetings, the former Kings guard sounded optimistic.

That's outstanding.  It shows you right there what's going to happen if the Maloofs clearly want the team to be in Sacramento (or) they could sell and get the profit back on what the bought for it, then why not?

You can listen to the entire five-minute interview here.

Follow this stream and visit Sactown Royalty for continued coverage of possible Kings relocation.

During last week's NBA Board of Governors meetings, Mayor Kevin Johnson piqued the interest of league brass when he claimed he was able to secure $7 million in untapped Sacramento corporate resources for the Kings.  Add another $1 million to that total, after reports surfaced that Thunder Valley Casino Resort, the Indian gaming destination located on the outskirts of Roseville, publicly acknowledged their monetary pledge to keep the Kings in the Sacramento region.

Doug Elmets, spokesman for Thunder Valley, said the mayor reached out to the casino's owners and dropped in for a brief lunch meeting yesterday.  According to Elmets, Johnson's recap of the board of governors meetings in New York was one reason that convinced them to commit.

It was interesting.  He did talk about how the expectations for Sacramento were low at least in terms of perception by the NBA owners and by the NBA commissioner (while) the expectations for Anaheim were obviously high.  And when the Mayor went in, he made what was apparently a fantastic presentation (while) Anaheim's presentation left a lot of questions to be answered.  So what had happened (was), the equilibrium shifted, and clearly the Mayor wanted to convey that to the tribe to really impress upon (them) that now's the opportunity.

When asked about the fiscal pledge from Thunder Valley, Mayor Johnson would neither deny nor confirm while appearing on yesterday's KFBK afternoon news program.

"If that is in fact true," Johnson began. "Down the road, that would be good news and answer your question accordingly."

The casino already owns a luxury box worth $350,000 in the arena and hopes this commitment paves the way for future advertising and promotional opportunities with the Kings.

Follow this stream and visit Sactown Royalty for more coverage on possible Kings relocation.

A campaign started by Sacramento small business owners trying to delay a possible Kings move to Anaheim is nearing its goal.  The Committee to Save the Kings began collecting signatures in Southern California earlier this month in hopes of forcing a vote on the $75-million bonds issued by the Anaheim City Council to lure an NBA team.

Sacramento political consultant Rob Stutzman is leading the charge and expects to have the roughly 11,000 needed to signatures to send the issuance to a public vote.  From the Sac Bee:

"What we're doing is very real and matters legally," Stutzman said, adding that he can gather the requisite number of signatures with "one arm tied behind my back."

He does, however, need a little more money. But assuming he gets it--and there are some wealthy people who have an interest in his success--the referendum would place the Anaheim financing deal on hold until the next election, likely in June 2012, long after the next basketball season is over.

Update:  According to several Sacramento media outlets, the NBA's relocation committee will be paying a visit to the capital city later this week.  The committee's chairman Clay Bennett along with Harvey Benjamin, the NBA's executive counsel of business and finance, will be in town for two days starting Thursday.  They are expected to meet with city officials to find out more facts about Sacramento's viability moving forward as an NBA market.

Visit Sactown Royalty and follow this stream for continued updates on possible Kings relocation.

At around 2 pm west coast time, the NBA held a pre-playoffs conference call with various NBA officials.  Commissioner David Stern answered a number of questions on numerous topics, including Kings relocation.

On reaction regarding the surprising involvement of Pittsburgh Penguins owner Ron Burkle:

Actually the owners, with respect to Mr. Burkle, the owners heard that.  But they were really more focused on Mayor Johnson's delivery that talked about enhanced sponsorship revenue, enhanced season ticket sales and enhanced prospects for a new building. 

On the questions regarding the Maloofs' financial viability:

There was no discussion of the Kings financial condition.  As it related to Anaheim, it was a discussion of certain areas having to do with the contractual relationship between Mr. Samueli's organization and the Kings having to do with the building and having to do with television revenue and really having to do with upgrades that have to be done, substantial upgrades to the Honda Center to both comply with NBA operation standards and to enhance the fan and revenue generating experience at the Honda Center.

On why the relocation deadline was extended:

It's not what (the owners) didn't hear.  It's what it did hear from both sides.  They really wanted to understand what Mayor Johnson was talking about with respect to various changes and the fortunes in a new building campaign and the changes in how the team could be favorably impacted on sponsorships and ticket sales.  The Mayor really understood that ARCO, or excuse me, Power Balance Arena is not the arena of future.  And that Sacramento has to face up to the issue that when ARCO is no longer around, and it's on its last legs now and the NCAA won't even use it to host its tournaments, that Sacramento will be the 20th largest market and will be the only one of those 20 not to have an entertainment and sports center. 

And with respect to Anaheim, the various arrangements and the like hadn't been fully buttoned down.  They were changing a little bit in the last few days and so the committee wanted to study more what the Anaheim final arrangements looked like.  So, it seems smart to put off the application for a bit.  And that's what (Minnesota Timberwolves owner) Glen Taylor, chairman of the board and (Oklahoma City Thunder owner) Clay Bennett, chairman of the committee, asked me to do.  And so I did it by asking for a motion at the board of governors and it passed unanimously.

On Mayor Kevin Johnson's presence:

Actually I would say the Mayor together with the ICON Group that he brought in (President & CEO) Tim Romani, the Mayor was persuasive in telling the committee that there seems to be an intensity that makes it the most intense time of interest to the community that he has seen.  And that he thinks that there may be some intelligent way to consider an arena project at a downtown site where the city owns land, where the federal government is supporting called an intermodal and so the owners wanted to know more.

On Clay Bennett's appointment as lead chairman of the NBA relocation committee:

The committee was appointed and he was on it and we hadn't appointed a chairman.  And he has stepped up to become quite involved with the issues with Anaheim, with Sacramento and frankly he's been doing such heavy lifting with respect to labor relations.  And he's a very willing participant in League board of governor affairs that it seemed like it was good idea to lean on him for this one.

Stern was asked if Bennett's appointment would be a conflict of interest.  Here is his audio of his response:

Follow this stream and Sactown Royalty for continued coverage on Kings relocation rumors.

Commissioner David Stern came out in a Press Conference today and announced that the Maloofs and Board of Governors had jointly decided that another extension was needed before a decision could be made on whether or not to file for relocation.  The new deadline is May 2nd and it likely is the last time an extension will be granted.

Stern also revealed that the Board of Governors, chaired by Oklahoma City owner Clay Bennett (a bit of a slap in the face as Bennett was the owner who moved the Supersonics from Seattle), would be using the time to do some fact finding.

Among the facts that they'll be studying are some of the facts presented by Mayor Kevin Johnson in yesterday's meeting about how Sacramento was willing and able to bring more money to the table to keep the team there, as well as looking at the new Arena plan being worked on by the David Taylor/ICON group.  The Arena was the real problem, Stern said, as numerous arena deals had fallen apart in the past.

"There's no denying that the Power Balance Pavilion - is an inadequate facility."

On the Anaheim side, Stern said their proposal was "not fully understood" by the committee and that during these next two weeks, the board would try to gain a better understanding of the lease agreement and potential television revenues.

Yesterday it was revealed that Southern California Billionaire Ron Burkle was interested in potentially buying the team and keeping them in Sacramento.  Before Stern's conference, George Maloof, one of the co-owners of the Kings, said that they were "100% not selling" and that Burkle "should go back to where he came from".  When asked directly about Burkle, Stern said that his proposal was not high on the priority list for things to consider.

When asked if the Los Angeles Area could support three teams, Stern said he believed that it could.  But do NBA owners want three teams in Southern California?  It looks like we'll find out May 2nd.

Keep up to date with this ongoing story by following this stream and by checking out Sactown Royalty.

So many of you are probably wondering who exactly this Ron Burkle fellow is who wants to buy the Sacramento Kings. Here is your bullet point summary.

• He's a long-time supporter and donor to the Democratic Party, which should play quite strongly in the blue state of California and the liberal-leaning city of Sacramento. He is also connected to the Clintons. David Stern has long been rumored to be a Democratic donor.  Hmm ...
  
• He owns or has owned a stake in Wild Oats Markets (natural foods), Golden State Markets (supplier of produce to fast food chains), and numerous other chain grocery stories. The man loves his supermarkets.
• He has had a lot of stake in many notable retail chains, as Jason Kirk at SB Nation details.
• The biggest mark to his credit is his part-ownership of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and how he probably had a hand in saving their team from relocation. Considering the strong recent history of the Penguins during his ownership, the man clearly cares not only about small markets, but about winning too. If the Maloofs were to sell the franchise to him, this could end up being the best of all worlds for the NBA, the owners, and most importantly, the fans of Sacramento.

It's almost too good to be true. And you know what they say about things that are too good to be true ...

For more coverage, stay tuned to Sactown Royalty.

There were a lot of plans thrown out in the past few months about keeping the Kings in Sacramento. However, until someone started issuing a concrete plan, nothing seemed to stick. Money talks, and until someone ponied up a real deal, it wasn't likely that there would be any real hope of stopping whatever relocation the Maloofs (owners of the team) had planned.

But there might still be hope. It seems Mayor Kevin Johnson still does have one last-ditch effort to preserve the team as the state capital's only major franchise. A group run by billionaire Ron Burkle seems to be making a big pitch to try and keep the team where it is by buying the team from Joe and Gavin Maloof. As has been pointed out about everywhere, the relocation fees to Anaheim would be hefty, and would likely set back the Kings owners quite a lot financially, meaning there would be no immediate financial relief. Perhaps a deal could be made that would work to serve the self-interest of all parties involved. Check out the press release here.

More importantly, the name of Burkle has piqued the interest of the most influential voice in NBA circles. Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated reports.

Burkle been working on this for weeks. When KJ told Stern he had a possible buyer, the commish made crack about it being a local car dealer. He dropped Burkle's name, and source says Stern went quiet. "You've got Burkle?"

Stern's piqued interest in a guy like Burkle could mean a lot. The NBA is always interested in deals that involve more money for them; comparing the track record of the mismanaged Maloof family and a true businessman like Burkle is like night and day.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story from Sactown Royalty.

As the Sacramento Kings prepare for the final game of their 2010-2011 NBA season, and potentially their last game ever in Sacramento, Kings fans have been mobilizing to send one final message to the Maloofs in particular and the NBA in general. The folks at HereWeBuild.com are basically asking that Kings fans to remain seated in Power Balance Pavilion after the final standing ovation for the team:

Now, we realize this is a tall order, but this is the last time that you will be heard.  We CAN do this!  Please remain seated 30 minutes after the ovation.

We want to remind everyone that this is to be a peaceful show of support for our teams.  No harassment of security personnel or arena staff please.  This is just to let everyone know what this team means to us.  You can sing, chat, stomp the feet on the floor - but again no riff raff.  That we want our Kings to stay in a city who will always support them and is willing to go the extra mile to show that.  Remember, we are the best NBA fans out there, right?  Here We Stay! Here We Build!  Here We Sit!

There have been various protests and rallies creeping up as the end of basketball in Sacramento creeps closer. This final protest has led to a surge in the use of #herewesit as a twitter hashtag. Social media has turned into a powerful medium for organizing events or protests and it will be interesting to see how the fans in Sacramento react to this latest call for action.

While things may go down with a whimper, there's a good chance Kings fans could go out with a bang. Chris Webber has made his thoughts very clear on the subject. Now word is out that Peja Stojakovic will miss tonight's Mavericks game to attend the final game in Sacramento. It's only a couple of people getting involved, but I'd imagine it's at least a little bit inspirational to Kings fans.

If you're planning on attending tonight's Kings-Lakers game, please join in the #herewesit protest. If you're just watching the game, please check in with how the events fare with what should be a rowdy Kings crowd.

Kevin Johnson won't be the only California mayor pleading his city's case during the upcoming NBA Board of Governors Meeting. 

According to the Orange County Register, Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait along with Honda Center manager Henry Samueli and Anaheim City Manager Tom Wood will be making the trip to New York to back the Maloof's proposed move to Southern California.

Samueli, Tait, Wood and Michael Schulman, chairman of Anaheim Arena Management, are expected to answer questions from NBA committee members.

Tait had previously said he had no intention of going to New York to address NBA owners unless asked – in which case he said he would "in a heartbeat."

"It will be my honor to represent the city of Anaheim as I proudly let them know that this city is NBA-ready," Tait said at Tuesday's council meeting. "I look forward to a positive outcome in New York."

Tait and Wood were scheduled to fly out Wednesday, paying for the trip with money from a city enterprise fund that helps promote sports and entertainment in Anaheim.

The Board of Governors meeting will commence tomorrow, following the conclusion of the regular season.  As reported by KFBK, the two-day session will begin with various sub-committees discussing a number of topics, including relocation.  A representative from each team will come together for a late-afternoon meeting.  It is during this session that Sacramento officials led by Mayor Kevin Johnson, the Anaheim contingent led by Mayor Tom Tait and all four Maloof brothers are expected to make their cases for their respective situations.

During last night's broadcast of Inside the NBA, show host's Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley along with former Kings Kenny Smith and Chris Webber conducted a roundtable discussion on the Kings' cloudy future in Sacramento.  Webber mentioned on air that he has been involved behind-the-scenes in efforts to keep the team in Sacramento.  The Sacramento Bee reached former Kings executive vice-president Greg Van Dusen to find out more.

According to Van Dusen, Webber is willing to facilitate a deal - headed by Roger Stewart of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to "restructure" the city's $77 million loan to the club. Van Dusen, who is working with Arco I and II architect Rann Haight.

"We've been working on this for about three months," said Van Dusen. "The idea is to relieve some of the financial pressure on the Maloofs and the ownership group. Roger had a very positive conversation today (Tuesday) with Chris, who isn't only interested in helping, he wants to lead the effort to keep the Kings here. He loves Sacramento and thinks this is where the Kings belong."

You can view the discussion from Inside the NBA here.

For continued coverage of possible Kings relocation, follow this story stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

The Los Angeles Lakers will officially end the Kings’ season, and perhaps their entire tenure in Sacramento, Wednesday night at Power Balance Pavilion. It is thus oddly appropriate that Lakers owner Jerry Buss will play a key role in evaluating the Kings’ potential move to Anaheim.

Tom Ziller of SB Nation has learned that Buss, the Lakers’ patriarch, is a member of the league’s relocation committee, responsible for reviewing all relocation and arena proposals on the league’s behalf. The committee also includes Mickey Arison (Heat), Peter Holt (Spurs), Herb Simon (Pacers), Ed Snider (76ers), and two other team owners whose identities Ziller was unable to learn.

It’s likely that Buss’ opposition stems not from principle, but rather because he stands to lose an estimated half-billion dollars in television revenue should the Kings move to the Anaheim market, which is far more lucrative than Sacramento.

If Buss cannot persuade the league’s Board of Governors to vote against the Kings’ move, he can push for it to at least impose a steep relocation fee on the Maloof brothers, who own the Kings.

As the Maloofs get ready to make their pitch to move the Kings to Southern California, the costs of relocation are beginning to add up.  KFBK's Rob McAllister has learned that in addition to the outstanding $77-million debt to the city of Sacramento, they also owe the NBA $75-million.

Kings' spokesman Mitch Germann said the team used the line of credit. However he would not confirm nor deny the current balance. "As a privately held company, the team does not release specific financial figures."

This is not taking into account an expected steep relocation fee Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss hopes to impose.  In contrast, the Oklahoma City Thunder paid a $30-million fee to the League when the franchise left the Pacific Northwest and a $45-million settlement with the city of Seattle according to Forbes.

Adding up the debts to the NBA, the city of Sacramento and a potential relocation fee, moving the Kings south could cost the Maloofs close to double it did Thunder owner Clay Bennett to relocate to Oklahoma City.  The Maloofs will have $50-million to play with following Anaheim's $75-million bond issuance to pursue the Kings.  But the overall question-marks regarding the Maloofs' financial viability (see here and here) could make fellow owners uneasy about approving a move.  According to KFBK, this has raised some concern among the Kings owners and Honda Center manager Henry Samueli.

Those close to the negotiations say Samueli and the Maloofs are not sure they have enough support from the rest of the league's owners to approve the move. Kings officials have said all four Maloof brothers will be attending the NBA Board of Governors' meetings this week in New York City to try and convince at least 15 other teams to allow the Kings to relocate.

For more possible Kings relocation rumors, follow this stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

The outstanding debt the Kings owe the city of Sacramento continues to be a topic of conversation as the team negotiates a move to Anaheim.  Last week, the city sent two letters regarding the $70-million loan to Kings Business Operations and the NBA in hopes of getting written assurances it's paid in full should the team leave.

Today, it received a reply from the League.  Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee has the details.

In a letter dated April 4 to Assistant City Manager John Dangberg, NBA attorney Richard Buchanan writes: "As of this time, the NBA has not received an application from the Kings to relocate. If the Kings submit an application to relocate, we expect that the team will act appropriately with respect to any remaining financial obligations it may have to the City of Sacramento."

Meanwhile, Southern California's premiere franchise could lose more television dollars than originally expected with a Kings move to Anaheim.  Sam Amick, now of Sports Illustrated, reports the following:

The operative word there being "television." The Lakers recently signed a deal with Time Warner that a source with a vested interest in knowing the terms insists is worth $5 billion over 25 years (conceivably $200 million annually). The agreement has previously been reported as a 20-year, $3 billion deal, but that figure has been refuted by involved parties.

According to a recent ESPN.com report, the Lakers stand to lose 10 percent of the deal should the Kings move to Anaheim. Given the 25-year, $5 billion figure, then, the two-time defending champions would have $500 million reasons to oppose this particular relocation.

With possibly a half-billion dollars at stake, Lakers owner Jerry Buss is expected to drum up opposition against a Kings move south.  Clippers owner Donald Sterling could stand to lose a significant amount of change too and will probably join Buss in his efforts.

For more Kings-to-Anaheim relocation coverage, follow this stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

Last week, we told you about a group of Sacramentans hoping to block Anaheim's issuance of $75 million in bonds to lure the Kings to Southern California.  The group, called the Committee to Save the Kings, are roaming the streets of Anaheim collecting signatures to hopefully force a public vote on those bonds.  They would need the John Hancocks of about 12,000 registered Anaheim voters who participated in the 2010 California Gubernatorial Race to make an election a reality.

In an email exchange with Eric Carpenter of the Orange County Register, Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait said this about the effort:

Q. What do you think about the idea of them coming down here to force a vote?

A. "Personally, I think it is not a good use of time and resources. We've been very clear from the beginning that any NBA deal would be privately funded. Our actions as a city council last week assured that protection to our taxpayers."

The issuance of those bonds were approved unanimously by Anaheim City Council members last week. 

For more Kings-to-Anaheim relocation rumors, follow this story stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

Over 150-200 Kings fans rallied at Cesar Chavez Park near Sacramento City Hall yesterday to show their passion and support for the city's only major pro sports team.  Here We Build, a social media fan movement geared toward building a new Sacramento arena for the Kings, organized yesterday's rally which took place before the city's weekly council meeting.

Former Kings owner Gregg Lukenbill was one of several speakers to address the crowd of fans.  Blake Ellington of Bleed Black and Purple and organizer of Here We Stay (another movement focused on keeping in the Kings in Sacramento) captured Lukenbill's speech in its entirety.

Following the rally, a number of those same fans made their way to City Hall for the council meeting according to TV station News 10. However, none spoke during the time allotted for public comment.  Mayor Kevin Johnson was noticeably absent from this week's meeting as well.

For more Kings -to-Anaheim relocation rumors , follow this story stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

We told you last week about die-hard Kings fans who have grown tired of the lack of progress toward building a new Sacramento arena.  Tonight, they're holding a rally before the Sacramento City Council holds their weekly meeting. From their Facebook page:

WHY: To give the grassroots fans of the Sacramento region the opportunity to be heard, to express their love and appreciation for the Kings and the Maloofs, and to voice their desire for the Kings to stay in Sacramento. Another purpose is to honor those who work at the arena and in Natomas. They are an important part of our community, and their jobs are vital.

The rally, which starts at 5 pm, will be held at Cesar Chavez Plaza, between 9th and 10th and I and J Streets.  Several city leaders, including former Kings owner Gregg Lukenbill,  as well as the movement's founder, KHTK radio personality Carmichael Dave plan to speak at the event.

Aaron Bruski of Rotoworld recently spoke with Dave about the Here We Build campaign and his dedication as a Kings fan.  You can read the three-page Q&A here.

For more Kings -to-Anaheim relocation rumors , follow this story stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

The King owe the city of Sacramento $77 million dollars on an outstanding loan issued back in 1997.  California Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said he plans to introduce a bill that ensures the Maloofs pay back that loan on KFBK radio this morning.

The bill is clearly aimed at the ownership group of the Sacramento Kings which is considering a move to Anaheim after the current NBA season. Steinberg acknowledges that the move affects a private company's business dealings, but he said that with public dollars also at stake it makes sense for him to get involved.

There are worries (unless you're Mayor Kevin Johnson) that the debt won't be repaid should the team move to Anaheim.  If that happens, the city gets a $25-million stake in a team located five hours south and sole ownership of an outdated sports-and-entertainment venue.  A recent appraisal of Power Balance Pavilion valued the building and the land it sits on at approximately $40 million.  Those two combined assets are well below the value of the outstanding loan. 

So far, the Maloofs have not made written assurance that the debt will be repaid.

For more Kings relocation rumors, follow this story stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

As reported by Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee, a group of Sacramentans will be on the streets of Anaheim seeking enough signatures for a ballot referendum to delay the issuance of $75 million in bonds that could lure the Sacramento Kings to Anaheim.

Just this past Tuesday, the Anaheim City Council unanimously voted 5-0 to approve the issuance of said bonds. The bonds are backed by Anaheim Ducks owner Henry Samueli.

But that hasn’t stopped a small group of local businessman and a former politician from funding the campaign. The campaign has been dubbed the Committee to Save the Kings.

Attorney Jeff Dorso, part of the campaign, had this to say:

The Committee believes the taxpayers of Anaheim have good reason to object to their city issuing bonds, placing Anaheim at risk, solely to facilitate a private loan between the billionaire operator of the Honda Center and the Kings’ owners – who may be in financial distress.

If the campaign is successful, it could delay the issuance of bonds long enough to prevent a Kings move to Anaheim.

For continued coverage of Kings relocation news, follow this stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

The NBA has granted Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson's request to speak before its Board of Governors on April 14th - just four days before the Kings' relocation filing deadline.  From his blog:

This means a couple of things: first, there’s still a little time left on the clock regarding our future with the Kings. Second, Sacramento means business when it comes to continuing our 25 year partnership with the NBA.  

The former-hoops-star-turned-politician says he was inspired to meet with the NBA's Governing Board after conversations with former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory.  Charlotte lost the Hornets to New Orleans due to arena troubles of their own.  But within six months, their city moved forward with a new downtown sports-and-entertainment complex and landed the NBA's most recent expansion franchise, the Bobcats, a year later.

Johnson also says he doesn't plan on heading to New York alone.  He's hoping a "contingent of Sacramentans" accompany him to show David Stern and NBA team owners that Sacramento is committed to building a new arena - with or without the Kings.

For continued coverage of Kings relocation news, follow this stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

The Kings' current home, Power Balance Pavilion has depreciated in value.  KFBK Radio's Rob McAllister has the details:

The Assessment Appeals Board has lowered the value of Power Balance Pavilion and the property the building sits on. The Maloofs wanted the Assessors office to drop the value to $24-million from $47-million but the board believes the site is worth around $34-million based on a 2009 review.  The reduction means the Kings ownership group will get a tax refund of $240-thousand if taxes were paid in full. The value of the arena and 83-acres surrounding the building is now valued at $40-million.

Why is this important?  Remember, the Kings owe the city roughly $77 million on an outstanding loan issued 14 years ago.  If the Kings do not repay their debt, Sacramento gets ownership of Power Balance Pavilion and a $25 million stake in the team.  Do the math and the city would lose an estimated $12 million dollars if the Maloofs decide to walk away from the loan.  That's your money lost, Sacramento taxpayers.

Meanwhile, Kings fans are taking arena matters into their own hands.  Led by KHTK Radio Personality Carmichael Dave, an effort to raise $200 million to build a new entertainment and sports complex to keep the Kings spread like wildfire this morning on Twitter.  Digital billboards have already gone live along major freeways and a meetup group was started by Kings fan Tony Peric to help organize efforts.  KCRA Television spoke to Peric earlier this afternoon:

"I'm working on the website now, and it will hopefully be up and running by Friday," Tony Peric said from his Carmichael home Wednesday.

"Our goal is to keep the Kings here," the basketball fan said.

For continued updates on possible Kings relocation, follow this stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

Last night's Kings game coincided with Anaheim City Council's decision to issue private bonds that would perhaps lure the team to Orange County.  Despite that and the heated exchange between the city of Sacramento and the Maloofs on Monday, fan support was huge last night in the team's 116-113 victory over the Phoenix Suns.  Granted, lower level seats were sold for only $40 (70 percent off normal ticket value) and were packaged with a couple bobbleheads and other giveaways.  However, there was an energy in the building that Kings players definitely appreciated.

Head Coach Paul Westphal had this to say about the crowd postgame.

It was overwhelming.  There are deep roots and a deep love for this team in this area.  And whatever happens, nobody knows at this stage.  But we were really honored that they celebrated basketball tonight and they celebrated the Kings and we felt it.

Some Kings players (Tyreke Evans, Donté Greene, DeMarcus Cousins and Jason Thompson) weighed-in on the Anaheim rumors as well as the positive fan turnout following the win.

For more Kings relocation coverage, keep following this stream and Sactown Royalty for updates.

Tonight, one of the few roadblocks that could've prevented a possible Sacramento Kings relocation was removed, as Anaheim approved a $75 million bond measure to entice the Kings to come to Orange County.  No member of the five-member city council voted against the measure.

The bonds will be paid for by Anaheim Ducks Owner Henry Samueli, with $50 million going to the Maloofs to cover relocation costs, and $25 million going to improvements on the Honda Center.  The Maloofs will have 10 years to pay off the bonds.  This way, there is no risk to the city or Anaheim Taxpayers if the Maloofs default on payments.  All risk is assumed by Samueli.

The City of Sacramento tried to stop the vote yesterday by sending a letter to Anaheim to "cease negotiations" with the Kings but it was ignored.

"Anaheim took a giant step closer to bringing an NBA team to Anaheim and the Honda Center," Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait said after the vote. "I am thrilled. The better word is 'stoked.'"

The only remaining hurdle in the way of a Kings move involve NBA approval of the move if they file (a majority vote is needed out of all 30 NBA owners, including that of the Kings) and possible relocation fees associated with the moves, which will also be decided by a majority vote.  

Historically, getting a vote approved hasn't been a problem.  The last three relocations have come with relocation fees of $30 million.  But moving to Anaheim is a unique situation in that two other NBA teams (Lakers, Clippers) play a mere 23 miles from the Honda Center.  It was reported recently that a Kings move to Anaheim could cost the Lakers 10% of their new TV deal, rumored to be worth $3 billion.  Ten percent is $300 million.  If true, it's just one more reason the Lakers would want to make sure they get as much money as possible.  Clippers owner Donald Sterling also would be against a move, as his team already lives in the shadow of the Lakers, and more competition could hurt business.

If the Lakers and Clippers ask for exorbitant territorial fees, as they probably will, and more importantly, get them, it could scare the Maloofs out of making the move for now.  

But for now a move to Anaheim looks all the more likely, if not inevitable.

For more news on the possible relocation, keep following this StoryStream and check Sactown Royalty for more discussion on the topic.

Mayor Kevin Johnson said in an afternoon press conference that he just wants to make sure the city of Sacramento gets its money. The Maloofs owe the city roughly $77 million on an outstanding loan that was issued to the Kings back in 1997.

Here’s what the Mayor had to say courtesy of Rob McAllister of KFBK Radio.

“What we’re ultimately looking for is maybe a written assurance so that we have it in writing and essentially supports and corroborate what (the Maloofs) are saying.” Johnson said during a press conference Tuesday. “We need to make sure our interests are protected.”

The Mayor has received verbal assurance from the Maloofs that they do intend to pay off their debt to the city in the event they move the organization south. However, it could be in the Maloofs best financial interest to simply walk away and default on their loan. If that happens, the city of Sacramento would then claim ownership of Power Balance Pavilion and a $25 million stake in the team.

Johnson also addressed comments made by his top aid, R.E. Graswich, in a recent New York Times article. From Ryan Lillis of the Sac Bee:

Johnson jokingly dragged a red-faced Graswich in front of reporters today and said he was “sharing some frustration that was going on in the community,” but that Johnson was not wishing the team good riddance.

“We do not want to be involved or embroiled in a messy divorce, that’s not what we want to have happen,” the mayor said. “(The Maloofs have) been very good to this community for the years they’ve been here, we want to go out as good partners at the end of the day, but it’s a decision that they’re ultimately making and we have to honor and respect that as well as protect the interests of the taxpayers.”

For more Kings Anaheim relocation coverage, watch this stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

Randy Youngman of the Orange County Register reports that the Maloofs are very angry at the "cease negotiations" letter the city sent to Anaheim, claiming it was "below the belt" and uncalled for.

Joe Maloof, in his first public comments on the relocation situation, was most upset that the letter seemed to insinuate that the Maloofs might not pay their debt to the city of Sacramento (totalling around $77 million) if they left.

"We've always satisfied our obligations to the City of Sacramento," Maloof said. "We're honest business people and we have never missed a payment. In fact, we're way ahead of schedule. A couple of years ago, we paid somewhere between $9 million and $11 million ahead because we wanted to lower the debt. ...

"We've always paid our financial obligations in the past, we're going to do it in the present and we're going to do it in the future. They have nothing to worry about. They will be paid in full, whatever it takes."

Maloof continued on to say that he believes the letter was an attempt to block a vote by Anaheim city officials to approve $75 million in bonds that would be used to entice the Kings to move to Anaheim, and warned Mayor Kevin Johnson not to interfere with the Maloofs' business interests.  He then wondered why all this talk about paying the loan was happening now, when the relocation process was still ongoing and the Kings hadn't even formally filed to move yet.

"We're still the Sacramento Kings - nothing new there," he said.

Kings fans can only hope that this sentiment carries past the relocation deadline.

Sacramento has sent a letter to Anaheim to cease their negotiations to bring the Kings down to Southern California. Following that news, Kevin Johnson’s press secretary Joaquin McPeek released a statement to local media earlier this evening.

The Mayor continues his laser focus on fighting for what’s best for Sacramento. First and foremost, that means doing everything we can to keep the Kings, and all the economic and community benefits they provide. But it also means taking basic precautionary measures to protect taxpayers in case the team does relocate. The Mayor fully expects the Maloofs to pay off.

This also comes in light of statements made by Mayor Johnson’s special assistant RE Graswich, who voiced some pretty negative thoughts about the Kings in a New York Times column over the weekend.

“Right now the mood is good riddance, although I’m not sure it has sunk in,” said R.E. Graswich, a top aide to Mayor Johnson and a former Sacramento Bee journalist who covered the Kings for seven years.

“We’ve grown up as a sports town,” Graswich said. “We’re not going to back any crummy product they put on the floor. We’ve got bigger problems —12.5 percent unemployment, people being laid off or furloughed, their homes in foreclosure. The Kings would be a nice distraction if they were any good, but they’re not.”

Though the chances of the Kings remaining in Sacramento appear bleak, the Mayor probably doesn’t want any negative sentiment toward the Maloofs coming from his camp. After all, Johnson has stated that should a deal fall through in Anaheim, the Kings and city of Sacramento would have to continue their 26-year old partnership.

For more Kings Anaheim relocation coverage, watch this stream and visit Sactown Royalty.

As reported by Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee, the city of Sacramento has sent a letter to Anaheim telling that city to cease its negotiations with the Kings and to not vote on the $75 million in bonds to upgrade the Honda Center to NBA standards and pay for some of the Maloofs relocation fees.

The letter (which can be found here and is linked to in Bizjak’s article), which was issued by Sacramento Assistant City Manager John Dangberg, says that if Anaheim decides to continue to negotiate with the Kings, than they should make any issuance of bonds to the Kings first "contractually require" that the Kings pay off their $77 million in debt to the City of Sacramento before they move to Anaheim.

Dangberg also goes on to say that Anaheim’s environmental review of the impacts of the Honda Center improvement project are "woefully inadequate". Bizjak goes on to say that an environmental impact challenge could be a precursor to a lawsuit.  He also said Monday that the city would seek state legislation to prevent a move without the Kings paying off the loan first.

City officials are worried the Kings might leave town without paying the loan because they have received no guarantee that it will be paid.  As of now, if the Maloofs leave town without paying, Sacramento gets the existing arena and a $25 million stake in the team, both of which are worth much less than the $77 million loan owed to the city.  The City has recently hired a lawfirm for $150,000 to ensure that the Maloofs pay up on the loan should they move as well.

How Anaheim responds to this could influence relocation one way or another. Sources told Sactown Royalty just last week that if Anaheim doesn’t approve bonds for the Kings before the deadline, it could be a dealbreaker.

For more on coverage, keep an eye on this stream and Sactown Royalty.