As Virginia Beach makes push to lure a team, Sacramento mayor frustrated with Maloofs

[Mike0476]

This article is exactly why we renamed ourselves from #FANS to Crown Downtown and use the hashtags of #BiggerThanBasketball and #BestInTheWorld.

This past April, Mayor Kevin Johnson told us at the Sacramento International Airport, "Don't give up."

And despite how some people may feel, we have not given up. The Entertainment and Sports Complex must be in downtown. OUR COMMITMENT HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER.

Sacramento Bee: As Virginia Beach makes push to lure a team, Sacramento mayor frustrated with Maloofs

"I don't like not being able to fight and not being able to determine the outcome," he (Mayor Kevin Johnson) said. "The Kings and the owners have to want to be here."

Sacramento's mayor said he thinks that could be a mistake by the team. NBA officials and owners, who must approve any move, strongly supported recent efforts to build a new arena in Sacramento.

"If they believe they need to look at their options in Seattle and Virginia Beach, then there's nothing we as a community or I as a mayor can do to prevent that," Johnson said. "But I've said it all along: I don't think the grass is greener anywhere else but Sacramento."

"The door is still open, there's a deal to be had downtown," he said.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/12/05/503...s-push-to.html

[Reke 13 Havoc]

keep up the strong effort! u guys are doing great things. lets hope something stops the greedy maloofs

[Kingsfan23]

"The door is still open, there's a deal to be had downtown," he said.

Again, the Maloofs have already declined it. Sitting around waiting for them to change their minds on a deal that they arent comfortable with or can't do, at some point we might be forced to be more proactive.

On the other hand, Virginia Beach is still a joke in my mind. Smaller market at an unheard of location for pro sports, the MAloofs have consistently denied these rumors, and the "authorities" in Virginia Beach need to implicate a pro team in order to convince city council to move forward. If the Maloofs really are on the phones with a smaller market with no firm arena deal, without knowing if a relocation will be approved and pending the costs it would take to relocate this team than, again, I will relocate to Virginia Beach as well.

[VF21]

"The door is still open, there's a deal to be had downtown," he said.

Again, the Maloofs have already declined it. Sitting around waiting for them to change their minds on a deal that they arent comfortable with or can't do, at some point we might be forced to be more proactive.

On the other hand, Virginia Beach is still a joke in my mind. Smaller market at an unheard of location for pro sports, the MAloofs have consistently denied these rumors, and the "authorities" in Virginia Beach need to implicate a pro team in order to convince city council to move forward. If the Maloofs really are on the phones with a smaller market with no firm arena deal, without knowing if a relocation will be approved and pending the costs it would take to relocate this team than, again, I will relocate to Virginia Beach as well.

There's a big difference between "sitting around waiting for them to change their minds" and recognizing that if they should come to their senses the deal could still be resurrected. If the NBA decides to take action against the Maloofs with the "best interest of the league" clause then the new owners might well agree to basically the same deal that George Maloof thumbed his nose at.

Just something to keep in mind...

[hrdboild]

Encouraging words there from the Mayor. He said all that needs to be said -- the door is still open. I hope we still have someone prepared to bid when this team goes up for sale because it appears that's where this is all headed.

[Reke 13 Havoc]

Encouraging words there from the Mayor. He said all that needs to be said -- the door is still open. I hope we still have someone prepared to bid when this team goes up for sale because it appears that's where this is all headed.

one can only hope. honestly im willing to take that risk now. the Maloofs are obviously going to leave, so lets hope the league makes them sell and a buyer who will keep them here outbids the people who will move them

[kennadog]

one can only hope. honestly im willing to take that risk now. the Maloofs are obviously going to leave, so lets hope the league makes them sell and a buyer who will keep them here outbids the people who will move them

The league can force the Maloofs to take a lower offer, if it keeps the Kings in Sacramento and if that's what the league would prefer.