Mayor Johnson Voices Support For Keeping Kings
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- Building a new arena for the Sacramento Kings will bring in marquee players and more fans, and may be more critical than ever in the face of rumors that the NBA franchise may move, Mayor Kevin Johnson said Wednesday.
Johnson made the remarks at a town hall meeting in Natomas that covered a wide range of issues, but spent much of its time focused on building a new sports complex.
Recent reports suggest that the Maloof family may be losing patience with the city's 10-year push to build a new venue that has made little substantive progress. Mayor Johnson has repeatedly urged city and community leaders to make new efforts to prevent the Sacramento Kings from moving to another city.
"Devastating. We cannot allow that to happen," Johnson said.
The Maloofs have explicitly squashed rumors of a move in the past, but a recent comment by owner Joe Maloof suggested that may change.
"We are looking at all options to ensure the long term viability of this franchise," he said in a statement.
Other cities, including Anaheim, Seattle and Las Vegas have been courting the Kings.
Mayor Johnson said he spoke with the Maloofs last week and they assured him they committed to the community, but they're also committed to keeping their franchise in the black.
