Category: Sacramento Kings Blog

California’s political watchdog agency filed a lawsuit on Thursday seeking to force a Los Angeles law firm to identify who paid signature gatherers trying to force a public vote on Sacramento’s arena subsidy.

The Fair Political Practices Commission’s suit against Loeb & Loeb charged that the high-powered firm has “failed and refused” to report the source of the money, despite warnings that it had violated the Political Reform Act by failing to meet a state financial disclosure deadline.

Loeb & Loeb represented the Maloofs when the family reached a deal in January to sell the Sacramento Kings to a group in Seattle. The Maloofs have denied any involvement in the signature campaign, and members of the family were not available for comment Thursday.

Reported by Ryan Lillis, Dale Kasler and Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee

The Sacramento City Council has already shown its willingness to open its bank account for the development of a new downtown sports arena. It’s now showing a willingness to go to court for the project as well.

By a 7-2 vote, the Sacramento City Council agreed Tuesday night to join the Sacramento Kings in negotiating with the owner of the Macy’s furniture and men’s clothing store at the Downtown Plaza over the purchase of the soon-to-be vacant property.

That building, situated near the eastern end of the mall at 600 K St., is needed by the Kings and the city to build a proposed $448 million arena at the mall.

The city’s involvement in the talks carries with it a key negotiating tool: the threat of seizing control of the property through eminent domain. While describing that tactic as a last resort, city officials said they could seek to condemn the property if attempts to purchase the store fall apart.

Reported by Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee

The new Kings ownership made good on a debt last week that was 16 years in the making.

Sacramento city officials announced Friday they had received $1.4 million in deferred development fees from the team that stems from the 1997 loan the Kings took out with the city.

Those fees were originally due last August and will be earmarked for public projects in North Natomas.

Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said the Maloof family, who sold the Kings in May to a group led by Silicon Valley software executive Vivek Ranadive, had inquired last year about paying the fees back over a 10-year period. The fees were later included as part of the sale agreement the Maloofs had to sell the Kings to a group in Seattle.

Reported by Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee

After months of negotiations, the new Sacramento Kings ownership group has been unable to close the deal on buying the remaining parcel at Downtown Plaza seen as vital to the development of a new arena.

Now, to remain on track to open the facility by 2016, the team is asking City Hall to assist in the talks and provide its threat of eminent domain as a potential negotiating tactic.

Kings officials said Thursday that they anticipated seeking the city’s help in negotiating a purchase of the building that houses a Macy’s men’s clothing and furniture store from a New York-based real estate firm that took control of the property in foreclosure last year. Under an agreement scheduled for a vote before the City Council on Tuesday, the Kings would reimburse the city for all costs incurred in the process.

Macy’s, which is the building’s tenant, said Thursday it plans to vacate the property this fall and move the men’s and furniture operations to the women’s store at the other end of the mall.

Reported by Ryan Lillis and Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee

Stepping up efforts to design and market a downtown arena, the Sacramento Kings have emailed an online survey to some 60,000 residents and businesses asking for opinions – and testing the waters for potential upscale ticket buyers.

Team President Chris Granger said the team and city officials have not yet decided on basic arena elements, such as how many seats it will have, and is looking for clues from the public.

“I want to hear what other people think about the venue,” Granger said about the survey and other upcoming community outreach efforts.

Initial estimates had put seating at 18,500, which is 1,200 more than at the current Sleep Train Arena in Natomas. Granger recently said that number may be too high. He said the facility has to have enough seats to attract most major concerts but should be intimate enough to boost crowd noise and excitement at Kings games.

Reported by Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee

“I’m coming home to my NBA family,” Williamson said by phone. “It felt like being recruited, and it felt great. I’m very flattered and was caught off guard. I didn’t expect this. I’ve always wanted to get back into the NBA and coach, but I didn’t think it would happen this soon. I’m still in awe with the opportunity. Of all places to coach … .”

Williamson is the next piece in a sweeping change for the Kings, from new principal owner Vivek Ranadive to general manager Pete D’Alessandro to Malone. Williamson joins Brendan Malone, Dee Brown, Chris Jent and Micah Nori as assistants in their first season with the Kings.

Williamson, a forward who steered Arkansas to the 1994 NCAA championship, played 12 NBA seasons. He started and ended his career in Sacramento, playing for three other teams in between. Known as “Big Nasty,” Williamson averaged 10.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 466 games with the Kings, becoming a fan favorite for his gritty play on the court and generosity off it.

Williamson is the only two-time recipient of the Kings’ Oscar Robertson Triple-Duty Award, bestowed to the player who best exemplifies excellence in and out of the arena. Williamson was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2002 with Detroit, where he won an NBA title in 2004. He returned to Sacramento in 2005 and retired in 2007.

Reported by Joe Davidson of the Sacramento Bee

DeMarcus Cousins has never wanted to be a player who demands a trade and has no intention of doing so.

His first three seasons in Sacramento have been long on drama and short on wins. And with the Kings under new ownership and management, Cousins would like to be a part of that change.

“I’m loyal to my city,” he said. “That’s one thing I am. I’m loyal. That’s the biggest thing. I’m not going to give up on it.”

Following practice Monday at Team USA’s minicamp at UNLV’s Mendenhall Center, Cousins spoke in detail to reporters for the first time since Vivek Ranadive became the principal owner of the Kings, Pete D’Alessandro the general manager and Michael Malone the coach.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

As long as center Greg Oden can still walk — and even if he can’t — there’s going to be some NBA interest in him. Talented big men like him are too good to not glance at.

The Kings will have representatives in Indianapolis to watch a workout with free agent center Greg Oden on Tuesday.

New Orleans will reportedly also attend the workout.

Oden, the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft has played in just 82 games in his career due to injuries.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Blog)

I won’t be surprised if Oden winds up back in the NBA next season. On a very nonguaranteed contract.