Forces now allied behind the Sacramento Kings gathered steam Tuesday in their collective bid to build a more successful team and move the region closer to constructing a new arena. That effort will be aided by retired Kings player Chris Webber, who said on television Monday night he's lined up private investors to fund a new arena in place of taxpayers. "Within the year, we're going to make some special things happen," Webber said on TNT's "Inside the NBA." "The goal is to keep the team there." Webber hinted about his involvement on Twitter Monday after the Kings' owners announced they'd leave the team here for at least one year to give Sacramento more time to pursue building a new spor

The owners of the Sacramento Kings announced Monday the team will stay put for at least one more season – giving the region and the National Basketball Association time for one final push to build a new arena. NBA officials quickly announced a commitment to make one last effort over the next 10 months to pave the way to replace Power Balance Pavilion. The league is sending nine people to Sacramento Tuesday to provide expert support in the regional effort to construct a new arena and to help the Kings' owners, the Maloofs, lead the team to a successful next season, NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a teleconference Monday afternoon. Kings fans, elected officials and business leaders re

Before the events of this weekend were overtaken by Sunday night's historic news of Bin Laden's assassination, and then immediately by this morning's local news of the Maloofs' decision not to leave for Anaheim (yet), this weekend was already pretty great. Downtown and Midtown were bumpin' all weekend. I spent a lot of it on my bike, morning, noon and night, and I was not alone. I felt like I was in Sacramento future. But in fact, I was in Sacramento NOW. Despite terrible news early last week - Sacramento's job market is clearly, measurably the worst in the country, our new budget may have to cut public safety in a way we've never done, and our air quality is Top 10 worst in the nation -

George Maloof's comment this morning that keeping the Kings in Sacramento for one more year is "the right thing to do" struck me as disingenuous.  Since when is "doing the right thing" the way the Maloofs operate? This was not a decision based on principle. It was based on money, and a lot of other things far beyond the M-Bro's control. They simply weren't able to pull the move off. Yet. That said, this morning's announcement that the Kings will be staying in Sacramento is unalloyed good news. Whether or not the Kings staying in Sacramento is ultimately the "right" thing for Sacramento is still up in the air; but today, it is very much a good thing. Whether that remains true going forwa

The owners of the Sacramento Kings have decided to keep the team here for at least the next season, they announced Monday morning. The team's owners, led by the Maloof family had a deadline of 2 p.m. Monday to file a request to move the team. In an announcement emailed shortly after 9 a.m. Monday, the Maloofs said fan support and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson's push to get a new arena built were instrumental in the decision. "The fans’ spirit and energy, specifically our season ticket holders, has been remarkable and we are truly thankful for their loyalty," they said in the prepared statement. "We also are greatly appreciative of the support from our corporate sponsors as well as othe

With just three days to go before the Kings' deadline to file for relocation, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said Friday he's not sure who has the ball – but Sacramento officials hope a regionally coordinated effort to build an arena will make enough of a difference that the National Basketball Association and the Kings' owners keep the team here another year. Billionaire Henry Samueli, whose company manages Anaheim's Honda Center, upped the ante Wednesday when he offered to personally invest more than $70 million for improvements at the Honda Center and provide a personal loan of at least $75 million to the Maloofs. Samueli, who owns the Anaheim Ducks hockey team, also revealed $30 mill

The National Basketball Association apparently continued weighing Sacramento and Anaheim as markets for the Kings Thursday. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson jumped off a stage to take a phone call at a groundbreaking ceremony for railyards railroad track relocation Thursday morning. He later said he wouldn't comment on whether the call came from NBA Commissioner David Stern. Shortly after finishing the call, Johnson told reporters he didn't have any word on a Kings decision, from either Stern or Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, who chairs the league's Relocation Committee. "I have not gotten an update," said Johnson, who described the call as "private." "I haven't heard from Clay

The American Institute of Architects' Central Valley chapter this week led a panel discussion and tour in the River District, described by some as one of the region’s hottest areas. The roughly 773-acre River District, previously known as the Richards Boulevard area, sits north of downtown in an area bounded by the Sacramento and American rivers, the historic railyards and parcels along North 16th Street. More than 200 property owners hold title to about 400 parcels located there. The discussion featured Township 9 developer Steve Goodwin, Sacramento Economic Development Department Senior Project Manager Rachel Hazelwood, Community Development Department Senior Urban Designer Greg Taylor

A National Basketball Association committee will arrive in Sacramento this week to study the possibility of keeping the Kings here. Reports surfaced Monday that a group of six would be coming here Tuesday to get more information about new financial support for the Kings. On Friday at the NBA Board of Governors meeting in New York, NBA Commissioner David Stern said team owners agreed to learn more about corporate sponsorships and other money that may be available to help the Kings make more money in Sacramento. The only information that could be confirmed was that Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, who chairs the board's Relocation Committee, and NBA Executive Counsel Harvey Benjam

Sacramento Kings fans will have to keep holding their breath over a possible team move after a National Basketball Association official on Friday said the league needs time to learn more about the unfolding deal in Anaheim and the viability of keeping the team in the capital. The NBA Board of Governors agreed to extend the deadline for the Maloofs’ request to move until May 2. On Thursday, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and San Francisco investor Darius Anderson told NBA team owners that billionaire Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle is leading a plan to buy the Kings or help bring another pro basketball team here if the Kings leave. Johnson also said he and business leaders have r

In the world of professional basketball, Northern California is set to take on Southern California in two heated matchups over the next 24 hours. Only one of the competitions will take place on a basketball court. Representatives from Sacramento and Anaheim are expected to appear before the National Basketball Association Board of Governors Thursday to discuss a Kings move to Anaheim and the future of basketball in Sacramento – just hours after the Sacramento Kings are set to go up against the Los Angeles Lakers at Power Balance Pavilion Wednesday night. At the same time, different groups are working on efforts to keep the Kings in Sacramento or form an ownership group for a new team if

The Sacramento City Council is expected to consider cost-cutting changes to employee benefits and how they are managed in the next few weeks after an internal audit report moved forward Tuesday. Recommendations for ways to save money are being made as the city grapples with an expected budget deficit of $35 million - $40 million for fiscal year 2011/2012. The four members of the City Council Audit Committee voted unanimously to forward a report on the completed Audit of Employee Health and Pension Benefits to the full council in as soon as two or three weeks. City Auditor Jorge Oseguera gave a brief presentation on the report's five findings and some of its 28 recommendations to help sol

A project advisory group on Tuesday endorsed a site on the edge of the downtown railyards for the location of a new criminal courthouse. The group, which includes representatives from the city and county of Sacramento and the courts, would like to see the $439 million courthouse built on the block between Fifth and Sixth streets from H to G streets. The group prefers that location over a vacant lot at 300 Capitol Mall, according to the Judicial Council's Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). City and business leaders have previously voiced support for the railyards location because it's close to other courthouses, law offices, law enforcement and public transportation. The 44-court

The Sacramento Kings’ owners won’t be the only ones talking about their possible departure with the National Basketball Association next month. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson will be there, too, the mayor said Thursday. Johnson announced he has been granted permission to address the NBA Board of Governors at their meeting in mid-April – just days before the Kings’ deadline to file a relocation request. He expects to take “a contingent of Sacramentans” to New York with him to help explain that Sacramento would like to continue its partnership with the Kings and is seriously pursuing construction of a new arena, he blogged Thursday evening. “They will want to know about possibilities of a

The city of Sacramento fired off another round of letters Wednesday in an attempt to stop the Sacramento Kings from moving or at least get assurances in writing that they'll repay a $77 million loan from the city. A day after the Anaheim City Council approved issuing $75 million in lease revenue bonds to entice the team to relocate, Sacramento officials sent a letter to the Kings requesting the team's owners promise in writing to repay Sacramento. Assistant City Manager John Dangberg also sent a letter to National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern and the NBA Board of Governors. Dangberg wrote that the city is asking the board to make its approval of the team's relocation c

In less than two hours Tuesday night, the Anaheim City Council paved the way for the Sacramento Kings to relocate there by agreeing to issue $75 million in bonds – $25 million to improve the Honda Center and $50 million for a loan to the Kings. The council's unanimous vote by its five members propelled Sacramento further on its path toward losing the National Basketball Association team that has made its home in the state capital for 26 years. Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait presided over what he described as a historic meeting. "Tonight, Anahiem took a giant step closer to bringing an NBA team to Anaheim and the Honda Center," Tait said. "I am thrilled. I think a better word is 'stoked.' " The

Monday night, a huge Dia de los Muertos caricature welcomed guests to Tequila Museo Mayahuel on 12th and K streets. Inside, sugar skulls, candles and marigolds transformed the new tequila museum and restaurant into a Dia de Los Muertos party, called “Subterraneo” put on by Jose Cuervo Tradicional tequila. The party was a sneak preview of the not-yet-open Tequila Museo Mayahuel. Only those in the restaurant and bar industry were invited. Jose Cuervo Tradicional is touring cities around the country with the Dia de los Muertos party and selected Sacramento to host Monday’s event. According to Gina Castillo, tequila ambassador for Jose Cuervo and Don Julio Northern California, Tequila Mus

Construction has begun on Sacramento's newest single-resident occupancy building downtown. On Monday, a backhoe operator and other construction workers continued demolishing an old foundation at Seventh and H streets. The eight-story, 150-unit mid-rise being built there by Mercy Housing is the first new structure going up in the railyards redevelopment project area. Once completed, the $47.4 million affordable housing project, known simply as “Seventh & H,” will be one of the city's largest permanent supportive housing projects. Half of the units will be reserved for homeless or recently homeless people, and the rest is aimed at downtown workers making $20,000 to $25,000 a year. "Sevent

Sacramento officials asked the city of Anaheim Monday to stop all negotiations with the Sacramento Kings and drop plans to issue $75 million in lease revenue bonds to entice the team to move. Otherwise, Sacramento expects Anaheim and the Anaheim Public Finance Authority to contractually require the Kings' owners to first repay Sacramento $77 million for lease revenue bonds issued here in 1997, according to a letter emailed late Monday afternoon to Anaheim City Manager Tom Wood. "I am deeply concerned about the potential for Anaheim's actions causing irreparable harm to the city of Sacramento," Sacramento Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said in the letter. "As the Anaheim city manage

How about a hardware store, garden shop, day care center, café, dog park, hair salon, yogurt shop or art supply business? These were some ideas vocalized during the community-visioning event Saturday where more than 50 people gathered at Grange Hall to share thoughts about potential uses for a vacant lot at 2nd Avenue and Stockton Boulevard in Oak Park.  A McDonald’s with a 24-hour drive-through is currently proposed for the one-acre site, which faces commercial and medical buildings on Stockton and a residential neighborhood on 2nd Avenue.  “The goal of this meeting is to hear neighborhood concerns about the proposed McDonald’s and develop a new vision about what could go on that proper