Virginia Beach Doesn’t Want the Sacramento Kings Anymore


Virginia Beach is no longer a possible relocation destination for the Sacramento Kings, but the team’s future in Sac-Town — with cities like Seattle continuing to be players — is as cloudy (and seemingly ill-fated) as ever. Per the Sacramento Bee: “The Sacramento Kings have ended their flirtation with Virginia Beach, Va., but the uncertainty over their future continues. Virginia Beach halted its long-shot bid Tuesday to lure the Kings. But other cities, namely Seattle, remain interested in the troubled franchise. Deeply in debt, the Kings play in a badly outdated arena before the NBA’s smallest crowds – and are locked in a stalemate with Sacramento over how to remedy that. […] (Maloof) family spokesman Eric Rose wouldn’t comment on the Virginia Beach situation Tuesday but noted ‘we have been contacted by several cities and parties interested in the Sacramento Kings.’ None of the parties ever confirmed it was the Kings who were being recruited by Virginia Beach, but the Maloofs’ interest has been widely reported. Co-owner George Maloof reportedly met with Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell last fall, before the city unveiled a $426 million package that was almost completely taxpayer-funded. Mayor Will Sessoms pulled the plug after arena developer Comcast-Spectacor told him it was unable to clinch a deal with the team. ‘This just ain’t gonna work at this point in time,’ he said. ‘The city will not be chasing this deal.’ He said he wasn’t sure what the sticking points were. Sessoms said he needed a deal done this week so he could ask the Virginia Legislature for a $150 million subsidy. A package needed to be finalized by March 1, the Kings’ deadline for seeking league permission to relocate. The collapse of the Virginia proposal brought cheers from the Kings’ most important fan: Dale Carlsen, chief executive of Sleep Train Mattress Centers, the team’s arena naming-rights sponsor.”