Sacramento city officials, representatives from the ICON/Taylor team and league brass met yesterday in Dallas. KFBK’s Rob McAllister was told by a city staffer that the meeting was merely an “update” on the arena project’s recent progress. Mayor Kevin Johnson and Assistant City Manager John Dangberg, who both represented the city in the talks, issued a joint statement on yesterday’s meeting.
Via the Sacramento Business Journal:
Today’s (Wednesday’s) preliminary working session was positive and constructive regarding the steps that need to be taken relating to the development and financing of a new entertainment and sports complex. The conversation focused on the goal of reaching a definitive plan that will allow the project to continue to move forward by the end of the year,” the statement continued. “All sides expressed a desire to continue to work collaboratively. Our focus is on putting in place a public-private partnership that will put the taxpayers first and generating more than 4,000 jobs and $150 million in annual economic activity in the city.
The mayor’s chief-of-staff Kunal Merchant accompanied Dangberg and Johnson to Dallas. Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, who is chair of the league’s relocation committee, represented the NBA in yesterday’s talks. Notably absent from the meeting were the Kings. Apparently no word when the Maloofs will join the negotiations. The discussions did not include what the Kings are expected contribute as a tenant to a new entertainment-and-sports complex.
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