According to a report from Insidebiz.com, the owners of the Sacramento Kings and officials from Philadelphia-based Comcast-Spectacor are expected to be in Hampton Roads on Tuesday to propose moving the NBA team to Virginia Beach, and for Comcast to help build and lease a new pro sports arena.
The report says a deal between the Maloof family, which owns the Sacramento Kings, and the city of Sacramento for a $391 million entertainment complex fell apart three months ago. It has been reported that the owners are looking for a city for their franchise.
Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms tells NewsChannel 3 that private companies, including LiveNation and Comcast, have asked the city to form a partnership to build an arena across from the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
Mayor Sessoms says the arena will be used for "entertainment" purposes, and it also "guarantees a professional sports team" would be part of the deal.
Virginia Beach City Council will hear the proposal Tuesday during the meeting.
"I'm just excited about the thought of having a professional sports team in Hampton Roads. I think our market is starving for something like that," Sessoms says.
Sessoms is openly optimistic about talks to build an 18,000 seat arena across from the Convention Center. He says Comcast Spectacor - a group that owns the 76ers basketball team - will make a proposal to build an arena to council next week.
There's been plenty of speculation that the Sacramento Kings have been looking for a new home after negotiations to build an arena there fell apart. But the mayor says he doesn't know what team Comcast has in mind for the Beach.
He could not confirm that it would be an NBA team.
