Arena talks moving along between NBA, Cal Expo
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - mvellinga@sacbee.com
Last Updated 1:06 pm PST Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Despite a long public silence and a slumping real estate market, negotiations between the NBA and Cal Expo over how to get a new Kings arena built on the state fairgrounds are quietly perking along.
"There's ways to get this done. If there wasn't the possibility of getting it done and putting together a deal, the (NBA) commissioner wouldn't be here," said Karen Skelton, a local consultant working for the NBA.
NBA consultant John Moag spoke Tuesday on the phone with former Gov. Pete Wilson, who was hired to negotiate for Cal Expo. Both sides were represented at a face-to-face meeting about two weeks ago.
"We are comfortable with where we are right now," said Sean Walsh, who works with Wilson. "We have an enthusiastic Cal Expo team and a dedicated NBA negotiating team.
"At this juncture, we're all rowing in the same direction, and that's to assess whether a project of this size and scope, that requires redevelopment of the fairgrounds and the construction of an arena, can pencil out."