Watch CBS News

Virginia Beach Reportedly Moving Forward With Arena Effort To Lure Kings

VIRGINIA BEAH, Va. (CBS13) - The latest development in Virginia Beach's effort to build a new oceanfront sports arena has the city prepared to ask the state for $150 million toward the effort.

According to WAVY-TV, the money from the state would go toward the $350 million and to compensate an NBA team for moving to Virginia Beach.

The Sacramento Kings have been linked to Virginia Beach's arena efforts, but the team has refused to comment on relocation rumors.

According to the WAVY report, $50 million would go to the NBA team. It also has reported that Kings co-owner George Maloof has met with Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and other state officials about moving the team to Virginia Beach.

The Maloofs denied an interview request with CBS13 on Tuesday and have previously denied discussing a move to Virginia Beach, but fans at Sleep Train Arena, where the Kings lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday night, did have some things to say.

"Well, who's going to pay for that arena first of all?" fan Daniel Massey wondered. "When the Maloofs wanted to build an arena here, they wanted us to pay for it. So they're just trying to go anywhere that they can to get someone else to pay for the arena."

"I don't see them wanting to fight to stay here," another fan said of the Maloofs.

Efforts to build a new downtown arena in Sacramento fell apart earlier this year when the Maloofs walked away from the deal orchestrated in large part by Mayor Kevin Johnson.

The city was prepared to contribute more than $200 million toward the $400 million facility by leasing out its parking spaces to a private company.

Under the Virginia Beach proposal, the city would own the new arena, Comcast-Spectacor, along with concert promoter Live Nation, would manage it and an NBA team, presumably the Kings, would be its anchor tenant.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.