Mayor Meets With Mark Mastrov About Kings
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - It's a last-second shot to keep in the Kings in Sacramento. Now the major players, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov, and Kevin Johnson, are making their moves to hold home court.
Monday the mayor met with 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov in a top-secret meeting in Sacramento.
They say no pain, no gain, now the mayor is hitting the gym to gain a possible new Sacramento Kings owner.
The mayor introduced 24 Hour Fitness founder and multi-millionaire Mastrov to locals who want to keep the team from moving to Seattle.
"He is a man of integrity. He's a family man with great values. He's a local man. He's everything this community is looking for in a potential owner," said Phil Oates.
Oates is one of the more than 20 business leaders who have pledged $1 million each to keep the team in Sacramento.
The Mastrov meeting continues Johnson's headline-grabbing announcements from last week, which included revealing the local million-dollar list of investors and announced billionaire Burkle visited with NBA Commissioner David Stern about bidding on the Kings.
"He's a tremendous leader. Part of his leadership is communication and telling the story in an orderly manner," said Oates of Johnson.
Mastrov and Burkle are both discussing a possible counter-offer to become equity partners that would keep the Kings in Sacramento, and they may join together.
The mayor has said an arena deal needs to be part of the offer. Arena locations at the railyards and the Downtown Plaza mall are both in consideration.
People close to the mayor's efforts believe he will ultimately win.
"I'm very confident," said Oats.
