Here's another summary:
Here's a highlight for those who can't listen or would rather have a summary. Some of it is stuff we've heard before obviously.
* Thursday will just be a release of a menu of funding options, with a goal of locking up funding by the end of 2011.
* Public owned venue, Maloofs will be tenants only.
* Kevin Johnson stressed that this project would create 4100 jobs (3700 construction), and that keeping the Kings keeps 1000 jobs in place.
* Bigger than Basketball.
* KJ says he talks to David Stern at least once a week and more with the NBA guys in Sacramento. NBA is very much involved in trying to keep the team here.
* Probably won’t be too many if any surprises Thursday. No broad based taxes.
* Grant asks a good question about how it might be more difficult for the Maloofs to spend money on the team since they’ll have less revenue from not being owners and KJ responds that the Maloofs will still get access to the Basketball related revenue and without the overhead cost of owning and operating the arena.
* Grant then asks how missing the 2011-12 season due to lockout might affect the arena project and KJ said it would not impact the process whatsoever.
* KJ wants everything done well ahead of the March 2012 deadline so there is no rushing.
* KJ says a new arena would open up at the latest by 2015.
* Caller asks what the relationship between the city and Taylor/ICON group are and if the location is definitely going to be the railyard. KJ says they are locked in at the Railyard for the Intermodal aspect and that Taylor/ICON will be the development team, with official announcement on that coming next Tuesday.
* 8,000 parking spots in garages within 5 blocks of the railyard site. Not having to build new parking infrastructure will keep the cost down.
* Caller asks if the NBA/Maloofs could back out of a deal, even if its a good deal, if they think its going to take too long. Mayor responds that they’ve told the NBA and Maloofs that they can get done in 2014 at earliest, 2015 at latest (The 2015 date is the one he’s sticking to the most) and that both parties were receptive to that time frame.
http://www.sactownroyalty.com/2011/9/6/2409025/kevin-johnson-talks-to-grant-napear