Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, right, and California State Sen. Darrell Steinberg, left discuss the NBA Relocation and Finance committees' recommendation to keep the Kings in the city. The vote was 12-0 in Sacramento's favor (OBSERVER photo by Antonio R. Harvey)
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, right, and California State Sen. Darrell Steinberg, left discuss the NBA Relocation and Finance committees’ recommendation to keep the Kings in the city. The vote was 12-0 in Sacramento’s favor (OBSERVER photo by Antonio R. Harvey)

SACRAMENTO – The best news in quite sometime since Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnsonsaid the city would vie to keep the Sacramento Kings came today, and it came with an added surprise.

The 12-member board for the NBA finance and relocation committees has recommended that the Sacramento Kings remain in Sacramento and not relocate to Seattle. The members of the committees, all NBA owner, made the decision during a conference call on Monday.

The 12-0 decision sets forth a likely result in the city of Sacramento favor when the NBA Board of Governors meet the week of May 13. If Monday’s vote stands, Sacramento will need at least four more votes to seal the deal and prevent the Maloof family from selling the team to hedge-fund manager Chris Hansen and his investor group for a reportedly $550 million.

Mayor Johnson has already expressed his exuberance in messages on Twitter.

“I’ve never been prouder of this city. I thank the ownership group, city leaders, but most of all the best fans in the NBA,” Johnson tweeted out after the announcement.

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By Antonio R. Harvey
OBSERVER Staff Writer