Report: Seattle Making Play To Lure Kings

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- Seattle city officials have been working behind the scenes to lure the Sacramento Kings to Washington if a deal for a new NBA arena falls through, according to a newspaper report.

The Seattle Times reported Sunday that documents show Seattle's efforts over the past eight months to bring an NBA team back to Seattle as soon as this fall. San Francisco hedge-fund manager Christopher Hansen, who is a Seattle native, has been working closely with the Seattle mayor's office on plans to build a new arena and buy an NBA team.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson's office only issued this statement in response to the report:

"We are focused on one thing and one thing only, and that's the best interest of the people of Sacramento. We feel like we have a plan that is viable for the team, the league and the city. We're on track to be able to more forward by March 1."

HereWeStay founder Blake Ellington said losing the Kings would be a huge loss for the region, adding that Sacramento has it's destiny in its own hands.

"We definitely have to pull together as Sacramento and really get this arena done," Ellington said.