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Mendelsohn said the Ranadive group is already moving ahead on arena plans. Co-owners Mark Friedman, Mark Mastrov and Jeff Jacobs interviewed project-management firms this week. Friedman, a Sacramento developer, toured Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis last week with two other Kings co-owners, Chris Kelly and Arjun Gupta. Tours of NBA arenas in Denver, Los Angeles and Orlando, Fla., are scheduled in the next two weeks. "Everybody is moving as quickly as possible while also being as thorough as possible," Mendelsohn said. Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings, David Stern, Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov, Adam Mendelsohn 

The increased bid was made public late Friday, just hours after a source close to the situation told The Sacramento Bee that the Sacramento contingent had notified the NBA it planned to match the original Seattle offer. Earlier Friday, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced that former Facebook executive Chris Kelly had joined the group, which also includes Silicon Valley software tycoon and Golden State Warriors minority owner Vivek Ranadive; 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov; members of San Diego's Jacobs family, founders of telecommunications giant Qualcomm; and Sacramento developer Mark Friedman. A source said the group had begun turning away wealthy investors seeking to join the bid. Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov 

The duration of the process – coupled with the fluidity of the Sacramento group that includes Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov, Paul Jacobs and Mark Friedman that has yet to deliver a formal bid – prompted the Maloofs on Wednesday to leak the ultimatum about today's deadline. On Thursday, the sources said: • An agreement that keeps the Kings in Sacramento must include reimbursement to Hansen for his $30 million nonrefundable deposit. • Before being completely surprised by the size of the Hansen/Ballmer offer, the Maloofs had rejected overtures from Ron Burkle and Larry Ellison. Ellison would have attempted to relocate the Kings to San Jose. Sacramento Bee

Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, Larry Ellison, Vivek Ranadive, Ron Burkle, Chris Hansen, Mark Mastrov 

The great people of Sacramento have a lot to worry about, but this so-called Maloof deadline is not one of them: The Sacramento Bee reported this afternoon that the Kings owners have given the group from Sacramento trying to roadblock Seattle until Friday at 5 p.m. to submit a written backup offer to buy the team in the event the NBA turns down the Seattle bid. What the Bee does not report is what happens if mayor Kevin Johnson, Mark Mastrov, Vivek Ranadive et al miss the deadline. Nothing. It's great strategy by the Maloofs, presumably as a coordinated effort, or at the very least in consultation, with the Seattle group -- give Sacramento one more item it has to deal with while playing catch up, sometimes awkwardly, in the final days before a possible vote by the Board of Governors. And it's the latest very clear sign the Maloofs are digging in and willing to show their teeth. But there's no there there. Sulia

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, Joe Maloof, Gavin Maloof, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov 

Friedman's emergence comes one day after Mayor Kevin Johnson revealed that Southern California billionaire Ron Burkle had to reduce his role in the project because of a conflict of interest. Johnson hinted at a press conference Monday that there might be additional changes in the ownership structure. But Friedman said he's been contemplating jumping into the Kings bid for a while. "I've been talking to Vivek (Ranadive) and Mark Mastrov for a couple of months," Friedman said, referring to the lead investors in the bid for the Kings. Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings, Kevin Johnson, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov 

In a contrast of post-presentation news conferences, the Seattle group was subdued and the Sacramento group was fired up. "The NBA does not want to move a team from one market to another, period. We already know that," said Sacramento Mayor and former NBA player Kevin Johnson, who represented the Sacramento group along with Sen. Darrell Steinberg and financial backers Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov and Ron Burkle. "They normally move a team from one market to another when the fans don't support it or you can't build a building. That's not the case in Sacramento." USA Today Sports

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern, Kevin Johnson, Adam Silver, Vivek Ranadive, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov 

Add another investor to the group Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is assembling to keep the Kings from moving to Seattle. Johnson announced Monday night that Paul Jacobs, CEO of the international technology company Qualcomm, has agreed to become part of the Sacramento bid. Jacobs joins a group that includes billionaire investor Ron Burkle, 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov and TIBCO Software CEO Vivek Ranadive. "A true Dream Team! This Fab Four is a bracket buster," Johnson wrote on Twitter. ESPN.com

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov 

Aaron Bruski: KJ confirms our first-in report that Vivek has been involved in the offer for a while and we're told in a lead role. Twitter @aaronbruski

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov 

The City of Sacramento checked off a major box in its fight to keep the Kings today. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced via Twitter that an agreement has been reached with the Ron Burkle/Mark Mastrov/Vivek Ranadivé group to build a new downtown arena. “It’s a great day in Sacramento!!!!!,” Johnson said, beginning a string of tweets. “I’m pleased to announce an agreement w/ Burkle-Mastrov-(Ranadivé) group on a public-private partnership to build a new ESC at (Downtown) Plaza Mall. Consistent (with) our core tenets, the deal avoids new taxes, protects the City on the Kings loan, and ensures no net impact to the general fund” Cowbell Kingdom

Sacramento Kings, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov 

According to Johnson’s tweets, the new ownership group is ready to invest up to a billion dollars in the region in the transaction, which includes a deal to purchase the Kings, build a new entertainment and sports center and lock into a new 35-year agreement to keep the team in Sacramento. According to multiple reports, the new deal is for an estimated $448 million and includes a private investment by the Burkle/Mastrov/Ranadivé group of $190 million for the arena in the Downtown Plaza. The City of Sacramento is putting up an estimated $258 million by leasing its downtown parking assets to a private operator and selling city owned land parcels as well as an arena surcharge for users. Cowbell Kingdom

Sacramento Kings, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov 

Between the proposed purchase of the team, the investment in the downtown plaza arena and related real estate development around the site, Ranadive, Mastrov and Burkle will be investing nearly a billion dollars. While the specific figure of the offer for the team is not yet known, $190 million of the investment is in the arena. That sum is $58 million more than the $132 million put forth by the NBA and the Maloof family that owns the team in a 2012 arena deal that would have put the arena in the city's railyards but fell apart when the Maloofs were no longer comfortable with the handshake agreement. USA Today Sports

Sacramento Kings, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov 

After Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced that a deal was reached to build an arena in Downtown Sacramento, he tweeted a picture of himself on the phone and fist pumping. In response, Kings fans tweeted pictures of themselves, "#KJing" news10.net

Sacramento Kings, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov 

Vivek Ranadive, an Indian-born software tycoon who lives in Silicon Valley, was unveiled as the man who will lead the bid for the team itself. Already a part owner of the Golden State Warriors, he takes the reins from East Bay health-club financier Mark Mastrov. A source familiar with the situation said Mastrov – whose initial bid was described as inadequate by the NBA – will remain a major partner in the bid. The third investor in the Sacramento effort, Beverly Hills billionaire Ron Burkle, was continuing to negotiate a deal with city officials on a new arena at Downtown Plaza. But in a somewhat unsettling development for the city, officials were unable Thursday to complete the so-called term sheet outlining the city's subsidy and other elements of the deal. The document was supposed to be released to the public in the afternoon. Sacramento Bee

Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Vivek Ranadive, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov 

With uncertainty looming about whether the Sacramento-based group attempting to buy the Kings would be able to bridge the gap between its offer and that of the Seattle group that has an agreement in place, a key new figure has emerged. Vivek Ranadive, founder of the $4 billion software company, Tibco, and a minority owner of the Golden State Warriors, has agreed to take a lead role in the group that was previously led by 24-Hour Fitness founder, Mark Mastrov, according to a person with knowledge of the move. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because the agreement had not yet been announced. USA Today Sports

Sacramento Kings, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov 

In order to be able to buy the Kings, Ranadive would have to sell his interest in the Warriors. This isn't the only Sacramento-based bid to buy the team, as Kings minority owner John Kehriotis has been planning his bid as well. But the Ranadive-Mastrov-Burkle group is working in coordination with Sacramento mayor and former NBA point guard Kevin Johnson, who will attempt to convince NBA owners at an April 3 meeting in New York that the Seattle agreement should not be approved. USA Today Sports

Sacramento Kings, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov 

Vivek Ranadive: Looking forward to supporting @KJ_MayorJohnson as we work towards keeping the @SacramentoKings where they belong. #HereWeStay Twitter

Sacramento Kings, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov 

Vivek Ranadive: Excited to be a part of the revitalization of a great community and the globalization of an amazing franchise. #HereWeStay Twitter

Sacramento Kings, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov 

Tim Kawakami: Ranadive is listed as the vice chairman of GSW ownership group--No. 3 on totem pole. Significant player here. Twitter @timkawakami

Sacramento Kings, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov 

The city is expected to vote on an arena term sheet on March 26th, just eight days before the NBA’s financing and relocation committees convene in New York for a special meeting on April 3rd. Shirey indicated that the outline of the proposal to build a new ESC at the Downtown Plaza could be ready for council and public review as early as next Thursday, March 21st. “Everybody knows that we’re under a very tight timeframe to get all this work done,” Shirey said. “But we’re not going to short-change the agreement.” Cowbell Kingdom

Sacramento Kings, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov 

The NBA has joined the discussions to build a new entertainment and sports center in Downtown Sacramento according to city manager John Shirey. The information came to light in this week’s Sacramento Kings’ update at yesterday evening’s city council meeting. “I want to let everybody know that we believe the talks are progressing well with the investor team (of Mark Mastrov and Ron Burkle),” Shirey told members of council. “I wanted to also let you know that we are also now discussing issues with the NBA. They are doing their own due diligence work, wanting to assure that our investor team and the city can deliver on a new arena downtown. So our discussions have broadened somewhat in the last few days.” Cowbell Kingdom

Sacramento Kings, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov