30Q: Will the new arena be ready by 2016?

The Kings are staying in Sacramento. We no longer have that burden hanging over each game like a dark cloud. But another question does remain. Will the new downtown arena be ready by 2016?

While it seems unlikely, there are still issues that could possibly derail the deal. STOP is still pushing to take the parking monetization to a vote. Whether the matter can be forced to a vote is still unclear, but STOP is still trying. There are a lot of moving pieces that need to fall in place.

We'll know in the coming months whether STOP can obtain the signatures they need. If they do, we'll watch for City Hall's next move. We could conceivably see this go to a vote after all, in which case we get to delve once again into the world of politics.

If there's one thing I've learned over the course of the last several years it's to never let my guard down. Never assume a deal is "binding". Things change, sometimes rapidly. While STOP may not end up being a legitimate threat, I'm not ignoring any threat to the Kings.

Personally, I don't think STOP gets their signatures. I don't think the arena goes to a vote in any way. I think the arena will open by 2016. But while I'm confident that the arena will open on schedule, I'm keeping a close eye on what happens over the next several months.

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Alternate draft of this post:

Yes.