'A good showcase': Kings owner's long-term plan is for Sacramento to get an MLB expansion team

First the A’s and then a permanent Major League Baseball team in Sacramento. Sacramento Kings and River Cats owner Vivek Ranadivé told reporters that is how he views the deal to temporarily bring the A’s to a renovated Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento.The A's will play at Sutter Health Park for the next three seasons — and there is an option for a fourth season — as the team's permanent home in Las Vegas is not expected to be ready until 2028. The A's lease in Oakland expires after the 2024 season. In January, the team first confirmed that Sutter Health Park could become its temporary home. Besides relocating to another location in Las Vegas or remaining in Oakland, another interim option that had been on the table was Salt Lake City, A’s President Dave Kaval said. Kaval told reporters on Thursday that Sacramento proved to be the best fit and the deal came together after several months of discussions. Ranadivé said negotiations “were not that intense,” in part because he is friends with A’s owner John Fisher. He made clear that the decision to bring the A’s to Sacramento is an audition of sorts for a permanent team. "I've been in touch with the commissioner and I've gotten to know him: Rob Manfred," Ranadivé said. "And they will be creating a new team. They want it to be on the West Coast. They’d love for it to be in California. And I think this is a good showcase for us. If we can prove that there’s a market here, that we can make the team successful, I think we're in pole position to get the new franchise, specifically."KCRA 3 has reached out to the MLB commissioner for comment about those discussions. In a statement included with Thursday’s announcement, Manfred said, “On behalf of all of MLB, I want to express my appreciation to West Sacramento, Sutter Health Park, the Kings and the greater Sacramento region for their excitement to host the A’s for interim play, as the A’s new permanent home is built in Las Vegas.” Asked about what assurances he’d received about MLB’s long-term future in the city, Ranadivé acknowledged there was “no guarantee.” “You know, we have to show what we can do. And I have complete confidence that if we set our mind to something, this is an incredible city,” he said. “We have the best fans in the world. And at the end of the day, the best fans in the world will make it happen.”Ranadivé added that his vision for Sacramento as a "city of the future" is for the area to be a sports, media and technology center."I want people to have something to do every single night of the year, and I want them to have multiple options, not just one option," he said.See Ranadivé’s full interview in the video above.Find our full coverage here.How to get tickets to see the A’s play in SacramentoAnalysis: Sactown Sports’ Carmichael Dave, Jason Ross react to A’s in Sacramento announcementHow will the A's coming to Sacramento affect minor league team River Cats?'The little engine that could': Officials react to A's coming to Sacramento area