A development team spearheading the process to build Sacramento a new arena has been talking with the Kings' owners but has been unable to meet with them – even as a deadline for the team's possible move draws near.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson would like to talk with the Maloofs as well, after not speaking with them in a month. A process to build a new facility to replace Arco Arena, the current home of the Kings basketball team, is underway.

Communication from the Maloofs appears limited. But the Kings' owners have not tried to leverage the possibility of moving to another city like Anaheim to get a better deal in Sacramento, said Bob Graswich, special assistant to the mayor.

"They have not drawn a line in the sand. They have not made any threats," Graswich said. "The Maloofs have not called up the mayor and said, 'Hey, we're going to Anaheim.' "

March 1 is the deadline for the Maloofs to file a request to move the team in 2011. The NBA Board of Governors could vote to approve a deadline extension.

Johnson, a former NBA basketball player, has seen that tactic used by some team owners to get new or better deals out of other cities by pitting one city against another. But reports about the Maloofs' possible interest in Anaheim are coming from other sources – not the Maloofs, Graswich said.

National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern confirmed over the weekend that the Maloofs have talked to Anaheim officials. The Orange County Register reported Tuesday that the Maloofs met with Honda Center management and Anaheim officials, including the city manager, earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Sacramento developer David Taylor and ICON Venue Group are still trying to set up a meeting with the Maloofs, more than two weeks after the Sacramento City Council gave the developers only 90 days to study what it would take to build Sacramento a new sports and entertainment center.

The developers and the Maloofs have been talking regularly. But they haven't spoken about how likely it is the Kings will move to another city, said Adam Mendelsohn, a partner at Mercury Public Affairs and a former member of Johnson's arena task force.

"There's regular discussion back and forth on both sides," Mendelsohn said. "The only thing that's been talked about is the exchange of information and the possibility for a formal meeting."

The mayor was in Washington, D.C., Wednesday doing business with the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Johnson is expected to talk with the Maloofs soon, but efforts to set that up are ongoing, mayoral aides said.

On Tuesday, Johnson said he expects the Maloofs to turn over promised research on arena expenses, revenue and other information this week and to meet with the developers next week.

"He made it clear he expects them to deal with the ICON-Taylor group," Graswich said. "The ball's in their court. Certainly the team knows the ICON-Taylor group has gotten the blessing by the city."

The Maloofs won't provide updated information to reporters or respond to questions about a potential move and the effort to build a new arena in Sacramento, according to a Kings spokesman.

The developers have just started the due diligence process of gathering information requested by the city and needed by the developers before possibly entering a contract to build an arena.

"We are moving forward with our commitment to deliver a plan to the city," Mendelsohn said.

On Wednesday, even the mayor didn't know whether the Kings will stay in Sacramento.

"All he knows is they haven't announced they're leaving," Graswich said.   

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.