The Sacramento Kings' owners hope to build team fever this week with a ticket sales drive and a rally Tuesday.

Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof is expected to join Head Coach Paul Westphal and stars such as Bobby Jackson, Doug Christie and Scot Pollard at a Kings rally at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Cesar Chavez Plaza, Ninth and I streets. Fireworks and a concert by Sacramento rock band Tesla are also planned for the rally, which is co-sponsored by local radio station Sports 1140 KHTK.

Maloof Sports and Entertainment also has hired 30 new sales employees to help with ticket sales after the Maloofs announced May 2 the team would stay in Sacramento for at least another year.

Most of the new employees started work Monday at Power Balance Pavilion. More people needed to be hired to handle a deluge of season ticket renewals and sales to the general public that began last week. Hundreds of season ticket holders have called to renew, Maloof Sports and Entertainment Public Relations Manager Alex Sigua said.

"It's been heartwarming and overwhelming and incredible," he said. "We've definitely eclipsed our pace at this time last year."

Season ticket buyers had until 8 p.m. Monday to purchase season tickets and choose their exact seats at the same time. To do so, fans must make deposits of 17 or 34 percent and agree to a six-month or three-month payment plan, respectively.

Two choice seats near the visiting team’s bench, in Section 112 Row J, would cost $8,624. Under the six-month plan, the fan must make a $1,466 deposit by Monday night. Those fans will be invited to an event in June where they’ll have a chance to check out their seats and switch if needed.

At the Tuesday rally, Maloof Sports and Entertainment officials are expected to announce a second season ticket program allowing fans to make $300 deposits per seat and get on a waiting list to choose their seats at an open house at a later date in mid-June. Fans will be able to choose their seats in an order based on when they made deposits.

Exact numbers of renewals and season ticket holders in the 2010/2011 season were not available.

The sales staff were hired part-time to work with ticket buyers online and by phone. About 300 people applied for the jobs. Interviews were held late last week.

The Maloofs are still taking applications for full-time ticket services positions, Sigua said.

The company did not provide information about pay levels and whether employees are being hired on a temporary or permanent basis.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson met Friday with Gavin Maloof at the arena. They primarily discussed the need to stabilize the team, whose owners had been considering moving the Kings to Anaheim until last week.

The team's revenue statements from the last four years apparently have not yet been turned over to the city of Sacramento and the ICON-Taylor team, which is conducting an arena feasibility study. The study is expected to be completed by May 26.

The study's financial analyses have so far been based on figures from comparable teams in the National Basketball Association.

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