Tom Benson, owner of the Saints, New Orleans Hornets NBA acquired

Tom Benson has brought stability to the Holy nearly three decades and is now intending to do the same for the Hornets in New Orleans small markets.

The owner agreed to Holy Saturday, the Hornets of the NBA to acquire.

"We expect this club to be one of the most important clubs in the league, if I do not want to get involved," said Benson. "This is just a good thing and I'm just happy be part of it. "

A person familiar with the matter said the purchase price is $ 338 million. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the financial terms have not yet been announced.

The NBA has tried to sell the Hornets since buying the club founder George Shinn in December 2010. In preparation for the sales teams in the league negotiated a new lease for the Hornets in New Orleans Arena, the state remains until 2024.

The sale of the team of Benson must be approved by the NBA Board of Governors, who was in New York on Friday.

"The city is one of the treasures of the country and we really found the perfect owner," said Commissioner David Stern. "Our goal has always been to buy the Hornets from someone whose commitment to New Orleans was unmatched."

The framework of property relations, negotiations were handled in a way that a new owner would have to accept the lease Hornets, who worked between the NBA and Governor Bobby Jindal. The lease of $ 50 million in improving the basketball stadium, which is on the opposite side of the street called the Superdome.

Once the NBA approves sale of the team of Benson, the next step for the country's legislature, the arena lease agreement because funding for improvements to the stadium had to be approved. But legislative leaders have publicly expressed their support for the proposed lease transaction, which will last from July.