Pittsburg ? Penguins owner Mario Lemieux emerged from a “very positive” meeting with Gov. Ed Rendell and local leaders Thursday night without hinting whether the team will stay or move to Kansas City.

Hours after touring the under-construction Sprint Center in Kansas City, Lemieux returned to Pittsburgh for his first in-person meeting with government officials since a plan to fund a $290 million arena with casino money was rejected.

The Penguins, one of pro sports’ hottest properties because of young stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, would pay no construction costs or rent in Kansas City. They also would become partners in the building and thus gain access to all revenue streams, with no payment required. Initially, a $27 million payment for those rights was discussed.

Neither side offered specifics about the so-called Plan B deal to build a replacement for Mellon Arena, but Lemieux did not appear disappointed by the talks.

“Hopefully, we’ll move forward in the next week or so and really evaluate where we’re going. But I’m very pleased with both meetings today,” Lemieux said. “I’ve always been very optimistic (about staying in Pittsburgh). I’ve been here for 20-some years. But we have to evaluate all of our options, and that’s why we went to Kansas City to look at what they had to offer.”

Construction on the 18,500-seat Sprint Center continues Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. Pittsburgh Penguins owners, unhappy with the 45-year-old Mellon Arena, the NHL's oldest venue, have been exploring a move since an arena deal fell through last month. The Sprint Center is being considered as a possible venue for the Penguins.

Rendell did not talk to reporters after the meeting, but Allegheny County chief executive Dan Onorato said, “It was very productive, very productive. … We’re going to continue to negotiate, and, hopefully, the next time you hear from all of us we can give you details.”

Earlier in the day, Lemieux, billionaire partner Ron Burkle and team president Ken Sawyer toured the $276 million Sprint Center, which is due to open in October without an anchor major sports-team tenant.

William “Boots” Del Biaggio III, a San Jose-based venture capitalist and Lemieux acquaintance who nearly bought the Penguins in 2005, is expected to buy the team if it moves to Kansas City.