Prospective Grizzlies owner Robert Pera is actively seeking local partners to join his bid to buy the team, two sources with knowledge of his pursuit said.

A source close to Pera said he isn’t seeking local ownership based on need but because of what his group learned from visiting with local business leaders last week in Memphis. Pera’s group left those meetings sensing a desire for local ownership.

The source said Pera flew to Colorado in the past week to meet with AutoZone founder and current local partner J.R. “Pitt” Hyde and that Pera has also been in Memphis recently. It’s unclear who all he met with, though sources confirmed he met with FedEx CEO Fred Smith and other FedEx leaders to get acquainted.

via Geoff Calkins of The Commercial Appeal