RealGM

http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2463026.html

The plan calls for a three-part land swap: The state would sell the current Cal Expo site to a development group that would redevelop the property into a mixed-use community. The state, in turn, would take over the existing Arco Arena site in Natomas, now owned by the city and the Kings, and transform it into a modern state fairgrounds and exposition center. And a new Kings arena would go up on city-owned land in the downtown rail yard.

Excited? This one sounds like it may actually work out! I am not going to get overly excited til it's official, but this is looking good Kings fans!

I'm no expert on this kind of stuff, but this seems to be looking good. It definitely seems to be a reason for hope.

Sounds like a pretty cool idea. Even cooler that it actually comes with financing commitments.

I have always liked the railyard option the best because it would bring a much needed lift to the downtown area. Downtown currently is a hole and an arena/entertainment district would be huge in getting downtown revitalived to what it should be.

Oh yah, and the kings would stay in Sacramento..

I'm liking this idea, but why would we even want to move the fair grounds out to Natomas?

also, i would like to see the rail yard project be developed into something similar to San Antonio's River Walk. we need something here that draws attention. Having an arena along with it would be great.

As long as it's in Sacramento, I don't give a damn where they build it. JUST BUILD IT. I'm so **** sick of people saying that the Kings are going to move. I just want it built to shut those people the hell up.

All that said, downtown is by the far the best option in my opinion. It will revitalize an area that badly needs it, and there are already hotels, restaurants and bars in the area. Light Rail stops near the rail yard, it has freeway access and it's closer to the airport. It's a no-brainer.

You can't pull a permit to build in Natomas, so until the levees are repaired, which is estimated by 2010, this is dead anyway. I digress...they'd have to raise the ground 23 feet to build there.

http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/projects/ ... rotection/

That's the DWR info on the levee repairs.

The NBA is backing one of nine proposals. It seems like the city will move forward with the one that makes the most sense, but the proposal can go in a number of places.

http://www.news10.net/news/local/story. ... 37&catid=2

I hope that works out for you guys. I didn't realize your current arena was that old.

hbhakta wrote:I'm liking this idea, but why would we even want to move the fair grounds out to Natomas?

also, i would like to see the rail yard project be developed into something similar to San Antonio's River Walk. we need something here that draws attention. Having an arena along with it would be great.

Granted, it IS further away, but one possible reason might be because traffic-wise its easier to get out of a Kings game than it is to get out of the fairgrounds in August. The Natomas streets are better equipped to handle the traffic than Exposition/Arden. Also, moving the fairgrounds to Natomas would give RT more insentive to build that light rail extention into the area (which ultimately is supposed to extend to the airport), which would ease traffic even further.

So long as we get that new arena, I wouldn't mind the fair relocation at all.

I'll believe it when I see it.I'm not getting my hopes up...

It sound encouraging though!

hbhakta wrote:I'm liking this idea, but why would we even want to move the fair grounds out to Natomas?

also, i would like to see the rail yard project be developed into something similar to San Antonio's River Walk. we need something here that draws attention. Having an arena along with it would be great.

If the exposition center is going to be a modern reinvention then it would be a WELCOME attraction. The horses need to stay where they are though. The problem with Cal Expo isn't the location, but it's THERE IS NOTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE going on there. The bigger issue would be to make Cal Expo relevant.

i hope this deal goes through. Arco seems to be really old and outdated, from what i've read (players opinions). A new arena would be great for the city and the team.

The problem I noticed is that when I read the comments on the sacbee link - there are a lot of people who don't want the government to help with this and won't accept their taxes going towards this issue. I don't live in California, so I am not biased, but it seems like the city of Sacramento needs to keep the kings. The arena would help the neighbourhoods near the railyards flourish with economic investment. Yes, the Maloof's would benefit, but why shouldn't they? They can move this team down to San Jose and have the private boxes all filled up and less empty seats. If I lived in the area, I would support this deal, especially if it helped to keep the team in the city.

Sacramento arena proposal puts developer Kamilos in spotlight - Sacbee

Investors would buy Cal Expo from the state and build residences, offices and stores there, generating revenue that will be used to pay debt on a privately built arena on city-owned railyard land. Cal Expo officials, who are looking to finance a new fairgrounds, said they are intrigued by Kamilos' proposal and willing to talk.

The Sacramento Kings would pay $10 million annually in arena rent payments, with yearly increases over 30 years. The city and the Kings would deed the 180-acre Arco Arena site in Natomas to the state for a new fairgrounds.

NBA officials say they weren't sure what to think when Kamilos called last spring to pitch the idea. "We had a high degree of skepticism," the NBA's Moag said. "I've heard every gimmick you can come up with for financing." But Kamilos brought something to the table no one else had: private financial backers willing to put up money. "He was impressive," Moag said.

"This is Sacramento's Madison Square Garden," he said. "It's one of those generational projects that's going to be here 100 years. "It is so important this is done right."

http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2474450.html
There is a pic that is too big to post here with a visual explanation that shows the properties and their scale: http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2010/01/19/21/3W20SWAP.xlgraphic.prod_affiliate.4.gif



NBA, developers unveil new downtown arena plan - Sacramento Business Journal

• The Maloofs would commit $300 million to the financing of the project, paying $10 million a year for 30 years. They would pay off to the city what’s outstanding from the $68.5 million loan the city made to the franchise in 1997.

• The Maloofs would receive a 30-year lease for the downtown arena. At the end of 30 years, the city would own the complex.

Of course, the Kamilos proposal is still just one of nine projects being considered by the Sacramento First Task Force. The task force is reviewing the seven proposals that were submitted along with the earlier Cal Expo proposal on which the NBA had been negotiating, and the option of renovating the existing Arco Arena. But the Kamilos proposal now has the support of the NBA and partners with big money, names and experience.

The Sacramento Convergence team estimates the project would inject more than $1 billion into the region’s economy at build out, and would significantly increase property, sales and use tax revenue for the city and Sacramento County.

http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2010/01/11/daily46.html

This article discusses the other proposals as well; a good read for sure.



No favorite yet among Kings arena proposals, Sacramento mayor says - Sacbee

"This is not about a shining arena for the Kings and NBA," Lehane said. "It is about what is best for Sacramento. The Kings and the league have backed other proposals in the past, and those have not come to fruition."

NBA officials created shock waves by announcing they already back one of the plans – a complicated land swap moving the State Fair to the Arco Arena site in Natomas, turning Cal Expo over to private developers, and leveraging income from those moves to help finance an arena in the downtown railyard.

That proposal stands out among the seven, NBA representative John Moag said, because it includes something other proposals don't: deep-pocketed private partners to jump-start the project financially – "the guys who are going to show me the money."

http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2466263.html



whole image can be viewed here: http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2010/01/15/20/6W16ARENA.xlgraphic.prod_affiliate.4.gif


Now we need to wait and see what happens...

I'm feeling a lot more confident about this all now, mainly because there are actually bussinesses willing to help fork over the money!

I don't care where it is, build it! Although #7, that riverside one, is pretty funky XD

Lightning Strike wrote:I'm feeling a lot more confident about this all now, mainly because there are actually bussinesses willing to help fork over the money!

I don't care where it is, build it! Although #7, that riverside one, is pretty funky XD

I know what you mean, just decide already. The Kamilos proposal having the deep pocket backers is a plus - some of the other proposals don't seem to have that and are just wishful thinking.