By Kevin Johnson
Mayor of Sacramento
Cal Expo has bowed out. But the drive to build a new entertainment and sports complex for Sacramento must continue.
Last fall, when the Sacramento First Task Force was organized to consider private development proposals for a new entertainment facility, we knew the winning plan was also the most complex plan.
The winning plan, called Convergence, required a three-way land deal involving Cal Expo and city-owned property in North Natomas and the downtown railyards.
Cal Expo was important, thanks to its ability to generate money – the State Fair’s 350 acres would be sold and developed to provide revenue for a new State Fair and downtown entertainment center.
That was then. Now that Cal Expo’s board of directors has decided not to continue evaluating Convergence, the private developers must regroup and consider their options. And so must the city.
Fortunately, we have some time. The city and Convergence team have one month left on their exclusive negotiating agreement.
The city must respect the exclusive agreement, which has performance thresholds and timelines to protect the city and taxpayers.
As we move into October and approach the end of the exclusive negotiating period with Convergence, options will no doubt present themselves. Options are fine, as long as the taxpayers come first.
What form will the options take? If we are smart, those options will include ideas already reviewed by Sacramento First, such as a privately financed arena in the railyards, or even the renovation of Arco Arena.
No matter what options rise to the top, our goals won’t change. The city must work to create an entertainment and sports complex that becomes an economic and cultural engine for our city, providing jobs and vibrancy and creating an opportunity for the Kings to operate successfully.
And first and foremost, no matter what happens, the taxpayer must come first.
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