[rampant_jwalker]

Madrid, Berlin, Moscow, London, Paris, Johannesburg, Milan, and Beijing are a few world cities that come to mind that have certain things in common with Sacramento.
First of all, these cities are situated inland, away from a coast. Some with navigable rivers like Sacramento has, and some without. The fact that Sacramento has access to sea trade via the Sacramento river is a plus, but not a must.
All of these cities except Johannesburg have been capitals, like Sacramento is. Some were important towns before becoming capitals of large states. On the other hand, Madrid was not a very important town until after it became the capital of Spain. Coastal cities in Spain continued with business and trade as the landlocked capital built itself around its administrative role, which attracted cultural institutions, and later industry.

In becoming a center of economy, culture, and learning, the disadvantage for Sacramento has been its close proximity to two well established global cities: San Francisco and Los Angeles. Both are large and very important both culturally and economically. They are magnets for creativity and culture, and some of that magnetic energy can be felt drawing skilled young people away from the Sacramento region.
In the present century, much of the urban growth worldwide is expected to happen in second-tier cities. This can already be seen in places like Medellin, Colombia. Will Sacramento benefit from this trend? What can Sacramento do to position itself as a distinct urban region with a powerful identity that can attract culture, commerce, and investment?
I think if we look at global cities that have similarities with Sacramento (capital cities and inland cities), we can learn what factors allowed them to form and gain importance. I agree that Sacramento seems to have great potential to grow into an important global city. It might take decades or centuries to actually happen. One huge advantage for Sac: it is the only major city in California that does not need to import fresh water.