Fanfare: Area fans split on arena deal
Published 12:01 am PDT Sunday, July 30, 2006
Story appeared in Sports section, Page C2
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City's future is at stake
Sacramento needs a jolt into the 21st century. In every city that has built a new arena, the city has transformed into a special place where people want to be. The main reason I live in the Natomas area is because of the proximity to the arena and downtown. Sorry, but a couple of towers will not turn downtown into a thriving area. If I have to bring someone to Old Sacramento one more time, I will puke. Sacramento has a passion for the Kings. A part of the city will die if a new arena cannot be built. You cannot replace a team like the Kings.
The bottom line is, there are a ton of places where the Kings can get a better deal than in Sacramento. If the Kings leave because we do not get an arena built, we will pay double the price in 10 years to get a team again.
There is not a buzz during a good run at the Sacramento Ballet or Symphony. It is important to have a well-rounded city, but these organizations do not promote a city the way a professional sports team does. I don't see "Ballet on NBC" very often, showing the beautiful cities where they dance.
-- Jeff Stuart, Sacramento
Arena users should pay
Any new sports arena deal should include a $1 county surcharge on every ticket sold, and a 50 cent surcharge on all concession items sold. That way, those who use the facility eventually would pay for it. In addition, rather than having the county increase our sales tax by a quarter-cent, we should push the state to reduce the sales tax rate from 7.5 percent to 5 percent. This would relieve the sales tax burden on the poor, spur economic growth, dramatically increase county and state tax revenues and allow the county to pay for its portion of the arena out of pocket.
-- Kent French, Elk Grove
Selling their souls
Roger Dickerson and Rob Fong negotiated -- correction, they capitulated to Darrell Steinberg and the Brothers Maloof. To give those two millionaires every dime generated from every event held at New Arco is ludicrous. City and county officials gave away the company store because of their obsession with the Kings.
-- Carl Ladeck, Auburn
Visitors welcome deal
Congratulations to the city (and county) of Sacramento on moving forward on a new arena and downtown development package. We frequently visit Sacramento and have many friends in the surrounding communities. A world-class entertainment venue, recreation area next to the river and accessibility by light rail will give us an incentive to visit downtown with our friends. Taking light rail to and from venues is a bonus. Plus, half of the money raised by taxes will go to other Sacramento projects that would not have been funded without an arena project.
-- Rick and Donna Fay, Santa Cruz
Maloofs not the problem
Every argument I hear against the new arena proposal includes not wanting to subsidize the Maloofs. This deal is not about the Maloofs. It's about what the people of Sacramento want for their city and their quality of life. If you want the Kings to stay in Sacramento, and you think revitalizing downtown is a good idea, you need to vote for the arena deal.
If your bias against the proposal is based upon not wanting to put more money into the Maloofs' pockets or that the Maloofs are rich enough to pay for an arena, then you may just have a problem with people who have a lot of money. The Maloofs are rich, and they are going to become richer, whether they stay in Sacramento or not.
If $5 a month is too much to keep the Kings, welcome to Bakersfield North!
-- Bill Chicoine, El Dorado Hills
Get ready to say goodbye
Sacramento needs a new arena. What it doesn't need are politicians adding seven years of regressive sales tax increases to pay for pork they can't get any other way. I guarantee the fine folks of Sacramento County won't swallow this measure unless the supervisors dump the extra $500 million unrelated to the arena project. It's a tough enough sell with just the overpriced arena, but with the bloating of another $500 million, people might as well plan the farewell party for the Kings now.
-- Brent DeFehr, Jackson
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North Bakersfield!
Sounds like one of us...
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