Sacramento's K Street to get new look in 2011
SACRAMENTO, CA - Sacramento's K Street mall is about to get a major boost in nightlife. An entertainment complex of three distinct venues from San Francisco nightclub operator George Karpaty, is set to open in mid-January near 10th and K streets.
Pizza Rock features a Sistine Chapel-style painted ceiling celebrating rock, while a real Peterbuilt truck appears to come crashing through a wall, offering an unusual perch for a dj to spin tunes.
"When you walk into Pizza Rock I think you're going to be blown away by what you see," said co-owner Tony Gemignani, a world renown pizza chef. "But what I think is going to have people come back is the food."
Next door to Pizza Rock, the upscale Dive Bar features a 7,500-gallon aquarium where mermaids and mermen will perform.
"They'll just be swimming around in there, they're going to sit on their perch and interact with the crowd," said General Manager David Brattmiller.
The third venue in the $8 million complex is called District 30, a nightclub that will cater to the 30-something-year-old crowd. "It's the best sound you could possibly have," said Brattmiller.
The Downtown Sacramento Partnership views the new complex as a major addition to the revitalization of K Street.
"The success of downtown in many ways is identified with success of K street," said Michael Ault, the parternship's executive director.
By next fall, K Street will also reopen to car traffic for the first time since 1969.
"It's going to give people the opportunity to drive directly to destinations, to drop off, and maybe witness some retail opportunities they did not know they were here," said Ault.
The City of Sacramento approved a $5.7 million subsidy for the entertainment project last year, hoping it spurs even more economic development in the blighted corridor.
"We've really finally gotten to point where we not only have quality but regional draws," said Ault. "I think this is going to really change the way people think about downtown and K Street."
By Jennifer Smith,
Jsmith@news10.net
News10/KXTV
http://www.news10.net/news/story.asp...113849&catid=2