^
Well, remember that LA has two NBA teams, a MLB team and a NHL team (not to mention numerous minor league-style teams) to entertain the public. Plus, thirty minutes to the south there are three major teams: the Angels, the Ducks and the Kings (just kidding on the last one).
I just think it is kind of funny that Stockton can get an arena built (and it is looker too - kudos to the architect); yet Sacramento cannot. Maybe we should be living in the shadow of Stockton?
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I was talking to my grandmother the other day:
Somehow we started talking about Sacramento development, and she said she hopes much of the development for DT and the West Sac waterfront fails. When I mentioned the arena issue, she was quite cold to that idea. I was aghast. So I asked why. She responded by complaining about traffic problems.
(Now, I may be wrong, but shouldn't big cities have big traffic?) When I told my grandmother that Sacramento is growing and traffic should be expected, she said it is a shame Sacramento is growing and she wished it would go back to the way it was. I guess I understand her dismay. My grandparents live in West Sac on Jefferson Blvd.; I think watching that area sprout houses and shopping centers is a bit too much for them (dementia anyone?). My grandmother always mentions, with great sadness, how the trees in her front yard were cut down (Majin alert! Majin alert! Majin alert!) when Jefferson was widened. (Really, my grandparents should not be too annoyed with all of the growth, they will become multimillionaires when they sell off most of the land they own in about a month)
What I found interesting about the conversation was my grandmother's small-town attitude. Unfortunately, there are many more people like her. Right now, they are winning the day when it comes to building a new arena. Fortunately, the small-town thinkers are the minority - a very vocal minority. So let's follow enigma's lead and send out those letters and e-mails. Remember, having a well-developed (i.e., lots of towers, stores, restaurants, residences and a modern arena) anchor city is a regional issue, so don't forget the surrounding counties and cities.