Sacramento - New Arena Plan

[deeann]

Actually this kind of crosses over into the transportation thread, but I think an Arena at Expo would bring the current traffic problem at the Bus80/Expo/bridge to a head in a big way and maybe something could finally happen in that area, either with bridge expansion (a separate fork that lets off around the fairgrounds in addition to the Expo Blvd offramp or a second level on the bridge? I really don't know what I'm talking about, but something to help with the logjam), better mass transit or both.

And yeah- though it would be indoors the "WHOO!" car horn honkers after games would be annoying.

[What is a Rivercat?]

Originally Posted by neuhickman79

I work at USAA right on the other side of Bus 80.

Hey, I used to work there. I **shudders violently** worked for Enterprise as one of their in-house reps.
USAA = awesome
Enterprise = Satan's asshole

[ozone]

Originally Posted by deeann

Actually this kind of crosses over into the transportation thread, but I think an Arena at Expo would bring the current traffic problem at the Bus80/Expo/bridge to a head in a big way and maybe something could finally happen in that area, either with bridge expansion (a separate fork that lets off around the fairgrounds in addition to the Expo Blvd offramp or a second level on the bridge? I really don't know what I'm talking about, but something to help with the logjam), better mass transit or both.

And yeah- though it would be indoors the "WHOO!" car horn honkers after games would be annoying.

Welcome to the big city deeann. What's the problem with the occasional post-game celebration? I have to endure that sort of stuff every weekend when the suburbanites invade my hood -get drunk, party until 2am and then walk around trying to sober up all the while talking really loud and pissing on my bushes. Well it may not be that bad. But hey if you want to live in a small town -move to Woodland or Galt.

[innov8]

Sorry, but an arena built at CalExpo will never happen. It's state owned property
and it would take an act from the CA legislature to make that happen. There's is
a chance, but a slim one at that. The East Sacramento Homeowners Association
will also see that this never happens.

[TowerDistrict]

Plunking an arena in an area where it won't affect anything is the wrong approach - unless we want Arco Redux Arena. The Railyards is still the way to go if they want to spur development, attract attention to downtown, and a clean slate to seamlessly integrate an arena into new district. where the hell else would you find such an opportunity?

[wburg]

Actually, there isn't an East Sacramento Homeowners Association, or even a Neighborhood Association (HOAs are typically found in condos or planned unit developments, not traditional neighborhoods.) The closest thing is MENA, the McKinley/Elvas Neighborhood Association.

I kind of like the idea of an arena (sports or otherwise) on Cal Expo property: an enclosed structure would be less of a noise problem than the old Cal Expo ampitheater. I'm sure such a structure would have utility for the State Fair, too.

At a streetcar conference a couple of years ago, the idea of a streetcar branch line from the Royal Oaks light rail station to Arden Fair was fielded. Given the proximity of such a line to Exposition Boulevard, it seems like a natural choice for a return loop: transfer at Royal Oaks or Swanston to the trolley loop, run up Arden, loop around at Ethan and back down Expo to meet up with the light rail. Using streetcars rather than light rail would keep it cheap, with minimal effects on street traffic, and it would also provide better access to facilities like Arden Fair Mall, the theaters at Ethan, Kaiser Point West and the office parks and apartments nearby, as well as easing Cal Expo traffic woes year-round. Adding an arena to the mix would provide another high-traffic use--and a five-mile system, like the Sac/West Sac proposal, would cost maybe $50 million.

[deeann]

Originally Posted by ozone

Welcome to the big city deeann. What's the problem with the occasional post-game celebration? I have to endure that sort of stuff every weekend when the suburbanites invade my hood -get drunk, party until 2am and then walk around trying to sober up all the while talking really loud and pissing on my bushes. Well it may not be that bad. But hey if you want to live in a small town -move to Woodland or Galt.

Thank you for the welcome! It's been 38 years (off and on) and no one has formally welcomed me to Sacramento yet!

Note taken- I will try my absolute best not to pee in your bushes while I am in your "hood".

But I do think there is a difference between people walking around (at least they are trying to sober up! A designated driver would be better.) and a gazillion car horns going off at the same time.

[innov8]

Originally Posted by wburg

Actually, there isn't an East Sacramento Homeowners Association, or even a Neighborhood Association (HOAs are typically found in condos or planned unit developments, not traditional neighborhoods.) The closest thing is MENA, the McKinley/Elvas Neighborhood Association.

There is also the The East Sacramento Alhambra Corridor Neighborhood
Association... never the less, they both did a great job in stopping Trader Joe's from opening.


Welcome deeann

[deeann]

Thanks, innov8!

[urban_encounter]

Originally Posted by innov8

The East Sacramento Homeowners Association
will also see that this never happens.

That's the truth.

The East sac NIMBYS, were certainly successful at drving away the amphitheater.

[BrianSac]

Originally Posted by wburg

I kind of like the idea of an arena (sports or otherwise) on Cal Expo property: an enclosed structure would be less of a noise problem than the old Cal Expo ampitheater. I'm sure such a structure would have utility for the State Fair, too.

At a streetcar conference a couple of years ago, the idea of a streetcar branch line from the Royal Oaks light rail station to Arden Fair was fielded. Given the proximity of such a line to Exposition Boulevard, it seems like a natural choice for a return loop: transfer at Royal Oaks or Swanston to the trolley loop, run up Arden, loop around at Ethan and back down Expo to meet up with the light rail. Using streetcars rather than light rail would keep it cheap, with minimal effects on street traffic, and it would also provide better access to facilities like Arden Fair Mall, the theaters at Ethan, Kaiser Point West and the office parks and apartments nearby, as well as easing Cal Expo traffic woes year-round. Adding an arena to the mix would provide another high-traffic use--and a five-mile system, like the Sac/West Sac proposal, would cost maybe $50 million.

wburg,
Good ideas! I think a streetcar in the cal expo/arden area would be effective.

deeann, Welcome to Sacramento,

[wburg]

Originally Posted by innov8

There is also the The East Sacramento Alhambra Corridor Neighborhood
Association... never the less, they both did a great job in stopping Trader Joe's from opening.

Actually, no, there isn't, in anything more than name. The "East Sacramento Alhambra Corridor Neighborhood Association" was formed by Safeway, the Co-Op and a couple of particularly angry nearby residents for the sole purpose of preventing Trader Joe's from opening up on L and Alhambra. They are still listed as a city neighborhood association, but they don't have a membership, hold meetings, or respond to meetings or phone calls. A few developers have contacted me trying to reach them, because they wanted to do things in that neighborhood, but nobody (including myself) was able to get through.

Stopping Trader Joe's was not the result of neighborhood resident action, it was the result of neighborhood businesses who felt that they couldn't handle the competition.

[innov8]

Originally Posted by wburg

Stopping Trader Joe's was not the result of neighborhood resident action, it was the result of neighborhood businesses who felt that they couldn't handle the competition.

The East Sacramento Alhambra Corridor Neighborhood Association could have
been a front name for many stores... I guess will never know.

Trader Joe's push into East Sacramento dividing neighbors
http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sa...1/daily20.html

[creamcityleo79]

Originally Posted by ozone

It's not that crazy nor is it "way out of left field" -jeesh where have you been? Cal Expo has been talked about as a possible arena site for years.

With all due respect to Brian May (deputy general manager for Cal Expo) after reading some of their own reports over the years I concluded that part of the blame for Cal Expo's lowering attendance is that they are of out-of-sync with the average Sacramentan's tastes. It's kind of like they're living in the Sacramento of the early 1980's.

Anyway, about the arena.

As for the traffic issue. To be honest I don't think I've ever had to go to the airport before or after a game at Arco so I don't know what the traffic is like but it seems like it would be a mess. I just don't like the idea of a traffic jamming up access to the airport. And I don't see how a downtown arena would be that much different than CalExpo in terms of causing traffic backups. There is no ideal location but for me it's a no brainer if they can somehow resolve the traffic issue.

I see the CalExpo/Arden Fair Mall/Point West area as a possibe 'second downtown' for Sacramento. Maybe if the city looked at it in that way we could come up with a workable plan that included a spur off the existing North Sac light-rail line?

I meant it was way out of left field because I didn't think that the NBA would consider Cal Expo as an option. I didn't even know it was on their radar. It's a perfect location. I was just expressing my surprise and excitement about the possibility. You didn't have to get all snippy and uppity about it!

[creamcityleo79]

Originally Posted by What is a Rivercat?

Hey, I used to work there. I **shudders violently** worked for Enterprise as one of their in-house reps.
USAA = awesome
Enterprise = Satan's asshole

I love USAA. I don't think there's a better company to work for out of there. I'm not sure what Enterprise is.

[creamcityleo79]

Originally Posted by TowerDistrict

Plunking an arena in an area where it won't affect anything is the wrong approach - unless we want Arco Redux Arena. The Railyards is still the way to go if they want to spur development, attract attention to downtown, and a clean slate to seamlessly integrate an arena into new district. where the hell else would you find such an opportunity?

How will it not affect anything? How about sales at Arden Fair and the surrounding businesses? How about new, better entertainment options in that area? As was previously stated, that area could be like a second downtown. I still think it's a great idea.

[What is a Rivercat?]

Originally Posted by neuhickman79

I love USAA. I don't think there's a better company to work for out of there. I'm not sure what Enterprise is.

It's the car rental company. They used to have a couple of people working inside USAA to expedite the car rental process for people who had accidents. Anyway, trust me, Enterprise Rent A Car is one of the worst companies on earth.

[creamcityleo79]

Originally Posted by What is a Rivercat?

It's the car rental company. They used to have a couple of people working inside USAA to expedite the car rental process for people who had accidents. Anyway, trust me, Enterprise Rent A Car is one of the worst companies on earth.

Oh ok! Enterprise is also what we call our company-wide programs. So, I was a bit unsure of what you were talking about.

[ozone]

Originally Posted by deeann

Thank you for the welcome! It's been 38 years (off and on) and no one has formally welcomed me to Sacramento yet!

Note taken- I will try my absolute best not to pee in your bushes while I am in your "hood".

But I do think there is a difference between people walking around (at least they are trying to sober up! A designated driver would be better.) and a gazillion car horns going off at the same time.

You're welcome and hey my bushes thank you . No seriously I understand the difference but anywhere the arena goes you're going to have the same "problem" -it's not that big of a deal IMO.

[wburg]

innov8: Thanks for the bizjournal link. It's fun counting the inconsistencies in the article. I do note that MENA and another east sacramento association (which isn't a neighborhood association in the same sense as MENA or LPCA, it sounds more like the private "improvement club" type organizations which were their predecessors) were supportive or, at worst, neutral, and they outnumbered this Alhambra Corridor neighborhood association. It's not hard to find a handful of neighborhood BANANAs to back you up, and I wouldn't be surprised if at least a few of them were Safeway employees.

Which leads me to inconsistency #2: if they were concerned about a 24-hour business, why didn't this obviously powerful little club try to stop the 24-hour and high-volume Alhambra Safeway from their last couple of remodel/expansions? Obvious answer: Safeway's pulling the strings.

If the organization exists for any other reason than opposing that Trader Joe's, they're doing a damn poor job of being a neighborhood association. They don't come out to the NAG meetings or other events, or at board/commission meetngs at City Hall. They don't respond to inquiries from developers currently building in the neighborhood or other neighborhood groups' solicitations. They're a shell.

As to what MENA would think of a Cal Expo arena, I don't know. Typically East Sac doesn't need much of a neighborhood association, because Steve Cohn pretty much takes very, very good care of his neighborhood.