NBA Unveils a Massive Kings Arena Plan for Cal Expo

1.9 Billion?? Crap.

I think the last line sums it up best. If they don’t get this, they just move. Sad but realistic.

This plan though, is totally unrealistic. Especially in this economy, let alone this economy and being in Sacramento. I’d like to say I hope that they know something I don’t. Like the Maloofs contributed a lot to Obama’s campaign or something. Even then, it’s hard to root for such an overzealous plan if it’s using public money that really needs to used with discretion at this point.

But yeah, this kinda blows my mind.

I am all for a real destination in Sac-town. About time. Between that and the railyard project the City could really grow up someday.

Don’t be frightened, it sounds like jobs jobs jobs in the area for years to come.

I don’t recall the reasons why, but I’d much prefer to see an arena there. The traffic on 80 is messed up enough as it is without adding this mess at Cal Expo.

I hadn’t bought into the Kings moving until NOW. Now…I just don’t see much hope of them being here 5 years from now, Arco is a dump and I don’t see a good way of replacing it at this point.

There is a good point about them waiting for the economy to start rebounding to really start this project. The economy will rebound, it always does. This project will be great if it’s start coincides with the upturn of the economy.

I actually think this is a great idea. They are not proposing a 1.9 billion dollar basketball arena. They are proposing a 1.9 billion dollar development project that includes major retail and residential construction. The sports arena/exhibition center just happens to be a part of it.
Plus, now tax dollars wont be going to an arena owned (and profited) by millionaires, it will be going toward the revitalization of a hurting neighborhood.
I think this has a much better chance of getting passed then another “pay to help build the Maloofs a new stadium” plan.

This plan is such a ridiculous reach it slaps of trying to move the team. This is as bad as Clay Bennett asking Washington for $500 million as an excuse to leave. Except the offer now is $1.4 billion dollars more.

Lets see . . .
A) Seattle
B) Anaheim
C) Vegas
D) Kansas City

Before you bash me, I am a life long Kings fan who always wanted a new arena . . . but this puts the franchise staying in Sacramento on a prayer.

Even the proposal on paper doesn’t make sense. Major retail construction . . . Sacramento’s most profitable mall is already across the street! In fact, all of Arden has successfully been developed, except Expo . . . which according this plan Expo will try to compete against all those existing business.

Did anyone really believe the NBA would come back with a proposal for “a commuter car”? This is a special situation where the NBA is putting it’s reputation on the line and you had to believe that their proposal would be for a top of the line “signature arena”. With the NBA backing it, it really needs to be the best arena in the league.

This is exactly what I expected, and I think there’s a decent chance they can get it done and if they do it will be spectacular.

Maloofs no-shows at arena deal meeting.

Three will get you one they couldn’t force themselves out of the Carl’s Jr on Arden.

Listen, I agree that the proposal has some rather ambitious proposals in it. You guys seem to be acting like everything is going to be built and funded in one push though. The plan makes it clear that there are several phases to the development.

The first phase is the most important one to us, and is the one that builds the new arena and exhibition complex on the side of the expo where the old mini-golf complex and the horse racing stuff is now. Most of the commercial and residential development follows on in the later phases, and only come into play once the team and the fair to have its new digs first.

The biggest thing that really wasn’t gone over in any sort of detail was the infrastructure issues, which as was mentioned, is a huge issue with the Cal-Expo location. There has to be some sort of fix for the biz-80 issue and the implementation of some major public transit, or the traffic is going to be beyond awful. Hopefully that would be where some of the possible funds from the federal government could come into play.

It’s definitely real now, that’s for sure. The Kings leaving is real. I hope it doesn’t happen but I don’t know anymore.

My “conspiracy theory”: The NBA wants this team to move to a better market and they are putting together a ridiculous plan to ensure nothing is accomplished. I’m just throwing that out there for the hell of it… You know how everyone talks about the NBA and crazy theories. I just made one up… Have at it I guess.

On the other hand, as an economics major in college, it kinda makes sense. The economy is horrible right now, we all know that, but it will get better, that’s a guarantee. When? I don’t know, it could really be as early as the end of this year, it could take much much longer. If this is a plan that is going to take time to develop then it doesn’t sound as crazy. There’s no better way of stimulating the economy than spending and investing. That’s why everyone got a nice check last year, to spend the money and try stimulating the failing economy. So how about a $1.9 billion stimulus?? This is one of those projects that could really help the situation in Sacramento and, maybe also, the state of California.

Where do they get money at first?? That’s the difficult part of course. But if there is a well thought plan this may just work. If there is one person out there who is willing to take a big risk, he/she/they may just get a BIG payoff.

the NBA knows it needs good PR. Stern will do whatever he can to convince the Maloofs to stay and let this come to fruition. Why? Because of the public relations involved. Imagine 5 or 6 years from now when the Sacramento area economy is getting better right alongside the development of this monument to consumerism. The NBA and the Maloofs will be able to take credit for reviving the economy in this area. They’ll be the saviors of Sac, rather than some billionaires who ran when times were tough. The Maloofs have to be smart enough to know that going to San Jose or Anaheim will not solve their financial woes. If fans in SJ wanna see a crappy basketball team they can go to Oakland. If people in Anaheim want b-ball they’ll go see the Lakers or the Clippers. The Maloofs will not make much more money relocating if they put the same crappy product on the floor.

sexy…would definitly bring some life to that ardenwood area…beside that nasty mall hahaha…im all for it but heres the real question…MONEY!!!???

Look, $1.9 billion isn’t what it used to be. If that is the price tag to renovate a prime piece of real estate in the middle of Sacramento, then so be it. And make no mistake – Cal Expo is prime real estate, and it is currently a dated dump that wastes most of its footprint.

The question is, can the arena piece of this project possibly be done in less than a few years? The way these things usually work, it could be several years before the plan is finalized. I don’t know that the Maloof’s are going to wait ten years for a new arena.

We’ll just have to wait and see.

Cal Expo – get it done!

Railyard – get it freakin’ done!

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