Aging Cal Expo cries out for modernization

[Ryan]

Aging Cal Expo cries out for modernization
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, June 21, 2007
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1

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Cal Expo's master plan would reduce seating for horseracing by two-thirds, officials said. Sacramento Bee/José Luis Villegas

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As the start of the California State Fair nears, the staff at Cal Expo is rushing to pretty up the place. Rows of potted trees wait to be dragged out onto the grounds. A man-made rain forest is rising in the floriculture area.

But temporary beautification efforts can't conceal that CalExpo, now nearing 40 years old, needs a deep makeover. Its 1960s-era concrete towers look dated, its buildings lack creature comforts, and its electrical and water systems need modernizing.

Workers routinely cannibalize parts from one of the four aging monorail trains to keep the other three running.



State Fair attendance, meanwhile, has stagnated, and fair officials are struggling to come up with ways to draw more people and make the sprawling facility more appealing to event organizers in non-fair months.

"I think it's underutilized," said state Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, an ex-officio member of the Cal Expo board. "And physically, it's not that attractive. We all feel that hot concrete during the State Fair."

Cal Expo occupies 360 acres of prime real estate near Arden Fair mall. City and fair officials agree that the property could be put to much better use while still maintaining room for the fair. They have yet to come up with firm proposals, but have suggested retail as one possibility.

Cal Expo's central location and its wealth of land recently caught the eye of the National Basketball Association, which is trying to devise a plan to build a new arena for the Kings.

Brian May, Cal Expo's deputy general manager, said NBA consultant John Moag toured the facility when he was in town about six weeks ago. May hasn't heard from Moag since.

"He was just fact-finding," May said. "He was impressed with the property ... by its scale, its location, its curb appeal.

City Councilman Rob Fong, who has been in periodic contact with Moag, said the NBA appears to have narrowed its arena search down to two possible sites: Cal Expo and the downtown railyard. The railyard was the site of last year's failed attempt by the city and county to secure voter approval for a sales tax increase to build an arena.

"I think the (NBA) is still talking with the folks at Cal Expo, and they're certainly still asking about the railyard as well; those are really the two places," Fong said.

May said there have been no discussions about exactly where such an arena would go, or how it would be financed. In his mind, the most desirable spot would probably be the dirt field that now serves as overflow parking along the Capital City Freeway.

While Cal Expo's central location, land and freeway access make it attractive as a potential arena site, there's one big downside: traffic. The fairgrounds sit alongside one of Sacramento's worst freeway bottlenecks.

In addition, May said, there's no way Cal Expo could help pay for an arena. The fairgrounds don't generate enough cash to make a dent in its own $40 million list of deferred maintenance needs, let alone invest in sports facilities. Cal Expo doesn't receive any money from the state general fund.

Cal Expo recently studied the idea of building a smaller arena for minor league hockey, concerts and other events, but dropped the idea, May said.

"The study concluded it would probably break even, at best," he said.

Cal Expo currently generates $30 million a year -- about 60 percent of it from the State Fair. Other revenue sources include trade shows and rent payments from such tenants as harness racing and Raging Waters, the new operator of the former Water- World USA. May said every dollar is pumped back into the facility.

"The State Fair is our business, and it will always be our business," May said. "We won't let anything impact the State Fair."

Despite the name "California State Fair," nearly all the people who attend come from within a 75-mile radius. Increased competition from amusement parks dotted around the state -- and other entertainment venues -- has weakened the pull of a fair featuring carnival rides and farm animals. More people now attend the Los Angeles County Fair.

Given this reality, Cal Expo's board is searching for ways to boost the fair's appeal, and also to put Cal Expo to better use at different times of year.

Cal Expo now hosts more than 200 events annually, ranging from home and garden shows to the winter Christmas tree sale. Earlier this week, girls in town for a volleyball tournament cruised around the grounds on skateboards and scooters.

But most of the business comes during the weekend from consumer related events, May said. The spread-out campus of Spartan buildings holds less appeal for corporate meeting planners, often sitting empty on weekdays.


A master plan adopted by the Cal Expo board in 2004 calls for knocking down Cal Expo's centerpiece, the eight-building concrete complex known as Expo Center, which needs about $9 million in seismic upgrades. May said the board would like to replace Expo Center with a single building that has breakout rooms for smaller groups, something Cal Expo now lacks.

The plan also recommends razing two-thirds of the racing grandstand, which can seat 6,000.

"Given the state of horseracing today, 600 seats is probably what's needed, not 6,000," May said.

In another move to free up space, Cal Expo is looking at moving its farm and forestry exhibits into the 400 acres it owns in the American River Parkway next to the developed portion of Cal Expo.

Cal Expo currently lacks the funds to carry out any of these ideas. It is sponsoring a bill by state Sen. Dave Cox, R-Fair Oaks, that would set up an authority that could issue bonds to improve the fairgrounds.

"We're talking somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 million," Cox said. "That would allow them to modernize the fair."

Cal Expo still needs to figure out how to pay the bonds back, however.

May said the fair board plans to explore possible partnerships with private developers to build retail or other business enterprises that may work well with the fair, and improve the facility's bottom line.

"The ideal vision is to build a business model that will enable Cal Expo to survive another 40 years."

 

[VF21]

Interesting.

I remember when they first created CalExpo. It was the most depressing, concrete desert I had ever seen and a big let-down from the old fairgrounds, with their stately buildings, lush greenery and large oak trees. The ONLY holdover was the golden bear statues...

 

[kennadog]

While Cal Expo's central location, land and freeway access make it attractive as a potential arena site, there's one big downside: traffic. The fairgrounds sit alongside one of Sacramento's worst freeway bottlenecks.

OMG, I can't beleive they're considering Cal Expo. Traffic-wise, I cannot think of a worse place in the Sacramento area. That bottle-neck is horrendous even during non-commute times. Because Arden Fair Mall is right nearby, I refuse to go any where near that area during peak shopping times. From Veteran's day through New Year's it is also a traffic hell hole in that area. Natomas or downtown are much better, unless they spend huge bucks to solve the traffic issues.

I understand that Cal Expo could benefit from revenue that could come from a long-term ground lease, but geez.

Of course, downtown isn't likely to be ready for building construction for some time...maybe a long time.

 

[Packt]

The freeway bottleneck is the killer in this. Any kind of expansion would require a new bridge and that would be a huge ordeal by itself. Too bad we don't have teleportation.

 

[king07]

I don't think Cal Expo is going to happen because of the traffic problems etc. There is still hope for a raiyards arena, Imo.

 

[VF21]

City Councilman Rob Fong, who has been in periodic contact with Moag, said the NBA appears to have narrowed its arena search down to two possible sites: Cal Expo and the downtown railyard. The railyard was the site of last year's failed attempt by the city and county to secure voter approval for a sales tax increase to build an arena.

I have to wonder what Fong is basing his statement on since it's pretty clear the concept of the arena being located at the railyards has been removed from consideration by the railyards developer.

And if that part is wrong, I suspect he could easily be off-base about Cal Expo, too.

 

[RIP miyagi]

Cal Expo is just hideous. Putting the arena there would be a lot better, but the traffic would be horrendous. its already bad enough in arden.

 

[DocHolliday]

Yeah they would have to do something with the American River curve. For some reason even when there is no reason to slow date it is slow there.

It's like people get scared going through it and slow down.

 

[VF21]

The scary thing is it's been that way as long as I can remember. I worked in downtown Sacramento in the 70s and had a horrible commute to and from the north area via I-80.

 

[BRad1055]

I say put the Arena at Cal Expo because for me it would be a simple commute. I live over off Fulton and Bell over near Arden way. It is like a two minute drive for me to Cal Expo. I am all for it. =)

 

[JB_kings]

Cal Expo is a bad idea for all the reasons mentioned. What makes me nervous is that it appears to me that Fong is still stuck on using the arena as the carrot to get money for some other need. I hope he is completely out of the loop on this.

 

[kennadog]

I lived in the Arden area for nearly 20 years and worked downtown. I don't care where in Sacramneto I needed to go, I learned every way imaginable to get around without going near the Arden Mall/Cal Expo area. I stayed as far away from that freeway from downtown through there as I could. There's even stop and go traffic jams on Saturday mornings, with no accidents or other seeming cause for blockage

Yes, a new bridge and more lanes would help, but not enough in my opinion. I can't even imagine that area, if games and holiday shopping were going on at the same time. And there is absolutley no other freeway access anywhere nearby. At least downtown and Natomas have interchanges of multiple freeway routes nearby.

 

[Ryan]

I think this might actually bring the current traffic problem at Bus80/Expo/bridge to head in a big way and maybe something could finally happen in tha area. I could see this turning into a "second downtown" for sacramento and maybe if the city looked at it that way they could work in a plan that included a spurr off the existing North Sac light-rail line.

I guess I also don't understand how it would increase that much traffic. We're talking about 20,000 some people, not a baseball or football team. When pepole say traffic to games I think about going to Giants games and being stuck on the freeway. It's never been like that out at Arco. Am I wrong?

 

[kennadog]

I think this might actually bring the current traffic problem at Bus80/Expo/bridge to head in a big way and maybe something could finally happen in tha area. I could see this turning into a "second downtown" for sacramento and maybe if the city looked at it that way they could work in a plan that included a spurr off the existing North Sac light-rail line.

I guess I also don't understand how it would increase that much traffic. We're talking about 20,000 some people, not a baseball or football team. When pepole say traffic to games I think about going to Giants games and being stuck on the freeway. It's never been like that out at Arco. Am I wrong?

No its never been like that at Arco. But Cal Expo is nothing like Arco. Arco has several freeway interchanges off of 99 (north), 5 (west) and 80 (south). Cal Expo has two interchanges, practically on top of each other and both of of (business) 80. There is no other freeway access anywhere in the vicinity, not even close. I've been stuck on that stretch of the freeway (minutes at a time at a dead stop) with absolutely nothing in particular going on to cause it. I've had 3 minute drives turn into 15, 20 0r 30 minutes, for no reason. If there's an accident? Yikes!

One time at the beginning of the holiday season, I tried to get to a pharmacy across from Expo from 3 different surface routes and north and south on that stretch of the freeway. We are talking about a traffic jam that clearly was going to turn a 20 minute trip into hours. I am not kidding.

No 20,000 people isn't a lot, but considering I avoid that area as much as possible at any time, 20,000 people tryig to get in and out of a game on top of the regular ugly traffic mess, I can't even imagine. And on top of the horrific traffic already over the holidays? I'd have to have mass transit take me right up close to the arena.

 

[PurpleHaze]

No its never been like that at Arco. But Cal Expo is nothing like Arco. Arco has several freeway interchanges off of 99 (north), 5 (west) and 80 (south).

I've always thought the fact that ARCO has those three major freeways intersecting made it the ideal place for any major sports facility. It seems to me it should be at the top of the list of locations for a new arena in Sac. There are many examples around the country where an old sports complex has been torn down or left standing and a new state of the art facility built next to it taking advantage of existing infrastructure, parking, etc.

 

[thedofd]

Part of the problem with Cal Expo is that much of the undeveloped land around it is part of the American River Parkway, which I believe means it cannot be developed. So no freeway onramps, parkings lots, roads, etc. Maybe there's a way around it, but you'd have to get past the environmental community first.

 

[kennadog]

Well, to me, even if you could add more lanes and even another interchange somehow, its still all only one north-south freeway, on one side of Cal Expo. They aren't going to build any new freeways near Cal Expo as additional access from different sides of Expo.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I've always thought the fact that ARCO has those three major freeways intersecting made it the ideal place for any major sports facility.

Well except that its in the middle of nowhere. Ok, I know they've developed a lot out there since I moved away from Sacramento, but when it was built there was nothing and to me that area isn't "Sacramento". No offense to anyone.

Since I moved away I've lived in cities with arenas and ball parks integrated into the city. Its a beautiful thing. Especially when you can make it work with public transportation. And those types of arenas are actually worth public investment dollars because they make local businesses around them thrive as well.

I think Ryan hit it right on the head, a light rail expansion could turn the Arden area around Cal Expo into a second downtown and benefit an area that has long served some of the area's established communities but has been dogged by congestion problems in recent years.

 

[kennadog]

I just can't see how an arena could do anything but make the Arden area more congested than it already is, no matter what they do.

I'd like it downtown, but unless the city comes up with the half billion needed for infrastructure very soon (and right now they have no clue where it will come from), nothing's going to be built there anytime soon. Arco has to be replaced soon. I can see it working if the city could at least promise infrastructure in the next year or two. I just think that looks unlikely, at this point.

Natomas is only 5-10 minutes from downtown and has grown amazingly. That's hardly the boonies. It will be near light rail at some point. Millions has already been spent on the infrastructure and the freeway access now enjoyed by that area. It would have been developed many years ago, except for flood issues, giant garter snakes and Swainson's Hawks.

 

[PurpleHaze]

Well except that its in the middle of nowhere. Ok, I know they've developed a lot out there since I moved away from Sacramento, but when it was built there was nothing and to me that area isn't "Sacramento". No offense to anyone.

Since I moved away I've lived in cities with arenas and ball parks integrated into the city. Its a beautiful thing. Especially when you can make it work with public transportation. And those types of arenas are actually worth public investment dollars because they make local businesses around them thrive as well.

I think Ryan hit it right on the head, a light rail expansion could turn the Arden area around Cal Expo into a second downtown and benefit an area that has long served some of the area's established communities but has been dogged by congestion problems in recent years.

Oh my, you should see all the development around ARCO just in the past couple of years. Not only commercial but residential in virtually all directions. The housing market is expanding like mad into that area, north and east.

A major part of Cal Expo is in a flood plain and gets backup overflow from the river covering acres every winter it seems. It's obvious how low that ground sets while driving by on the Cap City freeway.

Also, there's NO WAY your average suburban Kings tix holder is going to get on light rail and ride merely around this dangerous city at night. Unfortunately, it's a riff raff ghetto blasting, drug, and crime ridden joy riding platform - especially at night.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I do visit the area a few times a year, my dad still lives there full time and my mom part time so I've seen the development, I know its there. I'd just rather see that money put into a more central area of town. I loathe urban sprawl and there's lots of longstanding communities in Sacramento which downtown or the Arden area serve far more readily than Natomas ever can.

If Sacramento Light Rail is a mess that doesn't mean it couldn't be policed, cleaned up and turned into a gem - which it should be. I find it hard to believe it is currently worse than the subway systems of most major cities were not too long ago. Most of those have been cleaned up and the cities around them reaped the rewards. With gas prices being what they are and no reason to believe they are ever going to fall I think people are ready to embrace public transportation more than ever if they are given a practical system.

 

[GoGoGadget]

I do visit the area a few times a year, my dad still lives there full time and my mom part time so I've seen the development, I know its there. I'd just rather see that money put into a more central area of town. I loathe urban sprawl and there's lots of longstanding communities in Sacramento which downtown or the Arden area serve far more readily than Natomas ever can.

If Sacramento Light Rail is a mess that doesn't mean it couldn't be policed, cleaned up and turned into a gem - which it should be. I find it hard to believe it is currently worse than the subway systems of most major cities were not too long ago. Most of those have been cleaned up and the cities around them reaped the rewards. With gas prices being what they are and no reason to believe they are ever going to fall I think people are ready to embrace public transportation more than ever if they are given a practical system.

Gotta take into consideration the non-Sacramento residents who'd be using the arena, as well. I'm soon moving far enough out of the area that it won't be an issue one way or the other, but I can say without exaggeration that if I had to make the trip from Stockton to the Cal Expo area it would cut the number of games I go to at least in half. The trip from here to there is just a royal pain in the ***.

 

[D13]

Natomas may not exactly be downtown Sac, but neither is Sac International Airport... which is past ARCO.

Sac is spread out into allot of suburbs. Anywhere in the area is cool with me as long as it keeps the team here.

I prefer the railroad area... it's a junkyard eyesore and right off the 5 freeway. (Although I'm sure they'd prefer more gov buildings, using the taxpayers money just the same).

 

[kennadog]

It would be a lousy trip from Yuba City, where I moved a year ago, too. I can't use light rail. Arco is so easy to get into and out of from multiple directions. I used to work downtown and its was just a few minutes hop to the arena after work.

If it could be downtown, that would be nice, but I don't see the team waiting years for construction to start down there.

 

[VF21]

I do visit the area a few times a year, my dad still lives there full time and my mom part time so I've seen the development, I know its there. I'd just rather see that money put into a more central area of town. I loathe urban sprawl and there's lots of longstanding communities in Sacramento which downtown or the Arden area serve far more readily than Natomas ever can.

If Sacramento Light Rail is a mess that doesn't mean it couldn't be policed, cleaned up and turned into a gem - which it should be. I find it hard to believe it is currently worse than the subway systems of most major cities were not too long ago. Most of those have been cleaned up and the cities around them reaped the rewards. With gas prices being what they are and no reason to believe they are ever going to fall I think people are ready to embrace public transportation more than ever if they are given a practical system.

Sorry but I pretty much have to disagree all the way down the line.

First of all, Arco has served the residents of Sacramento quite nicely for a number of years so putting the replacement arena in the same general vicinity makes a lot of sense.

As far as light rail is concerned, what it should be isn't really relevant. It's what it is that has to be concerned. And I mean no disrespect whatsoever and I'm not trying to be rude at all, but I will be blunt. If you haven't driven by some of the light rail stations at night, you have NO idea of how scary they can be.

Yes, the system should be expanded and cleaned up. But that takes MAJOR money and time. And it's not going to happen overnight.

The whole issue of building a state-of-the-art arena to replace Arco shouldn't be combined with things like railyard development projects or improvements to public transportation. It doesn't do any good and, in fact, just puts more fingers in the pie.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Sorry but I pretty much have to disagree all the way down the line.

First of all, Arco has served the residents of Sacramento quite nicely for a number of years so putting the replacement arena in the same general vicinity makes a lot of sense.

As far as light rail is concerned, what it should be isn't really relevant. It's what it is that has to be concerned. And I mean no disrespect whatsoever and I'm not trying to be rude at all, but I will be blunt. If you haven't driven by some of the light rail stations at night, you have NO idea of how scary they can be.

Yes, the system should be expanded and cleaned up. But that takes MAJOR money and time. And it's not going to happen overnight.

The whole issue of building a state-of-the-art arena to replace Arco shouldn't be combined with things like railyard development projects or improvements to public transportation. It doesn't do any good and, in fact, just puts more fingers in the pie.

I certainly think all your points are valid, its just my belief when you're using public money its necessary to maximize its value to all residents not just those who use the arena and so I think packaging it with other public works projects to revitalize the whole community makes good sense. I thought this sounded like an interesting idea and shouldn't be quickly written off because there are easier ways just to get a new arena.

Sacramento will always be near and dear to me but my vision for what I'd like it to be probably never will be reality, which is a large part of why I moved on. Still I think the benefits to having a downtown or more centrally located arena wouldn't fully be realized until it actually happened. I do really think cleaning up and policing the light rail system would be easier than some of you think having lived through it in other areas first hand. Thanks to everyone for responding constructively and not replying - "Hey you live in Portland now, go away from our arena discussions." With that said I will bow out of this one.

 

[VF21]

Ah, but the point is there might not be public money involved or at least not to the extent previously figured upon. That's why the NBA stepped in.

Your opinions are always worth reading, IMHO, pdx. I no longer live in the immediate Sacramento area either but still feel quite strongly as all of my family lives there.

The first thing Sacramento desperately needs to do is find another Joe Serna. Until/unless they do, they aren't really going to be able to solve any of the city's long-time problems because, quite frankly, none of the current politicos seem to really give a damn. It's more about them and their political future than it is about Sacramento - and that's a blasted shame.

 

[kupman]

I certainly think all your points are valid, its just my belief when you're using public money its necessary to maximize its value to all residents not just those who use the arena and so I think packaging it with other public works projects to revitalize the whole community makes good sense. I thought this sounded like an interesting idea and shouldn't be quickly written off because there are easier ways just to get a new arena.

Sacramento will always be near and dear to me but my vision for what I'd like it to be probably never will be reality, which is a large part of why I moved on. Still I think the benefits to having a downtown or more centrally located arena wouldn't fully be realized until it actually happened. I do really think cleaning up and policing the light rail system would be easier than some of you think having lived through it in other areas first hand. Thanks to everyone for responding constructively and not replying - "Hey you live in Portland now, go away from our arena discussions." With that said I will bow out of this one.

I think that you and I view this matter very much the same. I hope that you will continue to chime-in in the topic.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I think that you and I view this matter very much the same. I hope that you will continue to chime-in in the topic.

Thanks. I really do have very little else to add on this one though. And certainly VF nailed the major issue in all of this - political leadership. More than a little ironic that a state capital can't find anyone to fit the bill.

 

[VF21]

And certainly VF nailed the major issue in all of this - political leadership. More than a little ironic that a state capital can't find anyone to fit the bill.

What really irritates the crap out of me are the political maneuverings on both sides of the aisle that seem to supercede common sense and defy logic. And it happens unendingly in both parties.

Democrats won't vote for anything the Republicans want to promote and the Republicans would rather gouge their eyes out with forks than support anything initiated by a Democrat. They're so busy making sure the other side doesn't earn another point on the ridiculous scoreboard only THEY seem to keep that they have forgotten entirely about why they were actually elected and by whom.

Unfortunately, the strangle-hold the two major parties have on this state makes it unlikely there will be any kind of substantive change in the foreseeable future and that's why I hold out very little hope for any real progress on projects for Sacramento - or anywhere else - that depend upon the cooperation of elected officials for completion.

EDIT: I know that's getting dangerously close to a discussion of politics so I won't belabor it, but I was originally talking about how the party politics involved with the original plans for a new Arco over the years have pretty much made sure nothing was accomplished.