http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/31231.html
Cohn denies there's a 'Plan B'
By Terri Hardy and Mary Lynne Vellinga - Bee Staff Writers
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, September 29, 2006
Two years ago, City Councilman Steve Cohn tried to broker an arena deal with the Sacramento Kings, but his suggestion to cap the public's contribution ended up sending the team owners storming from City Hall.
Fast forward to 2006, and another arena deal. Once again, Cohn is stirring the pot.
From the outset, Cohn has been vocal in his opposition to the current proposal to build an arena downtown with a quarter-cent sales tax increase. Behind the scenes, he said he's talked to "a few, not that many" city, county and community leaders about a need to craft an alternative plan.
A Bee columnist reported this week that city officials were working on a Plan B similar to an arena-for-development deal proposed by developer Angelo K. Tsakopoulos in 2004. Cohn was quoted prominently.
The revelation prompted speculation and consternation among arena proponents about whether a serious behind-the-scenes effort is truly under way or whether Cohn was pushing his idea and finding few takers. In an interview Wednesday, Cohn said he's been thinking a fallback plan might be necessary, but backed off his public comments, saying "there is no Plan B."
"There's no actual negotiations or discussions," Cohn said. "It's not something city staff or anybody to my knowledge is working on."
But City Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell said Cohn approached her with something that sounded more concrete during a ride back to City Hall from a Sept. 20 meeting. "He just said there was a Plan B," Pannell said. "I didn't want to hear it. I became furious with him. The arena belongs in the railyard and I've said it over and over."
Pannell said she and her other colleagues on the City Council support passing a sales tax increase in November to build the arena in the railyard.
"We know that Steve is working with somebody else, but we don't know who," she said. "We're not supporting whatever he's doing out there."
Told of Pannell's recollection, Cohn said she must have misunderstood his remarks.
Jimmie Yee, a former city councilman who will take a seat on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors in January, said he had a "casual conversation" with Cohn about a fallback plan at a recent event.
But Yee, like Pannell, said he told Cohn it wasn't appropriate to consider any other option but Measures Q and R. "Let's give that a chance and see what happens," Yee said.
Other elected officials interviewed said they had no knowledge of a Plan B. Mayor Heather Fargo and council members Rob Fong, Ray Tretheway, Sandy Sheedy and Kevin McCarty said Cohn had not approached them about any fallback plan -- nor were they aware of or working on a contingency plan of their own.
Councilman Robbie Waters and a vacationing Councilwoman Lauren Hammond did not return calls for comment this week. Sacramento Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said after doing some internal checking that he has determined that no city staffers are working on any contingency plan.
Cohn said he hasn't determined what would constitute a Plan B, but has several options in mind if Measures Q and R fail.
One would be to renegotiate a better deal for the railyard. Another approach would be to build a new sports complex in North Natomas next to Arco Arena through a joint partnership with the city and the Kings owners, Maloof Sports and Entertainment, by selling land and increasing hotel taxes or rental car user fees. Or, he speculated Wednesday, if the Kings left, a community ownership group might be formed to bring a new team to town.
Meanwhile Tsakopoulos, who is quite familiar with floating arena financing plans -- being involved in two failed attempts in recent years -- said he and his partners support Measures Q and R.
Tsakopoulos pledged to make a contribution to the current arena campaign. Tsakopoulos said neither he nor his representatives have approached members of the council on any contingency plan.
"There's nothing going on," Tsakopoulos said in a phone interview. "This (Measures Q and R) is the only thing. Everything is off the table because we are working on this thing. This is critical for our region, and we've got to work like crazy to get it approved."
About the writer: The Bee's Terri Hardy can be reached at (916) 321-1073 or thardy@sacbee.com.
Cohn denies there's a 'Plan B'
By Terri Hardy and Mary Lynne Vellinga - Bee Staff Writers
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, September 29, 2006
Two years ago, City Councilman Steve Cohn tried to broker an arena deal with the Sacramento Kings, but his suggestion to cap the public's contribution ended up sending the team owners storming from City Hall.
Fast forward to 2006, and another arena deal. Once again, Cohn is stirring the pot.
From the outset, Cohn has been vocal in his opposition to the current proposal to build an arena downtown with a quarter-cent sales tax increase. Behind the scenes, he said he's talked to "a few, not that many" city, county and community leaders about a need to craft an alternative plan.
A Bee columnist reported this week that city officials were working on a Plan B similar to an arena-for-development deal proposed by developer Angelo K. Tsakopoulos in 2004. Cohn was quoted prominently.
The revelation prompted speculation and consternation among arena proponents about whether a serious behind-the-scenes effort is truly under way or whether Cohn was pushing his idea and finding few takers. In an interview Wednesday, Cohn said he's been thinking a fallback plan might be necessary, but backed off his public comments, saying "there is no Plan B."
"There's no actual negotiations or discussions," Cohn said. "It's not something city staff or anybody to my knowledge is working on."
But City Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell said Cohn approached her with something that sounded more concrete during a ride back to City Hall from a Sept. 20 meeting. "He just said there was a Plan B," Pannell said. "I didn't want to hear it. I became furious with him. The arena belongs in the railyard and I've said it over and over."
Pannell said she and her other colleagues on the City Council support passing a sales tax increase in November to build the arena in the railyard.
"We know that Steve is working with somebody else, but we don't know who," she said. "We're not supporting whatever he's doing out there."
Told of Pannell's recollection, Cohn said she must have misunderstood his remarks.
Jimmie Yee, a former city councilman who will take a seat on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors in January, said he had a "casual conversation" with Cohn about a fallback plan at a recent event.
But Yee, like Pannell, said he told Cohn it wasn't appropriate to consider any other option but Measures Q and R. "Let's give that a chance and see what happens," Yee said.
Other elected officials interviewed said they had no knowledge of a Plan B. Mayor Heather Fargo and council members Rob Fong, Ray Tretheway, Sandy Sheedy and Kevin McCarty said Cohn had not approached them about any fallback plan -- nor were they aware of or working on a contingency plan of their own.
Councilman Robbie Waters and a vacationing Councilwoman Lauren Hammond did not return calls for comment this week. Sacramento Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said after doing some internal checking that he has determined that no city staffers are working on any contingency plan.
Cohn said he hasn't determined what would constitute a Plan B, but has several options in mind if Measures Q and R fail.
One would be to renegotiate a better deal for the railyard. Another approach would be to build a new sports complex in North Natomas next to Arco Arena through a joint partnership with the city and the Kings owners, Maloof Sports and Entertainment, by selling land and increasing hotel taxes or rental car user fees. Or, he speculated Wednesday, if the Kings left, a community ownership group might be formed to bring a new team to town.
Meanwhile Tsakopoulos, who is quite familiar with floating arena financing plans -- being involved in two failed attempts in recent years -- said he and his partners support Measures Q and R.
Tsakopoulos pledged to make a contribution to the current arena campaign. Tsakopoulos said neither he nor his representatives have approached members of the council on any contingency plan.
"There's nothing going on," Tsakopoulos said in a phone interview. "This (Measures Q and R) is the only thing. Everything is off the table because we are working on this thing. This is critical for our region, and we've got to work like crazy to get it approved."
About the writer: The Bee's Terri Hardy can be reached at (916) 321-1073 or thardy@sacbee.com.
