http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/11815652p-12703451c.html
Sacramento Bee illustration/Val B. Mina
Dream palace
We asked. You responded. And if you had your way, a new arena for the Kings might look something like this...
By Ron Wenig -- Bee Assistant Sports Editor
Memo to Joe and Gavin Maloof: Think about a building with a locomotive motif. Then add a transparent roof. Or maybe even a retractable one.
And OK, while you're at it, think about topping it off with a huge, diamond-encrusted gold crown that beams a beacon of light into the night sky.
And by the way, think wireless Internet access, wide cushioned seats, a child-care center, upscale restaurants, an up-close viewing area for the common fan, ultra-convenient parking and an outdoor gathering space with water features, grandstands and carousel.
And think about putting it in West Sac. Or maybe Bradshaw and Highway 50. Or even near Cal Expo.
Those were just some of the suggestions made by readers when we asked for their opinions on a fantasy arena for Sacramento.
They responded with a raft of thoughtful, creative and sometimes off-kilter ideas. Here's a sampling:
What would the outside look like?
"The new arena should be different from all other NBA arenas," Rancho Cordova's Satya Subramanian said. "It can be the first arena with a transparent roof made with glass or any other material."And just why would anyone want an arena with a transparent roof?
"We could get dramatic aerial shots of the arena from the blimp during nighttime," Subramanian said. "And for the day events, we could save power by using the natural light."
Keith Bladen has a similar view.
"The roof should be retractable, in effect turning the arena into the equivalent of Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City," he said. "This would help differentiate the arena and draw major tennis tournaments, along with other potential outdoor events. Many days of the year in Sacramento, an open-air arena would be comfortable and cheaper than running an air-conditioning system."
One reader conjured a poetic vision.
"Its design would be a glass and steel hemisphere - resembling a gigantic basketball majestically rising from the Sacramento horizon," Rege Farina said. "A large faux crown on the very top of the exterior dome which would bear the name of the arena's largest benefactor, be gold-plated, encrusted in diamonds, and lit by a brilliant beacon of light."
Architect Patrick Bartlett wants the arena surroundings to have a welcoming feel.
"The exterior of the arena could offer a public gathering space where staging events could be held for big-game day events like a Lakers visit," he says. "It could also be offered back to the community as a public park, where water features, grandstands and carousels could greet fans as they approach the arena.
"To help tie the Kings further into the fabric of Sacramento history, there needs to be a historical exhibit of some sort near or inside the arena, where full-scale statues of Kings players from the past can stand proudly for the fans to remember. These could be players such as Nate 'Tiny' Archibald, Oscar Robertson, and perhaps ultimately current Kings players."
Not all the ideas had a modern feel to them.
Sacramento's Ron Robinette wants to take a step back in history. Maybe a few steps back.
"It would look like a castle," he says, "complete with drawn entranceways and a moat. Police would monitor the grounds on horseback dressed as medieval knights. Lit flames would constantly be seen from the four corners of 'The Castle.' Court jesters would perform circus acts on the outside of the arena."
Some opinions were obviously colored by personal experiences. John Bernard seems to have an issue with parking. He has a unique solution, probably thought up during one of those interminable postgame traffic jams at Arco.
"Why not clad the entire new arena with a parking structure?" he asks. "This way, you could literally drive to your seat location. If the powers that be are really building the new arena for the fans, make it really fan-friendly from the get-go - park at the door, in your own section; on your own level!"
Elk Grove's Amarpreet Chima would like the exterior to reflect Sacramento's heritage.
"I think that it would look neat if the building looked like a locomotive garage made out of brick," he says. "The entrances would look like huge, glass locomotive garage doors. Surrounding the building would be camellias and almond trees, and have a locomotive turntable-like motif at the front of the arena."
Finally, Roger L. Stoughton wants the building to have a groundbreaking design.
"My fantasy arena would be designed by a world-class architect like (Santiago) Calatrava, the architect who designed the Sundial Bridge in Redding and some other classy modern buildings. This would help attract visitors, not only to Kings games, but to any other event that was held there, and would draw in extra tourists."
What would the inside be like?
Bartlett, who sent a detailed essay on his vision, says expanded concessions and luxury boxes are a no-brainer for any new facility. But he goes a few steps further.
"The food concessions should offer a wide spectrum of choices," he says. "From name-brand recognition (Subway, Taco Bell, McDonald's, Starbucks, etc.) to local Sacramento favorites (River City Brewing Company, California Fat's, etc.).
"For a special occasion, fans could book reservations at a four-star dinner restaurant (Spago, Il Fornaio, etc.) that might be situated in the mid-level area and could offer up-close views of the action on the court."
Barlett says the Kings shouldn't lose sight of the common "family of four" fans.
"Much like the viewing area for the Giants baseball games at SBC Park, there could be an enclosed glass corridor that leads right behind each team's backboard that would allow access for all fans to see the games up close and personal."
Among his other suggestions:
* "An expanded, real-time stats board should be made available that lists all the players for both teams as the game progresses."
* "Wi-Fi capability inside the arena would also be a great luxury as well, enabling fans to bring their laptops to the game and follow all the action, not only at the game in front of them, but also the games going on elsewhere in the league."
Alan Dahl has a futuristic vision for a new arena.
"Each seat would have a communication screen that would be interactive," he says. "For instance, a fan could order a concession, have it delivered and pay for it without leaving his or her seat, or he could hear translations or enhanced audio on headphones."
For Sacramento's Geoffrey Davey, comfort is the key.
"No plastic seats, please!" he says. "Virtually every NBA arena I've been to elsewhere in the country has theater-style cushioned seats, even in the nosebleeds, and they're wide enough for the average American, not an anorexic teenage girl.
"And speaking of the nosebleeds, let's have the new arena's entry be at nosebleed level, so we can descend into a sunken arena 'bowl' with the expensive seats down in the bottom of the bowl so that nosebleed patrons don't have to climb a mountain to get to their seats."
Rosendo Sanchez has some unique ideas for his personal fantasy arena.
"How about a day-care area for parents with little ones on a night they can't find a babysitter? You pay extra if you forget to pick them up after the game. Like a redemption fee."
He also wants more hot links and sausages, more ATM machines, a video arcade and - last but not least - more bathrooms for the upper-level folks.
"When you gotta go, bounding down several flights of stairs invites disaster," he says.
Perhaps swayed by recent events, Gene Ketcherside wants to put safety first. "The new Kings arena should reflect the future of the NBA and its players' relationship with the fans," he says, tongue firmly implanted in cheek. "It will have to have steel bars erected around the court, linked together with a chicken-wire fence. This fence will be electrically charged, of course. An irrigation ditch will need to be dug around the base of the fence. This will allow the beers that are thrown against the fence to easily empty into the ditch and drain into the sewage system."...
Sacramento Bee illustration/Val B. Mina
Dream palace
We asked. You responded. And if you had your way, a new arena for the Kings might look something like this...
By Ron Wenig -- Bee Assistant Sports Editor
Memo to Joe and Gavin Maloof: Think about a building with a locomotive motif. Then add a transparent roof. Or maybe even a retractable one.
And OK, while you're at it, think about topping it off with a huge, diamond-encrusted gold crown that beams a beacon of light into the night sky.
And by the way, think wireless Internet access, wide cushioned seats, a child-care center, upscale restaurants, an up-close viewing area for the common fan, ultra-convenient parking and an outdoor gathering space with water features, grandstands and carousel.
And think about putting it in West Sac. Or maybe Bradshaw and Highway 50. Or even near Cal Expo.
Those were just some of the suggestions made by readers when we asked for their opinions on a fantasy arena for Sacramento.
They responded with a raft of thoughtful, creative and sometimes off-kilter ideas. Here's a sampling:
What would the outside look like?
"The new arena should be different from all other NBA arenas," Rancho Cordova's Satya Subramanian said. "It can be the first arena with a transparent roof made with glass or any other material."And just why would anyone want an arena with a transparent roof?
"We could get dramatic aerial shots of the arena from the blimp during nighttime," Subramanian said. "And for the day events, we could save power by using the natural light."
Keith Bladen has a similar view.
"The roof should be retractable, in effect turning the arena into the equivalent of Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City," he said. "This would help differentiate the arena and draw major tennis tournaments, along with other potential outdoor events. Many days of the year in Sacramento, an open-air arena would be comfortable and cheaper than running an air-conditioning system."
One reader conjured a poetic vision.
"Its design would be a glass and steel hemisphere - resembling a gigantic basketball majestically rising from the Sacramento horizon," Rege Farina said. "A large faux crown on the very top of the exterior dome which would bear the name of the arena's largest benefactor, be gold-plated, encrusted in diamonds, and lit by a brilliant beacon of light."
Architect Patrick Bartlett wants the arena surroundings to have a welcoming feel.
"The exterior of the arena could offer a public gathering space where staging events could be held for big-game day events like a Lakers visit," he says. "It could also be offered back to the community as a public park, where water features, grandstands and carousels could greet fans as they approach the arena.
"To help tie the Kings further into the fabric of Sacramento history, there needs to be a historical exhibit of some sort near or inside the arena, where full-scale statues of Kings players from the past can stand proudly for the fans to remember. These could be players such as Nate 'Tiny' Archibald, Oscar Robertson, and perhaps ultimately current Kings players."
Not all the ideas had a modern feel to them.
Sacramento's Ron Robinette wants to take a step back in history. Maybe a few steps back.
"It would look like a castle," he says, "complete with drawn entranceways and a moat. Police would monitor the grounds on horseback dressed as medieval knights. Lit flames would constantly be seen from the four corners of 'The Castle.' Court jesters would perform circus acts on the outside of the arena."
Some opinions were obviously colored by personal experiences. John Bernard seems to have an issue with parking. He has a unique solution, probably thought up during one of those interminable postgame traffic jams at Arco.
"Why not clad the entire new arena with a parking structure?" he asks. "This way, you could literally drive to your seat location. If the powers that be are really building the new arena for the fans, make it really fan-friendly from the get-go - park at the door, in your own section; on your own level!"
Elk Grove's Amarpreet Chima would like the exterior to reflect Sacramento's heritage.
"I think that it would look neat if the building looked like a locomotive garage made out of brick," he says. "The entrances would look like huge, glass locomotive garage doors. Surrounding the building would be camellias and almond trees, and have a locomotive turntable-like motif at the front of the arena."
Finally, Roger L. Stoughton wants the building to have a groundbreaking design.
"My fantasy arena would be designed by a world-class architect like (Santiago) Calatrava, the architect who designed the Sundial Bridge in Redding and some other classy modern buildings. This would help attract visitors, not only to Kings games, but to any other event that was held there, and would draw in extra tourists."
What would the inside be like?
Bartlett, who sent a detailed essay on his vision, says expanded concessions and luxury boxes are a no-brainer for any new facility. But he goes a few steps further.
"The food concessions should offer a wide spectrum of choices," he says. "From name-brand recognition (Subway, Taco Bell, McDonald's, Starbucks, etc.) to local Sacramento favorites (River City Brewing Company, California Fat's, etc.).
"For a special occasion, fans could book reservations at a four-star dinner restaurant (Spago, Il Fornaio, etc.) that might be situated in the mid-level area and could offer up-close views of the action on the court."
Barlett says the Kings shouldn't lose sight of the common "family of four" fans.
"Much like the viewing area for the Giants baseball games at SBC Park, there could be an enclosed glass corridor that leads right behind each team's backboard that would allow access for all fans to see the games up close and personal."
Among his other suggestions:
* "An expanded, real-time stats board should be made available that lists all the players for both teams as the game progresses."
* "Wi-Fi capability inside the arena would also be a great luxury as well, enabling fans to bring their laptops to the game and follow all the action, not only at the game in front of them, but also the games going on elsewhere in the league."
Alan Dahl has a futuristic vision for a new arena.
"Each seat would have a communication screen that would be interactive," he says. "For instance, a fan could order a concession, have it delivered and pay for it without leaving his or her seat, or he could hear translations or enhanced audio on headphones."
For Sacramento's Geoffrey Davey, comfort is the key.
"No plastic seats, please!" he says. "Virtually every NBA arena I've been to elsewhere in the country has theater-style cushioned seats, even in the nosebleeds, and they're wide enough for the average American, not an anorexic teenage girl.
"And speaking of the nosebleeds, let's have the new arena's entry be at nosebleed level, so we can descend into a sunken arena 'bowl' with the expensive seats down in the bottom of the bowl so that nosebleed patrons don't have to climb a mountain to get to their seats."
Rosendo Sanchez has some unique ideas for his personal fantasy arena.
"How about a day-care area for parents with little ones on a night they can't find a babysitter? You pay extra if you forget to pick them up after the game. Like a redemption fee."
He also wants more hot links and sausages, more ATM machines, a video arcade and - last but not least - more bathrooms for the upper-level folks.
"When you gotta go, bounding down several flights of stairs invites disaster," he says.
Perhaps swayed by recent events, Gene Ketcherside wants to put safety first. "The new Kings arena should reflect the future of the NBA and its players' relationship with the fans," he says, tongue firmly implanted in cheek. "It will have to have steel bars erected around the court, linked together with a chicken-wire fence. This fence will be electrically charged, of course. An irrigation ditch will need to be dug around the base of the fence. This will allow the beers that are thrown against the fence to easily empty into the ditch and drain into the sewage system."...
