http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/38249.html
Major donor has yet to deliver second $1 million
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, October 12, 2006
This week is shaping up as another challenging one for the people running the Yes on Q&R Campaign, which would raise the Sacramento County sales tax by a quarter cent to build an arena/entertainment center for the Kings in the downtown railyard.
With the Nov. 7 election date drawing ever closer, the Sacramento Kings organization remains on the sidelines, uninvolved financially or otherwise with the campaign. The Maloof family, which owns the NBA team, exited the campaign at the same time it pulled out of arena talks with the city and the county -- citing differences over parking and other issues.
As if that weren't bad enough, the big money donor who came to the rescue of the Q&R campaign after the Maloofs' departure shows signs of backing off his earlier pledge of $2 million in support.
Stan Thomas, the Georgia developer in the midst of buying the railyard from Union Pacific, Friday wired the first $1 million installment. But on Tuesday, his local representatives were noncommittal when asked when he would make good on the second half of his donation.
"We have to evaluate the situation," said Suheil Totah, vice president of development for Thomas Enterprises.
Q&R spokesman Doug Elmets said the campaign is counting on the money from Thomas to pay for television, radio and direct mail advertising -- all of which promote the arena's potential to jump-start redevelopment of the railyard. The sales tax proposal is far down in the polls, and proponents had viewed a sustained, aggressive advertising effort as their only chance.
"We believe that Thomas Enterprises will follow through on their commitment for what is clearly an important public education program on the benefits of revitalizing the railyard -- in which they have a significant vested interest," Elmets said.
Even as Thomas' financial backing looks increasingly wobbly, the Kings show no signs of coming back to the campaign.
Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo, one of the leaders of the Q&R campaign, last week reached out by phone to the team owners' matriarch, Colleen Maloof, to try to get the family back to the table, but the effort didn't produce a noticeable thaw in relations.
It has now been two weeks since the county and city sent the Kings a new arena proposal -- a document that government negotiators have declined to release to the public despite repeated requests. Maloof Sports and Entertainment President John Thomas said the proposal was incomplete, and the team is awaiting more information promised by the city and county.
But Sacramento County economic development chief Paul Hahn said county and city officials are the ones waiting.
"I'm not aware of any additional information we're supposed to be sending over," he said Tuesday.
The situation looked far different when the campaign kicked off in August. At that time, Elmets said, he and John Thomas joked that they "probably exchanged 25 e-mails a day."
"He's a very creative and determined guy, as are the other people in the organization," Elmets said. Not only was the Maloof family expected to contribute about $1.5 million, but people from throughout the organization were pitching in with ideas, Elmets said.
Joe Maloof, for instance, came up with the concept of shining a purple laser beam out of the railyard until Election Day, Elmets said, an idea that died when the Maloof brothers left the stage.
As the weeks have gone by with no return of the Maloofs, and no bounce in the polls, some of those who initially signed up to work on the campaign have been noticeably less visible of late, Elmets said.
But others, such as Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, former Supervisor Sandy Smoley, developer David Taylor, and River Cats Executive Vice President Warren Smith, are still tirelessly promoting the cause.
"I actually believe what I've been saying all along, which is that this is an unparalleled opportunity," Dickinson said. "It's an opportunity to shape our downtown core and the region generally in a way that we may never have a chance to again ... . I think it's worth continuing to make the case."
Smith, upbeat and smiling, showed up Wednesday to watch a press conference staged by the opposition campaign at the corner of Broadway and Martin Luther King Boulevard in Oak Park. Walking to where the cameras were set up in front of a vacant, barred store, he made pleasant chitchat with Travis Blaschek-Miller, a volunteer with the opposition campaign, which clearly has the upper hand despite its lack of financial resources.
"It's a community dialogue," Smith said.
"I kind of agree," Blaschek-Miller replied.
The news conference featured an array of neighborhood activists who pounced on the fact there is no deal between local officials and the Kings to build an arena. They also said using sales taxes to pay for an arena would be wrong in light of all the city's other pressing needs, such as transportation projects, flood control and crime prevention.
"The public can only afford so much: Let's focus on our true priorities," said Betsy Weiland, a Carmichael resident.
About the writer: The Bee's Mary Lynne Vellinga can be reached at (916) 321-1094 or mlvellinga@sacbee.com.
Major donor has yet to deliver second $1 million
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, October 12, 2006
This week is shaping up as another challenging one for the people running the Yes on Q&R Campaign, which would raise the Sacramento County sales tax by a quarter cent to build an arena/entertainment center for the Kings in the downtown railyard.
With the Nov. 7 election date drawing ever closer, the Sacramento Kings organization remains on the sidelines, uninvolved financially or otherwise with the campaign. The Maloof family, which owns the NBA team, exited the campaign at the same time it pulled out of arena talks with the city and the county -- citing differences over parking and other issues.
As if that weren't bad enough, the big money donor who came to the rescue of the Q&R campaign after the Maloofs' departure shows signs of backing off his earlier pledge of $2 million in support.
Stan Thomas, the Georgia developer in the midst of buying the railyard from Union Pacific, Friday wired the first $1 million installment. But on Tuesday, his local representatives were noncommittal when asked when he would make good on the second half of his donation.
"We have to evaluate the situation," said Suheil Totah, vice president of development for Thomas Enterprises.
Q&R spokesman Doug Elmets said the campaign is counting on the money from Thomas to pay for television, radio and direct mail advertising -- all of which promote the arena's potential to jump-start redevelopment of the railyard. The sales tax proposal is far down in the polls, and proponents had viewed a sustained, aggressive advertising effort as their only chance.
"We believe that Thomas Enterprises will follow through on their commitment for what is clearly an important public education program on the benefits of revitalizing the railyard -- in which they have a significant vested interest," Elmets said.
Even as Thomas' financial backing looks increasingly wobbly, the Kings show no signs of coming back to the campaign.
Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo, one of the leaders of the Q&R campaign, last week reached out by phone to the team owners' matriarch, Colleen Maloof, to try to get the family back to the table, but the effort didn't produce a noticeable thaw in relations.
It has now been two weeks since the county and city sent the Kings a new arena proposal -- a document that government negotiators have declined to release to the public despite repeated requests. Maloof Sports and Entertainment President John Thomas said the proposal was incomplete, and the team is awaiting more information promised by the city and county.
But Sacramento County economic development chief Paul Hahn said county and city officials are the ones waiting.
"I'm not aware of any additional information we're supposed to be sending over," he said Tuesday.
The situation looked far different when the campaign kicked off in August. At that time, Elmets said, he and John Thomas joked that they "probably exchanged 25 e-mails a day."
"He's a very creative and determined guy, as are the other people in the organization," Elmets said. Not only was the Maloof family expected to contribute about $1.5 million, but people from throughout the organization were pitching in with ideas, Elmets said.
Joe Maloof, for instance, came up with the concept of shining a purple laser beam out of the railyard until Election Day, Elmets said, an idea that died when the Maloof brothers left the stage.
As the weeks have gone by with no return of the Maloofs, and no bounce in the polls, some of those who initially signed up to work on the campaign have been noticeably less visible of late, Elmets said.
But others, such as Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, former Supervisor Sandy Smoley, developer David Taylor, and River Cats Executive Vice President Warren Smith, are still tirelessly promoting the cause.
"I actually believe what I've been saying all along, which is that this is an unparalleled opportunity," Dickinson said. "It's an opportunity to shape our downtown core and the region generally in a way that we may never have a chance to again ... . I think it's worth continuing to make the case."
Smith, upbeat and smiling, showed up Wednesday to watch a press conference staged by the opposition campaign at the corner of Broadway and Martin Luther King Boulevard in Oak Park. Walking to where the cameras were set up in front of a vacant, barred store, he made pleasant chitchat with Travis Blaschek-Miller, a volunteer with the opposition campaign, which clearly has the upper hand despite its lack of financial resources.
"It's a community dialogue," Smith said.
"I kind of agree," Blaschek-Miller replied.
The news conference featured an array of neighborhood activists who pounced on the fact there is no deal between local officials and the Kings to build an arena. They also said using sales taxes to pay for an arena would be wrong in light of all the city's other pressing needs, such as transportation projects, flood control and crime prevention.
"The public can only afford so much: Let's focus on our true priorities," said Betsy Weiland, a Carmichael resident.
About the writer: The Bee's Mary Lynne Vellinga can be reached at (916) 321-1094 or mlvellinga@sacbee.com.