http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/14258030p-15072564c.html
Regional pitch for arena
Backers of a new Kings home seek countywide support.
By Terri Hardy -- Bee Staff Writers
Published 12:01 am PDT Saturday, May 20, 2006
Backers for a new Sacramento arena are courting officials from the county's incorporated cities in an effort to broaden support and get financial assistance.
Top executives from these cities have been asked to attend a briefing Monday on arena financing strategies.
Already, city officials from throughout Sacramento County have huddled at the exclusive Sutter Club at a meal paid for by Warren Smith, executive vice president of the River Cats baseball team, officials said. Smith is participating in arena negotiations.
Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson said the social gathering Thursday was a chance to get to know each other and invite other cities to "be part of the dialogue."
The outreach is a crucial element to this push for a new arena, supporters said.
"This is a bigger issue than just the city of Sacramento, and frankly, we could use the help," said Sacramento Vice Mayor Rob Fong. "Anytime you're looking at ways to creatively come up with a way to build anything of any magnitude, it's common sense to build a broad base of support politically and financially."
Civic leaders driving the arena push now include county and city officials. They have created a team tasked with meeting with officials from the six other "partner" cities: Folsom, Galt, Isleton, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights and Elk Grove.
Full details aren't being provided, but arena backers said that financing talks with city and county leaders won't be limited to an arena. Incentives for projects in their municipalities will be discussed.
"All we're hearing about now is the arena, but this is much bigger than an arena," said Matt Mahood, executive director for the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
Fong said the group will be "figuring out what other things are out there in the region that would benefit from this funding mechanism."
City and county leaders are looking at a multipronged arena financing package to include public tax dollars and money from the owners of the Sacramento Kings. Arena advocates are tight-lipped about all measures under consideration, but say a countywide quarter-cent sales tax increase and land swaps are being discussed.
If a tax is part of the funding plan, voter approval is necessary. To get a tax measure on the November ballot, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors must approve measure language by Aug. 1.
Other counties such as Yolo, El Dorado and Placer are not being asked to participate in the arena effort because it would make the funding too complicated, said Paul Hahn, Sacramento County's economic development director.
Placing tax questions on multiple ballots opens the possibility of one county passing the tax and another turning it down, Hahn said. And, sections of other counties are considered too far away to be invested in the replacement of Arco Arena.
A quarter-cent boost to the city and county's existing 7.75 percent sales tax would push it above other municipalities in the region. Woodland, West Sacramento and Davis have a 7.75 percent sales tax, according to the state's Board of Equalization Web site. Roseville, Rocklin and El Dorado Hills pay 7.25 percent sales tax. In other areas, San Francisco has an 8.5 percent sales tax, and Los Angeles has an 8.25 percent sales tax.
Sacramento County Executive Terry Schutten sent letters to all city managers and finance directors from partner cities this week inviting them to Monday's briefing.
Cody Tubbs, a spokesman for the city of Elk Grove, said that its leaders are ready to listen.
"We are certainly open to learning more about the proposal," Tubbs said. "We'll have to evaluate it once the details become more clear."
Elk Grove City Councilman Jim Cooper said he knows the city and county are looking for a buy-in from as many people as possible. An arena with a regional draw requires a big-picture perspective, he said.
"Of course, you have to take care of your constituents," Cooper said. "But on some things you have to think regional."
Ted Gaebler, the city manager for Rancho Cordova, said he hopes the Kings are enticed to stay in Sacramento.
"My City Council members have wondered why our citizens don't get a chance to voice their support for what they proudly say are 'their' Kings," Gaebler said. "For many outlying cities, it's been strange that we haven't been asked to be involved."
The Metro chamber has organized arena study missions to Indianapolis and Denver. Mahood said through those trips it became clear that the successful way to fund civic infrastructure was through a regional approach.
"Our region is maturing," Mahood said. "I think we're starting to learn to work together."
Persuading the public to support a new arena will be another hurdle facing arena backers.
A recent poll by California State University, Sacramento, showed that 59 percent of respondents didn't think Arco needed to be replaced. Of the 1,122 randomly selected adults from Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo counties, 34 percent favored a plan to use a combination of private and public money for a new facility.
About the writer: The Bee's Terri Hardy can be reached at (916) 321-1073 or thardy@sacbee.com. The Bee's Ed Fletcher can be reached at (916) 321-1269 or efletcher@sacbee.com.
Regional pitch for arena
Backers of a new Kings home seek countywide support.
By Terri Hardy -- Bee Staff Writers
Published 12:01 am PDT Saturday, May 20, 2006
Backers for a new Sacramento arena are courting officials from the county's incorporated cities in an effort to broaden support and get financial assistance.
Top executives from these cities have been asked to attend a briefing Monday on arena financing strategies.
Already, city officials from throughout Sacramento County have huddled at the exclusive Sutter Club at a meal paid for by Warren Smith, executive vice president of the River Cats baseball team, officials said. Smith is participating in arena negotiations.
Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson said the social gathering Thursday was a chance to get to know each other and invite other cities to "be part of the dialogue."
The outreach is a crucial element to this push for a new arena, supporters said.
"This is a bigger issue than just the city of Sacramento, and frankly, we could use the help," said Sacramento Vice Mayor Rob Fong. "Anytime you're looking at ways to creatively come up with a way to build anything of any magnitude, it's common sense to build a broad base of support politically and financially."
Civic leaders driving the arena push now include county and city officials. They have created a team tasked with meeting with officials from the six other "partner" cities: Folsom, Galt, Isleton, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights and Elk Grove.
Full details aren't being provided, but arena backers said that financing talks with city and county leaders won't be limited to an arena. Incentives for projects in their municipalities will be discussed.
"All we're hearing about now is the arena, but this is much bigger than an arena," said Matt Mahood, executive director for the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
Fong said the group will be "figuring out what other things are out there in the region that would benefit from this funding mechanism."
City and county leaders are looking at a multipronged arena financing package to include public tax dollars and money from the owners of the Sacramento Kings. Arena advocates are tight-lipped about all measures under consideration, but say a countywide quarter-cent sales tax increase and land swaps are being discussed.
If a tax is part of the funding plan, voter approval is necessary. To get a tax measure on the November ballot, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors must approve measure language by Aug. 1.
Other counties such as Yolo, El Dorado and Placer are not being asked to participate in the arena effort because it would make the funding too complicated, said Paul Hahn, Sacramento County's economic development director.
Placing tax questions on multiple ballots opens the possibility of one county passing the tax and another turning it down, Hahn said. And, sections of other counties are considered too far away to be invested in the replacement of Arco Arena.
A quarter-cent boost to the city and county's existing 7.75 percent sales tax would push it above other municipalities in the region. Woodland, West Sacramento and Davis have a 7.75 percent sales tax, according to the state's Board of Equalization Web site. Roseville, Rocklin and El Dorado Hills pay 7.25 percent sales tax. In other areas, San Francisco has an 8.5 percent sales tax, and Los Angeles has an 8.25 percent sales tax.
Sacramento County Executive Terry Schutten sent letters to all city managers and finance directors from partner cities this week inviting them to Monday's briefing.
Cody Tubbs, a spokesman for the city of Elk Grove, said that its leaders are ready to listen.
"We are certainly open to learning more about the proposal," Tubbs said. "We'll have to evaluate it once the details become more clear."
Elk Grove City Councilman Jim Cooper said he knows the city and county are looking for a buy-in from as many people as possible. An arena with a regional draw requires a big-picture perspective, he said.
"Of course, you have to take care of your constituents," Cooper said. "But on some things you have to think regional."
Ted Gaebler, the city manager for Rancho Cordova, said he hopes the Kings are enticed to stay in Sacramento.
"My City Council members have wondered why our citizens don't get a chance to voice their support for what they proudly say are 'their' Kings," Gaebler said. "For many outlying cities, it's been strange that we haven't been asked to be involved."
The Metro chamber has organized arena study missions to Indianapolis and Denver. Mahood said through those trips it became clear that the successful way to fund civic infrastructure was through a regional approach.
"Our region is maturing," Mahood said. "I think we're starting to learn to work together."
Persuading the public to support a new arena will be another hurdle facing arena backers.
A recent poll by California State University, Sacramento, showed that 59 percent of respondents didn't think Arco needed to be replaced. Of the 1,122 randomly selected adults from Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo counties, 34 percent favored a plan to use a combination of private and public money for a new facility.
About the writer: The Bee's Terri Hardy can be reached at (916) 321-1073 or thardy@sacbee.com. The Bee's Ed Fletcher can be reached at (916) 321-1269 or efletcher@sacbee.com.
