http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/406766.html
Marcos Bretón: This arena effort might actually fly
By Marcos Bretón - Bee Columnist
Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, September 30, 2007
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B1
If there were ever an opportunity to build an arena for the Kings in Sacramento, this is it.
Cal Expo is not as cool as a downtown site nor as convenient as one in Natomas.
It is the expedient choice. It's where a deal is possible without needing support from voters hostile to new taxes. And the Sacramento City Council would not need to be involved in designing an arena.
That's like defusing two hand grenades before they go off -- again. Fractured local politics and a ballot box stacked against an arena tax have killed every arena deal until now.
And that's not the only reason Cal Expo could work.
In the current process -- negotiations just starting between the NBA and the Cal Expo governing board -- the owners of the Kings are nowhere to be found.
That's a good move. Joe and Gavin Maloof became lightning rods in previous arena incarnations because even rabid Kings fans objected to "subsidizing billionaires."
After a while, it was impossible to discuss the merits of a downtown arena, as proposed last year, without the conversation getting swallowed by Maloof angst.
With them in the background and taxes off the table, this new arena journey feels different at the start.
It feels like it actually has a chance, a new sensation after years of goofy proposals and last year's toxic campaign where voters overwhelmingly rejected new taxes for a new arena.
Clearly, there are still precious few details available, such as: How exactly do you pay for an arena that costs hundreds of millions of dollars?
We know in general there would have to be substantial development on the Cal Expo site because those proceeds would be critical to pay for the arena.
In Natomas, the city and the Maloofs own 180 acres of land that also could help pay for an arena.
Those are complicated land deals and the Cal Expo board ultimately must decide if an arena as an anchor for new development is in its interests.
There is also the issue of traffic at Cal Expo, a freeway exit at the fairgrounds that already is among the most clogged in the region.
But you know what? Those obstacles are not insurmountable. They are not politically deadly the way last year's arena vote was. They can be fixed without a circus of special interest groups ranting about how they oppose an arena because there are poor people in Sacramento.
Moreover, it seems a Cal Expo site could include enough parking spots to appease the Maloofs -- a major sticking point that helped kill any chance of a downtown arena.
Is this an endorsement of Cal Expo as an arena site? No. It's too early for that.
But this is an endorsement of an arena in Sacramento and of the Kings as permanent fixtures in Sacramento.
The bet here is that if the arena riddle were solved at Cal Expo, the Maloofs' popularity would largely be restored and hinge only on the quality of the Kings.
In many respects, they are good owners. In every respect, the Kings are a huge benefit to Sacramento.
If there is a plan to build them an arena without new taxes and without dipping into the state's general fund, then what's the problem?
If, in the end, the biggest drawback to a Cal Expo arena is fear of traffic, then let's do it. Traffic happens in big cities with popular destinations.
Sacramento is a big city. Time to start acting like it.
About the writer: Reach Marcos Bretón at (916) 321-1096 or mbreton@sacbee.com.
Marcos Bretón: This arena effort might actually fly
By Marcos Bretón - Bee Columnist
Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, September 30, 2007
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B1
If there were ever an opportunity to build an arena for the Kings in Sacramento, this is it.
Cal Expo is not as cool as a downtown site nor as convenient as one in Natomas.
It is the expedient choice. It's where a deal is possible without needing support from voters hostile to new taxes. And the Sacramento City Council would not need to be involved in designing an arena.
That's like defusing two hand grenades before they go off -- again. Fractured local politics and a ballot box stacked against an arena tax have killed every arena deal until now.
And that's not the only reason Cal Expo could work.
In the current process -- negotiations just starting between the NBA and the Cal Expo governing board -- the owners of the Kings are nowhere to be found.
That's a good move. Joe and Gavin Maloof became lightning rods in previous arena incarnations because even rabid Kings fans objected to "subsidizing billionaires."
After a while, it was impossible to discuss the merits of a downtown arena, as proposed last year, without the conversation getting swallowed by Maloof angst.
With them in the background and taxes off the table, this new arena journey feels different at the start.
It feels like it actually has a chance, a new sensation after years of goofy proposals and last year's toxic campaign where voters overwhelmingly rejected new taxes for a new arena.
Clearly, there are still precious few details available, such as: How exactly do you pay for an arena that costs hundreds of millions of dollars?
We know in general there would have to be substantial development on the Cal Expo site because those proceeds would be critical to pay for the arena.
In Natomas, the city and the Maloofs own 180 acres of land that also could help pay for an arena.
Those are complicated land deals and the Cal Expo board ultimately must decide if an arena as an anchor for new development is in its interests.
There is also the issue of traffic at Cal Expo, a freeway exit at the fairgrounds that already is among the most clogged in the region.
But you know what? Those obstacles are not insurmountable. They are not politically deadly the way last year's arena vote was. They can be fixed without a circus of special interest groups ranting about how they oppose an arena because there are poor people in Sacramento.
Moreover, it seems a Cal Expo site could include enough parking spots to appease the Maloofs -- a major sticking point that helped kill any chance of a downtown arena.
Is this an endorsement of Cal Expo as an arena site? No. It's too early for that.
But this is an endorsement of an arena in Sacramento and of the Kings as permanent fixtures in Sacramento.
The bet here is that if the arena riddle were solved at Cal Expo, the Maloofs' popularity would largely be restored and hinge only on the quality of the Kings.
In many respects, they are good owners. In every respect, the Kings are a huge benefit to Sacramento.
If there is a plan to build them an arena without new taxes and without dipping into the state's general fund, then what's the problem?
If, in the end, the biggest drawback to a Cal Expo arena is fear of traffic, then let's do it. Traffic happens in big cities with popular destinations.
Sacramento is a big city. Time to start acting like it.
About the writer: Reach Marcos Bretón at (916) 321-1096 or mbreton@sacbee.com.
