http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/951204.html
David J. Stern: New arena effort is genuine team sport
By David J. Stern - Special to The Bee
Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Story appeared in EDITORIALS section, Page B7
Why Sacramento? I am often asked why the NBA remains committed to an arena project in Sacramento when previous attempts to turn into reality plans for a new state-of-the-art arena have failed. The answer is twofold: First, Sacramento has been an extraordinary market for the NBA; fans have attended games in record numbers, sponsors have supported the team well and television viewership has been robust. At all levels there seems to be a general appreciation of the Kings organization, its striving for basketball entertainment and excellence, and its keen sense of social responsibility to the community.
Second, elected officials at every level have made clear that they join in the desire of the broader community to explore imaginative, collaborative solutions to assure the continuity of the Kings in Sacramento; a desire shared by the Maloof family.
Of course, this comes as no surprise. Kings fans are loyal, passionate and loud, and exemplify the excitement and energy to which the NBA aspires. During their 23 years in Sacramento, the Kings have enjoyed two of the longest sell-out streaks in NBA history: 497 games from October 1985 to November 1997, and another 354 straight from November 1999 to November 2007. That support compels us to exhaust every possibility to maintain the marriage of the Kings and Sacramento.
It is one thing, however, to espouse a commitment; it is quite another to solve the difficult problem of replacing Arco Arena. We have heard the voters, and we know that whatever contributions different levels of government may be willing to consider, new tax dollars are not a realistic option.
Against this backdrop, we began working 18 months ago on finding a way to keep the Kings in Sacramento, and that effort has led us to Cal Expo.
Over many months we have developed an excellent working relationship with the leadership team at Cal Expo, and together we have identified what we hope is an opportunity to ensure the future of world-class entertainment in the Sacramento region without increasing taxes.
Our collective goal is to construct a state-of-the-art entertainment and exposition destination within a mixed-use development, built to an environmental standard of which the citizens of Sacramento and state of California will be proud. The Cal Expo property, with its proximity to downtown, is an ideal location for an environmentally progressive commercial and residential showcase.
On Wednesday, the Cal Expo Board of Directors will meet to vote on a letter of understanding that lays out a critical path to be followed for the next several months that all sides hope will make this project a reality.
Support from the community and all levels of state and local government, together with that pledged by the Maloofs, will be critical to overcoming the obstacles that confront projects of this scope, including the need to improve traffic flow, minimize the environmental impact of the development and succeed in a difficult economy, particularly as it relates to real estate development. But we believe that the elements are in place for a successful collaboration to meet these challenges.
This project presents an extraordinary opportunity for Sacramento, Cal Expo and the NBA – replacing an outdated arena and state fair infrastructure while contributing to smart growth and economic opportunity for the region.
Is it a certainty? Not at all. But we are optimistic, and I look forward to working with Cal Expo, elected officials at every level and all interested parties to bring this project to fruition, thereby ensuring a bright future for Cal Expo and the Kings in Sacramento. Approval of the letter of understanding by the Cal Expo Board is the first step.
David J. Stern: New arena effort is genuine team sport
By David J. Stern - Special to The Bee
Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Story appeared in EDITORIALS section, Page B7
Why Sacramento? I am often asked why the NBA remains committed to an arena project in Sacramento when previous attempts to turn into reality plans for a new state-of-the-art arena have failed. The answer is twofold: First, Sacramento has been an extraordinary market for the NBA; fans have attended games in record numbers, sponsors have supported the team well and television viewership has been robust. At all levels there seems to be a general appreciation of the Kings organization, its striving for basketball entertainment and excellence, and its keen sense of social responsibility to the community.
Second, elected officials at every level have made clear that they join in the desire of the broader community to explore imaginative, collaborative solutions to assure the continuity of the Kings in Sacramento; a desire shared by the Maloof family.
Of course, this comes as no surprise. Kings fans are loyal, passionate and loud, and exemplify the excitement and energy to which the NBA aspires. During their 23 years in Sacramento, the Kings have enjoyed two of the longest sell-out streaks in NBA history: 497 games from October 1985 to November 1997, and another 354 straight from November 1999 to November 2007. That support compels us to exhaust every possibility to maintain the marriage of the Kings and Sacramento.
It is one thing, however, to espouse a commitment; it is quite another to solve the difficult problem of replacing Arco Arena. We have heard the voters, and we know that whatever contributions different levels of government may be willing to consider, new tax dollars are not a realistic option.
Against this backdrop, we began working 18 months ago on finding a way to keep the Kings in Sacramento, and that effort has led us to Cal Expo.
Over many months we have developed an excellent working relationship with the leadership team at Cal Expo, and together we have identified what we hope is an opportunity to ensure the future of world-class entertainment in the Sacramento region without increasing taxes.
Our collective goal is to construct a state-of-the-art entertainment and exposition destination within a mixed-use development, built to an environmental standard of which the citizens of Sacramento and state of California will be proud. The Cal Expo property, with its proximity to downtown, is an ideal location for an environmentally progressive commercial and residential showcase.
On Wednesday, the Cal Expo Board of Directors will meet to vote on a letter of understanding that lays out a critical path to be followed for the next several months that all sides hope will make this project a reality.
Support from the community and all levels of state and local government, together with that pledged by the Maloofs, will be critical to overcoming the obstacles that confront projects of this scope, including the need to improve traffic flow, minimize the environmental impact of the development and succeed in a difficult economy, particularly as it relates to real estate development. But we believe that the elements are in place for a successful collaboration to meet these challenges.
This project presents an extraordinary opportunity for Sacramento, Cal Expo and the NBA – replacing an outdated arena and state fair infrastructure while contributing to smart growth and economic opportunity for the region.
Is it a certainty? Not at all. But we are optimistic, and I look forward to working with Cal Expo, elected officials at every level and all interested parties to bring this project to fruition, thereby ensuring a bright future for Cal Expo and the Kings in Sacramento. Approval of the letter of understanding by the Cal Expo Board is the first step.