Once all the hoop-la is over, the Sacramento Region needs to plan for one of two contingencies: (1) Seattle wins in OT and the Kings leave or (2) Kings win and stay.
- What if the Kings leave? Does Sacramento still build an arena downtown? Go for an expansion team? Would the whales stay playing in the pond? Can we still create a downtown arts and entertainment district? If we lose the NBA finals, we should begin planning immediately as to how to win next year. We have a history of losing momentum after a loss, have we learned from that? Somehow, our region needs to continue the momentum that has developed and keep going.
- What if the Kings stay? The entire region, both sides of the American River, need to make a downtown arena the catalyst to moving the region forward. Another downtown plaza debacle is something we cannot afford. Done correctly, redevelopment of downtown can change the entire region, as was rightly discussed in this Sunday’s Bee article “Will Sacramento’s downtown grow in the whale’s wake?” We need to be true to who we are. We are not now, nor have we ever been, Manhattan. Looking at our neighborhoods, we can be an even greater place to live. Let’s make sure we dream big, not fall in love with any proposal, and make our area great. We need to start the planning now and not do it all at the last minute.
Go team Sacramento!