Demolition has begun!
Sacramento is building a new Entertainment and Sports Center (ESC) in downtown. Deemed an organizational priority by the SCVB for more than a decade, the SCVB believes that the new facility will greatly enhance and grow Sacramento’s convention and tourism industry.
"In the meetings industry, convention planners choose destinations based on two major factors: infrastructure and image," said Steve Hammond, president & CEO of the SCVB. "The SCVB believes that this new entertainment and sports center will significantly enhance both our infrastructure and image. It will present opportunities for Sacramento to engage convention clients that we previously could not accommodate."
From an infrastructure standpoint, some of the groups the SCVB pursues want venues with large general session space - but they want these venues close to downtown hotels and meeting facilities. From an image standpoint, the entertainment and sports complex will be a development catalyst for Sacramento's Central Business District and will put a vibrant new face on the Sacramento brand.
The project encompasses four city blocks right in the heart of downtown, close to convention hotels and the Sacramento Convention Center. The arena itself will accommodate sports events, top entertainment, trade shows and conventions. The arena's capacity will be 17,500 and have 34 suites.
The ESC's indoor-outdoor concept celebrates and allows visitors to enjoy Sacramento's climate and culture in a number of ways. In addition to farm-to-fork concessions, the arena's facade patterns will depict leaves and trees cut into perforated metal, fitting for the "City of Trees." The adjacent public plaza will also be a microcosm of the region's agriculture and outdoor lifestyle with tomatoes growing in hydroponic gardens, a grassy amphitheater, and a delineated seating area that is lined with a variety of tree species that will provide an intimate seating environment.
The ESC will be carbon- and grid-neutral, as well as LEED Gold-certified. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, it guides the building industry and provides standards for sustainability for a variety of projects. The ESC will also reflect the fabric of Northern California by utilizing regionally sourced materials that range from glass to recycled aluminum to potentially precast concrete, composed of sand and rocks that reflect the colors of the region. What's more, the ESC will utilize only FSC-Certified wood, an international standard of quality and responsible forest management. Other elements include:
- Mass transit hub
- Bicycle valet for large events
- Dedicated electric vehicle charging stations
- Food bank donations
- Hydroponic gardens that may grow food for consumption on-site
- Glass orientation to minimize solar gain
- Smart temperature controls that utilize the natural delta breeze to cool the building
- Smart lighting systems to dynamically save energy
The project also includes up to 1.5 million square feet of additional development including 475,000 square feet of office space, 350,000 square feet of retail, a 250-room hotel, and 550 residential units.
ESC will be completed by October 2016, in time to open up the 2016-17 NBA season.
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