As Sacramento grapples with a 39 million dollar budget deficit, many wonder why Mayor Kevin Johnson remains committed to building a new sports and entertainment complex.
Yesterday, at his weekly press conference, Johnson said his focus is on jobs and revenue, not sports.
"I think the questions are fair but I think people have to understand it's not about guys bouncing basketballs, it's about jobs in our community. If that business leaves then that's going to affect police, fire, parks in a much more averse way."
Johnson says a new arena will be financed with private and
public money. It's still uncertain what the city will have to
invest in a new arena, but the mayor says his plan is to spread the
cost around the region.
"So I think this gives us an opportunity to get full buy
in and have real communication and dialogue with our
six-county-region so we're going to need all them as part of the
equation.
Johnson says he's forming a regional commission next
week.
He says so far, all the surrounding counties are on
board.
