On Tuesday morning, local leaders gathered at the Safe Credit Union Convention Center in Downtown Sacramento for the annual State of Downtown event. This year’s theme was the importance of collaboration.
Leaders from the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento Kings, the Athletics, Sacramento State, and SMUD all spoke about new developments in the city, reflecting on the past and progressing to the future through partnership.
“This is an annual opportunity to share with you not only where we’ve been but also talk about where we’re going,” Executive Director of Downtown Partnership Michael Ault said. “I’m more excited and optimistic about the future of downtown than I have ever been before.”
One of the new developments unveiled was the proposed development of a mixed-use university village for Sacramento State in downtown Sacramento.
The goal of the mixed-use university village is to bring more students, faculty, and potentially student housing to the city’s core.
Ault said they’re facilitating conversations between Sac State and the state of California to explore how underutilized state assets like unused buildings can better serve the community.
“A project like this would create a new sector of jobs and a community of emotionally invested Sacramentans,” Ault said. “This has the potential to change our downtown forever.”
Another project mentioned was the development of 37 color-changing LED lights that are coming to the K Street corridor to establish a stronger pedestrian connection between the theater and entertainment districts, according to Ault.
Athletics Interim President Sandy Dean speaks during Sacramento's State of Downtown event Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center.Gerardo Zavala/ CapRadio
Baseball season around the corner
The Athletics, the Major League Baseball team, were also present at the State of Downtown event to discuss the improvements to the ballpark in West Sacramento and the excitement of the forthcoming season.
The team has spent the last 57 years in Oakland and will play in the minor league park that is home to the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A team the Sacramento River Cats.
Ault said he was asked if the Athletics' only being in West Sacramento for three years was a disappointment.
“Absolutely not,” Ault said. “Temporary or not, this is a huge deal for our capital region and our opportunity to show major league baseball that Sacramento is ready to be its next great market.”
In an interview before the event, Interim President of Athletics Sandy Dean said there have been a lot of improvements to Sutter Health Park.
“New field, new lights, new scoreboard, new clubhouse for the A's. It's going to be a very exciting time for fans of Major League Baseball,” Dean said. “Opening Day is only 34 days away, and we're very excited for that.”
With the team in West Sacramento for the next three years, Dean said the Athletics will give fans something to cheer about and be united around.
He said MLB fans will have the opportunity to see every team in the league over the next three years in a park with only 10,500 fixed seats.
“We just think it's going to be a real opportunity for lovers of baseball to participate in and for families and for people also to experience what downtown Sacramento has to offer because it's a nice walk from the ballpark to so much of what goes on here in downtown,” Dean said.
Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé said although there is a major league team playing in a minor league park, there’s nothing minor league about Sacramento.
“This is a major league town and our stadium isn’t going to be a minor league experience. Our goal was it was going to be the best experience in baseball,” Vivek said. “The seats are all sold out, I think the tickets are the highest in the league and every seat is a great seat.”
According to Dean, the Athletics feel “a lot of gratitude” for being welcomed into the community.
“We've been really excited with the response,” Dean said. “The ticket sales have been strong, and we think it's going to be a great season here in Sacramento and West Sacramento.”
Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, during Sacramento's State of Downtown event at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center.Gerardo Zavala/ CapRadioReflecting on accomplishments downtown
City Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum is representative of District 4, which includes downtown Sacramento. He said the meeting is a milestone to mark what they’ve accomplished over the past decade and what they still have yet to accomplish.
Pluckebaum mentioned that the development of the Downtown Commons has been one of the most impactful changes in the downtown area over the past decade.
“That was such a significant investment, but it was also a marquee, like a statement piece,” Pluckebaum said. “Looking ahead, in the next decade, hopefully, it'll be the Railyards. We're looking at what we can do on that scale.”
Pluckebaum said the State of Downtown could be very different a decade from now.
“We have a real opportunity to do some significant work in Old Sacramento on the Waterfront and really expand what's happening along where the restaurants are and some of the shops and the interior spaces.”
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