New beginnings are on the horizon in Citrus Heights with plans to transform parts of the old Sunrise Mall into a sports complex.
The Sunrise Sports Center is a 14-acre project that will feature two National Hockey League (NHL) sized ice-sheets, and a state-of-the-art training facility.
It will also include a 4,000-seat multipurpose arena, a 100,000-square-foot outdoor field for sports like soccer, baseball and football. There will also be space and programming for concerts, tournaments and other community events. If all goes according to plan, the development could open within the next couple years.
Citrus Heights City Council approved the sports center proposal in March as part of the first steps for their Sunrise Tomorrow vision to turn the old mall into a mixed-use district.
The mall has steadily declined over the years for multiple reasons. At least 12 stores closed in 2025 alone, according to the Citrus Heights Sentinel. Stores like Macy’s, Spencer’s, Claire’s and Hot Topic closed last year.
Meghan Huber, the city’s economic development director, said the project allows for redevelopment of the mall to have entertainment, hotels and multi-family residential communities.
“It allows the site to densify,” Huber said. “So right now it's about 1 million square feet of retail space, and it'll be allowed to triple its density as well, which, in effect, will create a new downtown for Citrus Heights and community and regional destination, which is exciting.”
Huber said the sports center is a catalyst for the Sunrise Tomorrow project that can easily host events like live music and any sports competition except cricket.
“All in all, it will be about 350,000 square feet of sports and event and entertainment space that will serve not only our local Citrus Heights community but the Sacramento region,” Huber said. “And it's estimated to bring in about 1.2 million visitors annually when in operation.”
The Citrus Heights City Council approved a public-private partnership with the economic developers Mettle Shop that allows for $60 million in bonding through the city and an additional $60 million through the Mettle Shop, totalling in $120 million project value, according to Huber.
“A unique thing about this bonding setup is that, unlike other bonds used by jurisdictions, say maybe to fund a library or a fire station,” Huber said. “The bonds are not repaid with taxpayer dollars, they'll be repaid in project revenues.”
The project will have an estimated $26.2 million in annual economic impact, Huber said.
The Mettle Shop is a sports and entertainment company that helped open Sutter Health Park (formerly Raley Field) in West Sacramento, Golden 1 Center downtown, and co-founded Sacramento Republic FC.
Laura Storm, the executive vice president of the Mettle Shop, said the sports center aims to address Sacramento’s lack of ice rinks.
“There was such a need for ice sports in this area,” Storm said. “I started researching it in 2019 with Joe Wagner, our CEO, and the lack of ice was a dominating factor in what we thought we could add to the region.”
Storm has a son who played hockey and she herself started skating and playing hockey as well. She joined an adult league and said the sport helps build families.
“I really enjoyed being a part of, and just thought, how many other people would enjoy that sense of community,” she said. “Not everyone has to play hockey, and certainly not everyone my age has to play hockey, but it certainly does build community.”
Storm said the Mettle Shop is hoping to break ground in the first quarter of next year and it will take 12 to 18 months to finish.
“The metal shop is passionate about building community, and a great way to build community is through sports and entertainment,” she said. “We're proud to bring that to the city of Citrus Heights with this Sunrise Sports Center.”
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