SACRAMENTO – Today, the Sacramento Kings, the city of Sacramento and AECOM released the first round of renderings for the downtown Entertainment and Sports Center (ESC). The announcement was first made via an email to season ticket holders.
The first set of renderings comes after six months of workshops, open houses, town halls, and focus groups, in addition to multiple surveys yielding responses from over 20,000 Sacramentans. The result is an arena design that is iconic, that celebrates the best of Sacramento, and that will showcase the latest in environmental and technological innovation.
“When we bought the Sacramento Kings, we committed to the NBA and to the people of Sacramento that we wouldn’t just build a new arena, but that we’d build a world-class entertainment venue, an arena truly for the 21st century,” said Kings owner Vivek Ranadive. “Today is another major step forward in that effort.”
In addition to a dramatic Grand Entrance, measuring 50 x 150 feet, multiple balconies, and Farm-To-Fork programming throughout the facility, the skin of the arena itself will also reflect the very fabric of Northern California. The arena will be constructed using materials that range from glass to recycled aluminum to precast concrete, composed of sand from San Benito and rocks of Sierra limestone.
“We so appreciate the input and feedback from our community,” said Kings team president Chris Granger. “Our city deserves a building that is iconic, that provides for world class entertainment, and that will stage the greatest home court advantage in sports.”
The Kings are on schedule to break ground in the Summer of 2014 and to open the venue in October of 2016.
“We set our sights on a design that’s never been done before,” said Jon Niemuth, AECOM director of sports for the Americas. “Each design element shows that this arena is built for Sacramento. We’re aiming for a facility that celebrates the city, strengthens the downtown community, supports the team’s success and offers an unmatched fan experience.”
“This is a glimpse not only into the new arena, but into the future of downtown Sacramento,” said Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. “I applaud the Kings and AECOM for developing a design that achieves so many goals: reactivating downtown, developing an iconic civic space, and promoting our emerging green and agricultural sectors. The extensive public outreach done by the Kings and City has paid off in a design that truly celebrates the best of our community’s great past and even brighter future.”