By Robert J. Hansen | OBSERVER Staff Writer
RANCHO CORDOVA — The City Council on Sept. 23 approved the Cordova City Center project, a sweeping mixed-use district anchored by a 7,500-seat arena that developers say will redefine sports and entertainment in the Sacramento-Cordova region.
The $1 billion and nearly 40-acre project will anchor one of the city’s busiest hubs along Trade Center Drive near Sunrise Boulevard and Highway 50.
The council chambers were packed, with residents filling both the main room and an overflow space. Nearly everyone who addressed the council during public comment — about 10 speakers and another 10 who submitted written remarks — supported the project. When the council approved the agreement, the chamber erupted with cheers as people hugged and exchanged high-fives.
Rancho Cordova Mayor Siri Pulipati reflected on how far the city has come since its incorporation more than two decades ago, calling the project a milestone unlike any other. “If everything that’s been discussed tonight comes to pass, this will be a future that none of us really could have envisioned,” she said.
Pulipati said the project reflects the city’s willingness to embrace smart growth and regional leadership. “This sports-anchored entertainment district underscores how Rancho Cordova is forging the future around amenities and spurring an estimated $4.5 billion in economic growth over 10 years,” she said.
Pulipati also recalled how previous proposals for the same property had fallen short despite strong community support. About 15 years ago, another plan came forward from developers who had done good work on Folsom Boulevard, but ultimately did not materialize.
Vice Mayor Garrett Gatewood praised the project as a breakthrough for Rancho Cordova, telling developer Josh Wood that he and his partners had accomplished what few midsized cities manage to do: bring in entertainment, culture, and amenities that can redefine a community. He recalled how the city once had venues such as bowling alleys and movie theaters and said this development would restore that vibrancy. Gatewood said he was proud of the effort, adding that Rancho Cordova had often been underestimated, but no longer would be. “We truly believe in the mission that you’ve brought forward, and because … everyone here is basically a friend or a business in Rancho Cordova, there’s no way Rancho Cordova fails,” he said.
Wood said the project is designed to give Rancho Cordova something it has long lacked: a true downtown. Beyond the arena, the plan includes 150,000 square feet of retail space and mixed-use residences on roughly 28 acres and adjoining parcels.
“Rancho Cordova has long envisioned a downtown, but it has never had one and we’ve put together additional land around it, to start the center of our new kind of city center for the region,” Wood said. He added that the goal is to create the region’s second urbanized downtown outside Sacramento itself. “If you drive from Sacramento, you leave the towers, and that’s kind of the urbanized area of our region. And what we plan to do is create the second urbanized downtown city center, and that’s why we’re calling it the Sacramento-Cordova region now.”
What will make the district feel like a downtown, Wood explained, is the ability to build tall. The site allows construction of towers up to 200 feet without Federal Aviation Administration approval. “You know we anticipate we will have buildings on this site that could be 18 stories high,” Wood said.
Wood noted that the plan has been in the works for nearly a decade, with the site already cleared under the California Environmental Quality Act.
The scale of the development, he said, will reshape Rancho Cordova’s economy. The district overall represents an investment of more than $1 billion, including about $175 million for the arena. “We’re going to generate an incredible amount of new tax dollars in order to help us basically put the project together,” Wood said, noting that the effort is backed by a wide range of partners. He emphasized that most of those investors are local — residents and business owners with deep ties to Rancho Cordova.
Groundbreaking is planned for early next year, with the arena projected to open in fall 2027.
Wood said anticipation already is building in the community. He noted that Rancho Cordova soon will have its own professional sports teams, along with festivals and large-scale events. Through a partnership with Midnite Events, the arena and surrounding district are expected to host 40 days of music festivals and block parties each year. “What we are going for is to be the entertainment destination of the Sacramento-Cordova region,” Wood said.
The Cordova Arena will feature premium hospitality suites, advanced broadcast capabilities, and modern lighting and sound systems. The venue is designed to host professional sports, concerts, and community events, while also accommodating college and high school athletics.
Charanjeet Kaur Tiwana-Purewal, president of KozPure Development and Wood’s partner in the project, said in a press release that the development represents far more than a sports complex. “This project will draw fans from across the country, boosting tourism and driving significant economic growth,” she said. “We’re building a space that fosters community, creates opportunities, and brings people together through unforgettable experiences.”
On the same day as the city’s approval, the Major Arena Soccer League announced it would award two expansion teams to the Sacramento-Cordova region — one men’s team and one women’s team — both set to debut at Cordova Arena in fall 2027.
“Bringing a Major Arena Soccer League team to Rancho Cordova means our new arena will be anchored by one of the most exciting, high-energy sports around,” Tiwana-Purewal said in the release. “Arena soccer is fast, fun, and built for families, and fans across the region are going to love it.”
Major Arena Soccer League Commissioner Keith Tozer praised the expansion in the press release, calling the Sacramento-Cordova area a natural fit for the league, given its strong base of soccer fans and local ownership support. He said the new arena would provide one of the most exciting environments in the league once it opens.
The broader Cordova City Center development will include residential units, hotels, retail, restaurants, and entertainment venues, as well as landscaped parks and walking paths.
City officials estimate the project could produce more than $4.5 billion in economic output over a 12-year period. It is projected to create nearly 37,000 jobs during that span — averaging more than 3,000 jobs annually — and result in more than $2.3 billion in labor income. The district is also expected to yield $2.4 billion in value added and generate more than $660 million in new indirect business taxes. Over a 35-year period, the tax impact is projected to total $1.92 billion, including $1.26 billion in federal taxes and $662 million in state and local taxes.
“This project is different. This project is coming from residents of Rancho Cordova. And business owners here in Rancho Cordova. And workers, employees here in Rancho Cordova. And that’s what sets this apart,” Pulipati said. “The people who proposed this tonight have a stake in this project. Because they live here. And they work here. And they’re raising their families here.”