From Republic FC’s new stadium to an ambitious MLB bid, five sports projects could reshape the Sacramento region
Sep 21, 2026 |
When Gregg Lukenbill bought the NBA Kansas City Kings in 1984 and built ARCO Arena the following year, it kicked off an era of stadium and arena construction in the Capital Region that continues today.
Now, a decade after Golden 1 Center opened to reshape downtown Sacramento, bringing in an estimated $665 million a year in revenue to the region, according to a Sacramento Area Council of Governments report, a growing region is abuzz with proposals for new arenas and stadiums that have the potential to transform Sacramento County’s sports and entertainment landscape.
These plans span various locations, including Rancho Cordova, The Railyards, Citrus Heights’ Sunrise Mall, Cal Expo’s former horse racetrack and the Bridge District in West Sacramento.
But are there enough investors in the region to support all these projects?
Some, like the stadium for Sacramento Republic FC fans, appear on track. Meanwhile, innovative projects like the Cordova Arena and the remaking of Sunrise Mall have passed major hurdles and are moving steadily forward, while other plans, including for a new Sacramento State football stadium and a Major League Baseball expansion franchise, have a ways to go before becoming reality.
“To me, it all represents an opportunity to bring things to Sacramento that we haven’t had here before,” says Mike Testa, president and CEO of Visit Sacramento, who has seen the economic value venues like Golden 1 Center, Sutter Health Park and Discovery Park can have on a region. “The more venues we have in this region, the more entertainment you’re going to see for the people who live here.”
Lukenbill, who bought the Kings at age 28, successfully built both ARCO Arenas, opening the second in 1988. But he has also been behind some highly publicized failed efforts to bring Major League Soccer, professional baseball and the NFL’s Oakland Raiders to Sacramento since forming the Sacramento Sports Association in the late 1970s.
Despite his clashes with local officials, the colorful Lukenbill says he is optimistic the growing Capital Region can support new ventures, pointing to the 2025 Sacramento Area Council of Governments report, which outlines how the six-county region is projected to grow by another 580,000 residents by 2050, putting the total population at around 3.1 million.
“The projections were off the chart; just huge,” says Lukenbill, noting how attitudes among government officials towards building new venues are “warmer” than in his day.
Here’s a look at the major proposals that are making news, their various stages of development and funding mechanisms. Read the full article on comstockmag.com/longreads.
