Arena Events Attract 75 Percent of Attendees From Outside Sacramento

The message at this afternoon’s “Think BIG Sacramento” tour in Roseville coincided with big news: according to the Capital Corridor Impact Report released today, almost 75 percent of people attending events at the Power Balance Pavilion are non-City of Sacramento residents.

Launched by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, “Think BIG Sacramento” is an effort to facilitate construction of a new sports and entertainment complex. The idea is that this complex will create jobs, economic growth and civic pride in the Sacramento area.

Jeremiah Jackson, project manager with “Think BIG Sacramento,” was mingling with locals at the tour’s second stop at the this afternoon.

“It really is a regional asset that has regional benefits,” Jackson said. “Both economically and culturally – you’re going to see the benefits.”

One of the complex’s benefits is the creation of more than 4,000 jobs, according to the report. It could also generate $7 billion of economic impact over the next 30 years in the region, according to the report.

Today’s tour was an effort to spread the word and educate the community about the benefits an entertainment and sports complex could have on the area. El Dorado Hills was the tour’s first stop, which Jackson said generated an “awesome” crowd, followed by a stop in Roseville, Davis and ending in Rancho Cordova.

The tour also garnered support from residents in the form of “citizen architects.” Citizen architects will be the “Think BIG Sacramento” liaisons, spreading the word and gathering supporters for the complex.

“The key message is that is a regional asset,” Jackson said.

The report’s key findings include:

• Almost 75 percent of attendees for basketball and non-basketball events come from outside the City of Sacramento.
• Approximately 62 percent of attendees for basketball-related events come from outside the City of Sacramento.
• Almost 80 percent of attendees for non-basketball events come from outside the City of Sacramento. (This includes events such as cultural and civic).
• Placer County has the largest group of residents that attend events, at 13 percent.

The full Capital Corridor Impact Report is available here.

Think becoming a citizen architect would be a cool gig?

Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. July 18. To apply and for more information, go to the “Think BIG Sacramento” website here.