If you wanted a Vegas-like skyline lounge at the new arena,
you should’ve kept the Maloofs.
Before I spend 500 words deconstructing Sacrmaento’s boner for ultra lounges, it’s worth noting that an anti-subsidy group still hopes to gather enough signatures to put the proposed Kings project to a vote, via special election. This seems highly unlikely, their corralling of 33,000 sigs. But most people said the same thing about the Kings staying.
Still, very doubtful.
Anyway, about your sweet arena ideas:
The latest Sactown Magazine features a story by its co-editor called “#HereWeBuild.” I have a lot of respect for the team of journalists over there, but some of these ideas for what the arena needs are both starry-eyed and stale.
Or maybe I just need Google glasses, because my Think Big vision isn’t working.
One idea (not exclusive to Sactown) is that a new arena needs a tower with an ultra lounge on the top.
Sactown envisions one that rises 100 feet above street level, with a vodka bar atop. It’s not far-fetched; as co-editor Rob Turner writes, there is a “stylish” One80 Grey Goose rooftop ultra lounge at the recently opened
Here We Stay, in a letter to Vivek last month, also asked for a skyline lounge to hang out at after games.
OK. Maybe I don’t have my pulse on what gets a Sacramentans’ jones going, but I can assure you this: Grid dwellers eat ultra lounges for breakfast, whether on K and 20th streets or on top of a damn skyscraper above an arena. No go.
Other Sactown thoughts on what the new downtown arena needs in include a “four- or –five-star high-rise hotel,” a multimillion-dollar public art sculpture by Claes Oldenburg (like this?), “some brightly lit icons to help define the skyline of the city and give it a recognizable sense of place on the national stage,” and big, tall luxury condos.
Yikes.
I think Sactown’s heart is in the right place. The arena shouldn’t be a “black hole” and it should have things we can enjoy 365 days a year. Plus housing and public-art investments are crucial.
It’s just all those ideas are big-ticket, haves-and-have-not visions. And the new arena should be something everyone can enjoy, not a 916 baller-status fantasy dropped into the middle of
Meanwhile, I like a lot of the Here We Stay arena ideas on SactownRoyalty.com , which were crowd-sourced.
Building an arena with local contractors and engineers and sound designers is essential, especially because of the public subsidy. Having local food and beer at the arena, while unlikely, would be a huge improvement over the usual sports-venue fare. Solar panels, bike parking/valet and eco-friendly features—yes, please. And retiring K.J.’s jersey? That’s fine, I guess.
But a statue of the mayor out front of the arena? C’mon.
Other groaners: A David Garibaldi mural of K.J., local bands playing at halftime and—again—that damn skyline lounge!
If you want rooftop martinis, go to the Palms.
