Rancho Cordova is moving forward with plans for a new 10,000-seat arena, a significant entertainment venue for the Sacramento region, but city officials are prioritizing a solution to anticipated traffic challenges.
The Rancho Cordova City Council recently approved an additional $40,000 to fund a traffic analysis for the proposed arena project, bringing the total contract with engineering firm DKS Associates Inc. to $128,000. This increased funding reflects the project's complexity, according to city staff reports.
The planned venue, situated at the intersection of Kilgore Road and Trade Center Drive, is slated to accommodate 10,000 spectators, with 7,500 fixed seats. It is intended to be the future home for two Major Arena Soccer League teams from the Sacramento area.
Beyond soccer, the project envisions a broader entertainment hub. Developers propose the potential addition of hotels, housing, restaurants, retail spaces, a card room, a movie theater, and a bowling alley. Joshua Wood, a local developer and member of the project's ownership group, indicated that the arena project is progressing, with the next step being approval from the city's Planning Commission. Wood previously stated that the privately funded project was expected to break ground this summer.
The city has committed resources to the development, including waiving development and building permit fees estimated at nearly $940,000. The deal also includes potential future revenue sharing and a portion of a 13-acre city-owned parcel valued at approximately $6.8 million.
Rancho Cordova Mayor Garrett Gatewood has emphasized the arena's potential to transform the city, calling it a key project that could put Rancho Cordova on the map as an entertainment destination. The city has recently been recognized as one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, experiencing increases in both housing and its labor force, according to a study by SmartAsset.
The arena project is part of a larger growth trend in the Sacramento suburb. The SmartAsset analysis identified Rancho Cordova as a boomtown, noting a 21% increase in housing units and a 17% rise in its labor force between 2019 and 2024. The study, which analyzed over 400 cities with at least 65,000 residents, highlights expanding economic capacity and new opportunities. Officials are now focused on ensuring that this growth, and the new arena, does not exacerbate traffic congestion.