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Sacramento Republic signs agreement for MLS stadium site, releases renderings

railyards_republicFC_rendering_2014Photo by Sacramento Republic FC

By CAITLIN MURRAY

Sacramento isn’t part of Major League Soccer, but the ownership group behind Sacramento Republic FC thinks they have a plan to change that.

The Republic announced Wednesday its ownership group has signed a letter of intent with downtown railyards property owners to acquire land for a proposed MLS soccer stadium. The announcement comes the day before MLS executives will visit the proposed stadium site.

The property is currently undergoing the first of five phases of improvements with plans for housing, offices, shops, an arts center and other amenities by the 2020s. The first phase, infrastructure improvements of $350 million, will be completed next year.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with Larry Kelley in our efforts to save the Kings,” said Republic FC lead investor Kevin Nagle in a press release. “But now, we get to build something together. The Railyards is a once-in-a-lifetime project that will transform our city and region. The soccer stadium will serve as a catalyst of this development and be a key attraction for recruiting a vibrant workforce to live, work and play in our city.”

Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott and Charles Altchek, a special assistant to league Commissioner Don Garber, will visit the area on Thursday and Friday. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson has said the MLS stadium would be privately financed.

The Republic continue their run in the USL Pro playoffs this weekend and have consistently drawn capacity crowds all season. The club set a new USL Pro single-season attendance record in July, with five weeks left in the regular season. They are competing with San Antonio, Las Vegas and Minneapolis, among other cities, to be granted the lone remaining MLS expansion slot currently available.

See more preliminary renderings released by Sacramento Republic FC below:

2014-08-05 MLS SAC FINFIN 300dpi print 2014-09-17 Sac Republic Downtown North Section 2014-09-17 Sac Republic Siteplan

Comments

  1. get these guys in MLS. expand to 25, who cares? this team is ready. Miami and LA2 aren’t going anywhere, so lets all move on.

    NYCFC, Orlando, Atlanta, Miami, LA2, Sacramento, and Minneapolis/Vegas/San Antonio/etc.

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  2. As a current Republic FC season ticket holder and Tower Bridge Battalion member, it seems it always has been and is only a matter of time before Sacramento gets rewarded with an MLS franchise.

    So many great things about this particular location and development too…. less than a mile away from the new Sacramento Kings arena, minutes walk from the river front, convenient access to biking, walking, parking and light rail. I also personally work and live downtown, minutes away from this planned development, and witnessing first hand the developments taking place currently and in the near future is exciting and promising. Not to mention, Sacramento has tens of of thousands of 18-34 year olds moving to, living, and working on the grid (900 block area that comprises of downtown, midtown, etc).

    Can’t wait to cap all of this with a second playoff win and booking the USL championship game this Saturday!

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  3. Sacramento can do it right and come in with a 40,000 league to set the bar

    The same problem with these stadiums is the renditions are too cheap. Do your realize how $%^&*() HOT is gets out in Sacramento in the summer ???

    Sacramento needs more cover from the heat…. Why does nobody ever think of this. If you’re too cheap to build the proper stadium, then dont build it at all !

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  4. Wow excellent location and nice big stadium. Three levels, grass knoll – that connects into a surrounds neighborhood. Good stuff SRFC.

    Looking forward to visiting some day

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  5. Anyone that’s been following Republic FC, and who knows Sacramento and Central California…

    This team WILL sell out, every game. That stadium looks like about 25k. They’ll have 15k season ticket holders, and with the pick Latino population in the area…including Napa, Sonoma, Stockton, Merced, Modesto…this place will sell out.

    In ten years they’ll fill in the ends and expand to 35k.

    Sacramento is by far the strongest market AND ownership group still out there.

    MLS needs to make it happen.

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  6. San Fran and Sac: Well, the cost of living between these two cities would serve Sacramento best. The average salaries, salary cap, etc…is more in line with Sacramento. How can the players in San Fran make a living? Ha Ha Ha. Sacramento is by far the most affordable and most decent part of California.

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  7. Too bad San Antonio doesn’t have a downtown plan if not they would be in. Also this stadium looks a lot like galaxy’s cookie cutter stadium , why not go for something modern.
    MLS should also just expand to 26 teams or create a damn MLS 2 them have some sort of pro/reg that won’t relegate mls1 teams.

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    • Again, I know the location very well. It’s a tight fit with the other construction going on and the depot nearby. My presumption is they cannot build in that section where the big grassy knoll exists, so they went with the triple decker option and a land-fill hill that is the knoll. Bottom line– if they fill that knoll the place will be very loud with the triple-decks.

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  8. It’s easy for me to spend others’ money, but there needs to be a roof over the supporters’ section. The open air thing at both ends doesn’t translate the sound well on TV.

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  9. Yep, this is a PERFECT location. I do business with the Sacramento Regional Transit and SACOG and know this location very well. Slowly but surely, Sacramento has undergone a great transformation. This area will have parking and public transit access, which is a must these days.

    And having a large grassy knoll with both sidelines having triple-decks will create an unreal sound cauldron.

    Rubber Stamp these guys…but I agree, move Chivas. That’s not a knock on California having four teams; it’s more of a doubtful view of Chivas turning it around in LA even with a stadium of their own.

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    • ITA. A stadium deal in LA is probably going to take 3 years, meaning the earliest it would for the beginning of the 2017 MLS season. If they stay in LA, they either continue to pay the Galaxy ownership and play there or, worse, try to find a temporary home for 2015 (possibly not) and 2016. Sacramento is hungry. They have grass roots support. They should form a partnership with the Republic, and even possibly adopt the name. That formula has worked before in Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, and Montreal. Sure, it’s not an NASL survivor but Sacramento was once a top team in the old ASL. I think they were in either the 79 0r 80 ASL final against the Columbus Magic. Also, the Republic are drawing well for USISL. If not Sacramento, Chivas needs to move to San Diego (where they should be rebranded Tijuana USA and they can form a partnership with their counterpart in Mexico).

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      • Also, Sacramento nearly lost the Kings to Seattle. Investors jumped in and bought the team from the horrible Maloof ownership. There is “gold” in them thar hills, as in money from the Kings themselves committed to MLS. I think it would be easier for them to buy Chivas rather than start from scratch w/ an expansion team, although this new Chivas should get some kind of allocation draft IMO since they are league run.

    • Except for the fact that California is a soccer hot bed and contains more talent in its state than any other by far. The youth systems in California are overflowing with talent and so many talented kids are getting overlooked. Adding another mls team with another strong academy would continue to help grow the level and quality of play. This isn’t the nfl or nba

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    • Are you kidding?
      Part of the MLS overall goals in its expansion plans, are to have as many teams in the largest SMSA’s as possible.
      Seeing that Sacramento is the nation’s 18th largest (and California’s 4th) SMA, this franchise more than fits the bill. California is the nations most populous state, the birthplace of youth soccer (AYSO) and has produced many soccer stars than most any other state. California has also produced more MLS Cup winners (6) than any other state.

      The Sacramento valley is 20% Hispanic and the agricultural regions to the north and south from Stockton to Modesto are a hotbed of talent, already being mined by the Mexican League.

      In short, with the backing of the Sacramento Kings owner and the great record breaking season attendance turnout. the Sacramento Bid should be the front-runner for the 24th MLS franchise

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      • I’m sorry, but the East and West coasts do not need another team. Period. MLS expansion over the past few years has focused on the coasts (New York, Florida/ Georgia, Upper NW). That’s all fine and dandy, but what about the middle of the country?

        Indy 11 has sold out every home game (10,000+) in their first year – and still haven’t won at home. I’m not saying that to point out that we’re an expansion franchise, but the fact that Indy’s a soccer town. Minnesota United always pulls strong and so does San Antonio. And, I know this will bring some heat, but St. Louis is ready for the taking and home to some American soccer history.

        If MLS is going to continue to expand, it’d be smart to move inland and fill up some midwest clubs. Columbus, Chicago, and Sporting are fine, but it could be so much more.

    • Scott, that is an excellent idea. We all know the Chivas don’t flies at LA so let move them to alocation where people will attend soccer games!
      Joe Santos Sr.

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      • I know the perfect spot, but I’m not getting paid for a consultation…

        Hint: Downtown and not near the Giants or new Warriors stadium

      • Kezar would be epic. I swear a stadium there would draw better than SJ. Maybe one day when MLS gets really regionalized.

        Gotta hand it tot SJ. They are making it happen. Knowing that downtown and the Kings arena going in and the development near the railyards, This really could be a win/win situation.

    • I’m in Oakland and you better believe I’ll jump from Quakes to Republic. Doesnt sound like Sacto has a cheap owner. Anybody living the A’s collapse know how of that is related to Wolff

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      • Theres still hope for the new SJ Stadium

        Get a new owner, take the new stadium/land currently being built and turn it into an academy site, then build a SSS in downtown SJ near the shark tank.

        The A’s stadium will never be built there!

      • I’m in the Northbay.. I’ll be jumping to Sacto as well.

        In SJ the quakes struggle for relevance. In Sac, the team will become part of the culture.

    • I’ve been saying that for years to put a team in San Francisco

      Theres a few spots in downtown that can be leveled for a Stadium. Kezar wouldn’t be able to handle the traffic and it too far away from Bart.

      Garber has stated he wants teams closer to each other. California can easily support 6 teams.

      Remember folks, NBA denied Larry Elison of Oracle from bringing the NO Hornets to the bay area.

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