It’s summertime in Sacramento! Celebrate with these 50 fun things to do

It’s summertime in Sacramento! There is no better time of year in the capital region, and we all look forward to hot weather, cool nights, family vacations, playing outdoors, and plenty of holiday barbecues by the pool.

So we wanted to present our list of 50 top things to do in the region! We covered the first 25 in part one of this blog, and here are the remaining 25 fantastically fun things to do and see in Sactown this summer!

1. Take advantage of Sacramento's ideal location by driving up to gorgeous Lake Tahoe for a day trip – or a whole weekend! Visit the gorgeous beaches at Emerald Bay, Secret Cove, and Sand Harbor and spend the rest of the day on the various mountains, enjoying hiking, biking, gambling, restaurants, and drinks with new friends, and enough sunshine and clean air to reinvigorate you for the whole year!

2. Did you know that Auburn is known as the official Endurance Capital of the World? In fact, Auburn hosts some of the most challenging (and downright crazy!) endurance events in the entire world, including ultra-distance running, mountain biking, horse races, and triathlons of all kinds. http://www.visitplacer.com/california-endurance-capital.aspx

3. Tours, tours, and more tours! Sacramento is home to some tremendous options when it comes to taking a guided tour, including local food tours, bike bus tours, the Old Sacramento Underground tour, wine tours, and just about everything else you can imagine! https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/Attractions-g32999-Activities-c42-Sacramento_California.html

4. Take the kids to the zoo in Sacramento! There are actually two zoos in the Sacramento region - The Sacramento Zoo located at Land Park Drive and 16th Avenue, and the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary at 403 Stafford St. in Folsom. They both have educational activities and fun events for children – even over night stays with animals! Sacramento Zoo: (916) 808-5888; Folsom Zoo: (916) 351-3527

5. If you’re at the zoo in Land Park, you might as well bring the kids to Funderland for amusement park rides or take the younger children to 88-Fairytale Town for a day of imagination and laughs.

6. Don’t forget to get your baseball fix by attending a few Sacramento River Cat games at Raley Field in West Sacramento, the nicest minor league park in America!

7. Screen on the Green features free outdoor movies at various parks around Sacramento during summer months. You can get more information at http://sacscreenonthegreen.com

8. Nothing celebrates summer better than ice cream, and if you want a little Sacramento tradition along with your frozen treats, visit Gunther’s for a 50/50, Vic’s for a milkshake, or any neighborhood Rite Aid for a $2 ice cream cone.

9. Summer is meant to be spent touring Sacramento on two wheels, so tune up your bicycle and hit the American River Bike Trail for a 26-mile ride from Folsom to Discovery Park, or join one of the man bike groups or bicycle pub crawls that are held during the warm weather months.

10. Second Saturday Art Walks are a summertime tradition in the capital city, as thousands of residents descend on downtown, midtown, and other neighborhoods to sample local artwork and fun. You can go to http://www.2ndsaturdaysacramento.com for more information and schedules.

11. If you haven’t gotten your fix of art on Second Saturdays, head to Roseville and Placer for their Third Saturday Art Walks, or Davis for their own ArtAbout on the second Friday of every month.

12. Stretch and breathe your way to ultimate relaxation with weekend Yoga in the Park in Sacramento. Yoga classes are free (donations welcome) and held at McKinley Park every Saturday and Tahoe Park every Sunday.

13. If you're into yoga, there are plenty of places to downward dog and sun salutation to your heart's content in Sacramento, but one of our favorites is the yoga class held every Saturday at 9 am at Soil Born Farm. Enjoy an outdoor yoga class in their amphitheater and pick up some organic produce at the farm stand there!

14. On a sizzling summer day, there's nothing better than cooling off at a waterpark all day! So head to Raging Waters on the Cal Expo fairgrounds for rides like the Honolulu Half Pipe, Shark Attack Slide Complex, Cliffhanger, Splashdown, and Dragon's Den.

15. Or check out Scandia Family Fun Center where you can shoot a few rounds of mini-golf, whip around on go-karts, ride the roller coaster, hit one out of the park at their batting cages or just relax in the indoor arcade.

16. An East Sacramento local institution, Selland’s on H Street near Sac State offers some of the best gourmet food and wine you’ll find. They even have special events like Wine Wednesdays where you can try six featured wines. http://www.sellands.com/specials-calendar

17. A summer wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Bay to watch an A’s or Giants game, and you don’t even need to drive to enjoy the game. Amtrak now offers convenient service right near the ballparks, and you can bring friends and book a round-trip ticket with Companion Fares. Play ball!

18. Drive-in movies are a great bit of nostalgia for many of us, as there are now only 338 drive-ins left in the U.S. Fortunately, one of them is still open right here in Sacramento! Pack up the family and find a great spot at the Sacramento 6 Drive-In, where you can buy popcorn ice cream or other snacks. Tickets are only $7 for adults and $1 for children! www.westwinddrivein.com

19. Labor Day Weekend is a can't-miss event in Old Sacramento, with Gold Rush Days transforming the streets back to an 1850 western gold rush town for all to see and experience.

20. Rent an innertube, raft, kayak, or stand up paddle board and ride the current down the American River, starting at Sunrise and ending at Watt. You can get lessons and equipment at FLOW, RiseSUP, or the Sacramento State Aquatic Center, among others.

21. Speaking of all this water, what would summer in Sacramento be without boating on the river? So call up your best friend that owns a boat (who will be very popular every summer), and lie out, listen to music, boat hop, and even jump in the water this weekend!

22. Sacramento is called America's Farm-to-Fork Capital for a good reason, with incredibly fresh, healthy, and tasty fruits, vegetables, and other organic foods sold by local farmers every day of the week! Check out the whole schedule and locations at: http://www.farmtofork.com/taste-and-tour/farmers-markets/

23. The fall may be for apple picking, but summer is for picking berries, and there’s no better place to harvest your own strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries Patrick’s Berry Farm in Camino. Get ready to eat some incredible jellies, jams, and plenty of pies!

24. You don’t have to travel far at all to spend a day in some of the most majestic woodlands in the world in the Tahoe and Eldorado National Forests, hiking swimming, cycling, or even rock climbing. You can find out more here: http://www.visitplacer.com/national-forests.aspx

25. In fact, why not bring a tent and some gear and spend a night or two camping in the Tahoe National Forest, which has been named one of the top 20 national forests in the entire U.S.! You can also go camping closer to home in many more of Placer County's abundant forests, recreation areas, and campgrounds. http://www.visitplacer.com/national-forests.aspx

Celebrate summer in Sacramento with these 50 fun things to do!

Summertime in Sactown, “and the living is easy” – as the song goes! There is no better time of year in the capital region, and we all look forward to hot weather, cool nights, family vacations, playing outdoors, and plenty of holiday barbecues by the pool. 

But too often, we have grand plans to make this coming summer the best ever by seeing and doing so much, only to look up and it’s already October. 

So we wanted to help you get organized, motivated, and just plain excited about this summer - from the first day, June 20, until the last day, September 22 - with our list of 50 top things to do in the region! 

Have fun – and remember to invite us to that poolside barbecue!

1. Cool off in the river! One of the best resources Sacramento has to offer is its rivers, and with not only the Sacramento but American River waiting for you to swim, float, kayak, paddle board and boat, there's never a shortage of wet and wild fun!

2. Eppies Great Race on July 15 is one of Sacramento’s great summer traditions, with thousands of spectators cheering on triathletes and teams as they run (5.82 miles), cycle (12.5 miles), and kayak (6.10 miles) along the American River Parkway. Your support is always appreciated, as Eppies Great Race benefits Therapeutic Recreation Services, a Sacramento County program for people with special needs and developmental disabilities.

3. To kick off the summer the right way, visit the Placer County Fair June 22-25 in Roseville for four days of family fun! Go to http://www.placercountyfair.org for scheduled events and more information.

4. Pack up the car and head through the foothills up into the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains for hiking, camping, fishing – and much cooler temps!

5. A fast growing summer tradition is to kick it with the whole family at a Sacramento Republic FC soccer match where you can root enthusiastically for the home team to win another championship and hardcore supporters can even join up with the Tower Brigade Battalion.

6. If you want to play sports instead of just watch them, join one of the many summertime softball or baseball leagues in Sacramento, flag football, outdoor basketball and ultimate Frisbee rec leagues. Or you can get really serious about your fun in the Sacramento WAKA Kickball league! Find out more at https://www.kickball.com/sacramento

7. Every June in East Sacramento, Pops in the Park brings bands, beer, and neighbors and visitors together for four Saturday night events. To check out the next Pops in the Park schedule and more information, go to: http://eastsacpopsinthepark.com

8. If you’re a fan of fast cars and hotrods, Placer County hosts a bunch of car and shows and races all summer. You can check out the whole list and schedule here: http://www.visitplacer.com/car-shows-placer-county.aspx

9. Take your dog for a walk around your midtown on a beautiful day, or for more exercise (for you and the dog!) head to one of Sacramento’s great dog parks, like Sutter’s Landing Dog Park, Partner Park Dog Park, or Lynn-Robbie Off-Leash Dog Park.

10. There are even a good number of dog-friendly cafes, bars and restaurant patios these days, so you can do a “Pup” Crawl to Oak Park Brewing Company, Der Biergarten, Temple Coffee, Cafe Capricho, and more dog-friendly establishments. 

11. Of course, summer is the best time to stroll around Old Town in Sacramento, stopping for a big brunch on the riverside, taking in the shops, bars, cafes, museums, and other Old West attractions, especially during holidays and the many Old Sac festivals.

12. While you're in Old Town, come aboard the legendary Delta King. It may be permanently docked in Old Sacramento these days, but you can still enjoy the Pilothouse restaurant, a murder mystery dinner show at Suspects, stay overnight in one of the ship's staterooms, or just have a drink with friends on the top deck lounge. Go to www.deltaking.com for more information.

13. Wine lovers don’t have to go all the way to Napa for the perfect day of tasting, since the Auburn Wine Trail (or the Ale Trail ) are only about 2o minutes away, and the hills of Amador County are also dotted with great wineries.

14. Feel like hitting the links? Sacramento has more than a dozen spectacular public golf courses, and Sierra View, Serrano, and Rancho Murieta are a few of the award-winning private courses.

15. If you're a lover of the outdoors and want some fresh air and exercise this summer, spend the day hiking on one of the Sacramento region's almost limitless hiking trails. From beginners that want a twenty-minute stroll on a paved path to avid sportsperson who want to backpack far into the mountains, there's something for everyone! http://www.everytrail.com/best/hiking-sacramento-california

16. Hot August Nights come to Reno, Nevada for a couple weeks every August, bringing the largest nostalgic car show in the world, as well as music, drinks, amazing food (try the barbecue!), and fun crowds. https://hotaugustnights.net

17. Jump around! Jump around! If you run into a rainy day (or an 110 degree day), take the kids to BounceU in Roseville (https://www.bounceu.com/roseville-ca/) or Sky Zone in Sacramento (https://www.skyzone.com/sacramento) for some high-flying fun.

18. Fun weekends start the moment you get out of work on Friday, as a short drive (or walk) downtown to Cesar Chavez Plaza will kick off the weekend with Concerts in the Park every Friday until July 29. Check out the lineup of bands at http://godowntownsac.com/events/signature-events/concerts-in-the-park/

19. The opus of every summer is the 4th of July holiday, and Independence Day is a great time in Sacramento. Line up early to catch the parades that go through the River Park or Arden Park neighborhoods, but the 4th festivities in East Sacramento are second-to-none.

20. We can't forget about the Sacramento State Fair – a staple of summers in Northern California! For about two weeks every July, you can check out the rides, amazing bands, displays and shows, nightly fireworks, and of course plenty of creatively fried foods. For information on this year's State Fair and band lineup, go to http://www.castatefair.org/home/

21. Pack a picnic basket and relax on the beach at Discovery Park. 

22. Or spend the day playing on the shores and in the water at gorgeous Folsom Lake.

23. Instead of always going out to find summer entertainment, apply for a permit to close off your street and throw a neighborhood block party! https://hotaugustnights.net

24. After work or on a “Sunday Funday,” call up some friends and meet at Swabbies on the River for music, a few cold ones, river views, great fish tacos, and a great sunset.

25. Are you a big fan of craft brews? Grab some friends and visit a few microbreweries and tasting rooms in Sacramento and Placer County. The beer scene is growing like wildfire in the region, so you have plenty of great brews to sip! (Just remember to get a designated driver.)

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Look for part two with the next 25 fun things to do in Sacramento and Placer County this summer! 

75 Famous people that are from Sacramento

The city of Sacramento has the glow a rising star these days, with a brand new state-of-the-art arena and impressive downtown redevelopment, as well as a booming real estate market and more companies and residents relocating to “The 916” every year. 

But while Sacramento wasn’t always considered a first city, there have been plenty of notable and famous people who were born and raised in the region. In fact, some of the biggest recognizable names from the silver screen, politics, Olympic athletes, professional sports players and even musicians are from Sacramento.

Here is our list of the top 75 most famous people from Sacramento. The list of famous people who lived in Sacramento at some point is much longer, but this is just folks who were born and/or raised here.

Famous actors and filmmakers:
1.     LeVar Burton (raised) – actor (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
2.     Jessica Chastain (raised) – actress (The Huntsman Winter’s War, Interstellar, The Martian)
3.     Merrin Dungey (born and raised) – actress (The King of Queens, Alias and Summerland)
4.     Sam Elliott (born) – actor (Roadhouse, Tombstone)
5.     Sasha Grey (raised in Sacramento County, attended Sacramento City College) – Actress, model, author, musician and former adult actress
6.     Tom Hanks (From Concord, attended CSUS, lived in Sacramento) – actor, director, producer (Forrest Gump, Castaway, Saving Private Ryan)
7.     Sam J. Jones – actor (Flash Gordon, Ted and Ted 2)
8.     Molly Ringwald (born and raised in the Sacramento area) – actress (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club)

Famous broadcasters and journalists:
9.     Herb Caen (born) - San Francisco columnist
10. Lester Holt (raised in Sacramento County, CSUS graduate) – anchor of NBC Nightly News, moderates the presidential debate
11. Lisa Ling – TV personality on The View, host of This is Life with Lisa Ling on CNN

Famous musicians and acts:
12. CAKE – alternative rock band
13. Craig Chaquico – Jefferson Starship guitarist
14. Club Nouveau – R&B group
15. Deftones – alternative metal band
16. Cynthia Robinson – musician, inductee of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Sly and the Family Stone
17. Tesla – rock band
18. Jabbawockeez – dance crew (members Phil Tayag, Joe Larot and Kevin Brewer are from Sacramento)

Famous writers:
19. Deborah Blum – Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and author
20. Nicholas Sparks (raised in Fair Oaks) - author of  "The Notebook" and "A Walk to Remember".
21. Joan Didion (born and raised) – author, journalist, screenwriter
22. Mark Twain – novelist and humorist
23. Cornel West – scholar on issues of religion, Marxism, American philosophy, racial matters

Famous baseball players:
24. Larry Bowa – Los Angeles Dodgers coach, former MLB shortstop and manager
25. Jerry Manuel – former MLB player, manager of New York Mets and Chicago White Sox
26. Manny Parra – pitcher for Cincinnati Reds
27. Dustin Pedroia – second baseman Boston Red Sox
28. Dusty Baker – MLB outfielder, manager of San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs
29. Derrek Lee – 15–year MLB infielder
30. Brad Lidge – 11-year MLB pitcher
31. Buck Martinez – 17–year MLB catcher
32. Mark McLemore – former pitcher for Houston Astros
33. F.P. Santangelo – seven–year MLB player, analyst on Giants pregame show on Fox Sports Net
34. Steve Sax – MLB All–Star second baseman
35. Greg Vaughn – four–time MLB All–Star outfielder
36. Randy Veres – 6–year pitcher for five MLB teams
37. Fernando Viña – 12–year infielder for five MLB teams
38. John Vukovich – 11–year infielder for three teams; manager of Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies

Famous basketball players:
39. Ryan Anderson – New Orleans Pelicans forward
40. Matt Barnes - the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers.
41. Bill Cartwright – NBA center who played for three teams and won three championships
42. Kevin Johnson – former NBA guard who played for Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers, became mayor of Sacramento in 2008
43. Ruthie Bolton – noted WNBA player, Olympian

Famous boxers:
44. Max Baer – former world heavyweight boxing champion
45. Diego Corrales – former world lightweight and junior lightweight boxing champion
46. Otis Griffin – boxer and winner of Fox reality TV show The Next Great Champ
47. Tony Lopez – former world super featherweight and lightweight boxing champion

Famous NFL football players:
48. Seneca Wallace – backup quarterback for the Cleveland Browns
49. Lance Briggs - 12-year linebacker for the Chicago Bears
50. Teddy Bruschi - 13-year linebacker who won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots
51. Dan Bunz – eight–year NFL linebacker won two Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers
52. Rae Carruth – former NFL wide receiver found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder of his girlfriend
53. Ken O'Brien – 11–year quarterback for the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles
54. Jason Sehorn – nine–year NFL defensive back for the New York Giants and St. Louis Rams
55. Eric Thomas – nine–year NFL defensive back
56. Gerald Willhite – seven–year NFL running back for the Denver Broncos

Famous golfers:
57. Tom Johnson – PGA Tour golfer
58. Spencer Levin – PGA Tour golfer
59. Nick Watney – PGA Tour golfer

Famous martial artists:
60. Urijah Faber – professional mixed martial arts fighter in the UFC and former WEC featherweight champion.
61. T.J. Dillashaw - professional mixed martial arts fighter in the UFC and former UFC Bantamweight Champion.
62. Chad Mendes – professional mixed martial arts fighter in the UFC

Famous Olympians:
63. Eric Heiden – five-time gold medalist speed skater
64. Ruthie Bolton – women's basketball 1996 and 2000 Olympics gold medalist
65. Tommy Kono – three–time medalist in weightlifting, 1952, 1956, 1960
66. Summer Sanders – gold medalist swimmer at 1992 Summer Olympics
67. Mark Spitz – seven-time gold medalist swimmer
68. Debbie Meyer - three-time Olympic champion swimmer

Other famous sports figures and athletes:
69. Scott Boras – sports agent, minor league baseball player
70. Vic Grimes – professional wrestler
71. Kyle Larson – professional racer, NASCAR driver
72. Scott Pruett – racer (NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA GT, Trans Am and Grand–Am)

Businessmen and politicians:
73. Charles R. Schwab (born) – founder of Charles Schwab Corporation
74. Anthony Kennedy – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Supreme Court J(born in Sacramento and graduated from McClatchy High School)
75. Kevin Johnson – former mayor of Sacramento, NBA player

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Were you surprised by any of the famous names on the list? Or did we forget someone? Feel free to comment or contact us, and thanks for sharing on social media!

Your Sacramento Railyards Fact Sheet.

Last week, hundreds of spectators, residents, and well-wishers gathered to celebrate a seminal moment in the Sacramento’s future: the grand opening of Railyards Boulevard, connecting downtown and the Sacramento Railyards site by joining 7th and Jibboom streets, as well as new extensions to 5th and 6th streets downtown.

Between the photo ops, enthusiastic residents and speeches by city officials, there was a palpable sentiment that, more than just another road, this was really a link between the capital city’s past and it’s promising future.

But if you’re a Sacramentan, you’ll probably get very familiar with grand openings and civic ceremonies, as new landmarks will be unveiled at the Sacramento Railyards frequently over the coming years and decades, transforming the region.

“To get to this point…is a real big milestone for the city,” said Councilmember Jeff Harris. “This project essentially doubles the size of our city center. It’s the biggest infill project right now in the US. This is a big deal.”

A big deal, indeed, since advocates, developers, and city officials have been working tirelessly to make the Railyards project a reality for parts of three decades or more.

In order to keep you abreast of all the exciting happenings with the project, we’ve compiled this Sacramento Railyards fact sheet:

The Vision

The Railyards is a 244-acre site located just north of downtown and south of the River District in Sacramento. Transforming the historic former site of the Union Pacific railroad hub, it looks to develop a state of the art mixed-use urban center, complete with a signature mass transit hub. With plenty of housing, hotels, retail spaces, office space, and entertainment venues like theaters, parks, and museums, the Railyards will be an economic boon for the city and a must-see destination for Californians and tourists alike.

History of the Railyards

At its inception in the 1860s, Sacramento’s rail yards were the central hub of the entire western United States, connecting the country and aiding commerce created by western expansion and the Gold Rush.

The first railroad in the Sacramento Valley was completed in 1856, and The First Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869 after several other railroads like the Central Pacific merged.

As early as 1883, Sacramento’s terminal was the primary point of departure and arrival for thousands of travelers, workers, and innumerable goods.

In fact, in the early 20^th century, the Sacramento railroad network was the largest west of the Mississippi River and employed an astounding one-third of all Sacramento workers!

Proposed Project

Plans for the Sacramento Railyards include:

6,000-10,000 housing units

405,741 square feet of retail space

2,757,027 - 3,857,027 square feet of office space

771,405 square feet of flexible mixed use

1,228,000 square feet of medical campus

1,100 hotel rooms

485,390 square feet of historic and cultural uses like museums

33 acres of open space for parks and recreation

A soccer stadium with 19,621 seats, and potential to expand to approximately 25,000 seats.

Once completed, the Railyards is expected to provide housing for an estimated 20,000 people, a community more populous than Land Park and Curtis Park combined.

The keystone of this redevelopment is the refurbishing of the former “Central Shops” buildings that originally served as the Southern Pacific Depot and maintenance facilities.

An expansive public market place will be at that site, as well as a railroad museum and performing arts center.

It’s estimated that new Railyards site will create 19,000 permanent jobs once it’s opened, as well as employ thousands of contractors and construction workers.

Initial Plan

Developer Millennia Associates tried to buy 70 acres in the southern portion of the rail yard in 2003, with hopes of eventually purchasing and developing the entire property. The project stalled until Thomas Enterprises, Millennia’s financial partner, finalized the rail yard purchase in late 2006.

The first version of the Sacramento Railyards redevelopment that was officially on the books was registered as P05-097 and approved by the City Council on December 11 2007. It was a scaled-down version of the monumental project we now are familiar with, encompassing “only” 12,100 housing units, 1.4 million square feet of retail space, 1,100 hotel rooms, 2.4 million square feet of office space, 485,390 square feet of historic and cultural space, and 491,000 square feet of mixed use.

Current Status

That 2007 proposal was updated in June of 2015, when a new proposal was submitted with a much larger scope, including a change of the land use plan that would incorporate two new additions: a soccer stadium and a Kaiser Medical complex with its 14-story hospital

The Railyards redevelopment has been portioned into five phases. The first phase, Infrastructure Building, is already underway.

Since the Railyards site contains soil and groundwater contaminants that are harmful for humans, environmental remediation has been underway since the 1980s in compliance with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Who is involved?

The Railyards land is owned by IA Sacramento Holdings, L.L.C., under the umbrella of InvenTrust Properties Corp. The project was master-planned by the Jerde Partnership firm. A local development team includes Larry Kelly, who was responsible for turning the MCClellan Air Force Base into a thriving industrial park.

Of course there are many city and municipal agencies and departments involved, but if you have any questions about the Sacramento Railyards or want more information you can contact Associate Planner Teresa Haenggi:

THaenggi@cityofsacramento.org

(916) 808-7554

Next Steps

With the Golden 1 Center opened the fall of 2016, the Sacramento downtown revitalization is in full swing, and that includes the Sacramento Railyards project.

As well as continuing to develop the infrastructure at the Railyards and connect more streets, the city will look to finish construction on nearby F and G Streets, finish new retail and housing projects on the 7000 block of K Street, and break ground on a new county courthouse building.

Now that our downtown is linked to the Railyards by the new boulevard, the first hosing units are expected to be completed sometime in 2018.

The new 20,000-seat soccer stadium could be built as soon as 2018 or 2019 in hopes of attracting a MLS pro soccer team.

The Kaiser Permanente major medical campus is expected to take six to nine years to open.

The proposed Superior Court building at the Railyards does not yet have a firm timeframe for construction.

In the short term, the city of Sacramento is expecting to finish their rehabilitation of the train station that sits at the entry of the railyard some time this winter. The $34 million revitalization of the block-long former station will mark the start of the process to attract retail and office tenants, as well as establish a new Amtrak station.

 “We are seeing a lot of momentum,” said Sacramento city official John Dangberg who oversaw the downtown arena. “But it still takes time for markets like Sacramento to mature.”

While we’d love to see that maturity come to fruition in the Railyards sooner than later, patience will be a virtue as the project marches on towards its epic finale, that will surely reenergize Sacramento.