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Businesses Position Themselves Ahead Of Golden 1 Center Opening

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento's sparkling Golden 1 Center is almost ready to open. And now attention is turning to the rest of the downtown core.

Businesswoman Lisa Musilli-Johnson opened the doors to her new business "Metro Kitchen and Drinkery" on R and 11th streets so she could be part of the downtown arena renaissance.

"Its an ongoing conversation about game night concert night, people park in this area, maybe light-railing here grabbing a bite to eat," Musilli-Johnson said.

The restaurant "El Rey" just opened too on the 700 block of K Street.

"I think we have the perfect timing," owner Trevor Shultz said. "We're opening up about 30 to 45 days prior to the arena, and I think it's a positive thing for us."

Besides the new business sparked by the arena, there is still old blight.

Just across the street from the Golden 1 Center, the building where the former Greyhound station was housed still sits empty and boarded up.

"It's no longer acceptable to have under-utilized buildings," Downtown Partnership President Michael Ault said. "its no longer acceptable to have some of the behavior elements outside the buildings."

Fans entering the Golden One Center on opening night will also see downtown construction in progress. Cranes are up building the Kings-owned hotel. The 700-block of  K Street is still a work in progress.

The arena opens Oct. 4 with a Paul McCartney concert. The Sacramento Kings will play their first preseason game in the building a couple weeks later.

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