New Hotel, Complex Hope To Breathe New Life Into Sleep Train Arena Area
NATOMAS (CBS13) – A new area hotel and fancy complex may be moving in soon, after clearing its first hurdle with the Sacramento Planning Commission Thursday night.
Sleep Train Arena, while very much still present, has left a void of empty streets and silenced the big city buzz for neighbors. This new complex may help change that.
"I don't like it at all, but it's exciting to see what they're going to do with the new space," said Omar Valencia of Natomas.
Just like the rest of us wondering what's happening to the sleepy arena, a new developer isn't wasting time and plans to put in a new hotel with space for top notch businesses.
"Farm-to-fork food experience with local makers, no chains, no Subways," said Rich Knowland, a developer with Brooks Street.
Knowland presented the 300,000 square-foot building to the commission and got the green light.
The complex is planned for an area just south of Sleep Train, right on Arena Boulevard.
It will house 120 Marriott Hotel rooms, along with three buildings for businesses, and even a plan for a future farmers market.
The plan now heads to the full Sacramento City Council for approval.
Natomas construction stalled for quite some time because of the building moratorium. The army Corp of Engineers said the levies weren't stable enough to allow the area to grow.
That ban has been lifted and Knowland believes it's a good thing for Natomas.
"Not a lot has happened. There's a lot of stuff going on downtown, but not every business wants to be downtown, as wonderful as it is," he said.
Residents are happy to hear new neighbors are moving in.
"I think hopefully something will replace it to help bring the business back," said Paul Costella of Natomas.
If all things go as planned, the developer hopes to break ground this coming summer.
