City Council Approves Convention Center Expansion Plans

The Sacramento City Council has approved plans to renovate and expand the Sacramento Convention Center.

“I’m extremely pleased with the hard work everyone has undertaken to get us to this point,” said Mayor Darrell Steinberg in a statement. “This plan will allow us to invest in the Sacramento Convention Center and other civic amenities in ways that go beyond simply updating and maintaining – so we are innovating and championing our natural assets like the riverfront to make Sacramento a true destination city.”

A final approval for the project's financing will take place in the summer. 

Original Post: The Sacramento City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to allow the city to spend $8.5 million for the Sacramento Convention Center renovation and expansion project.

Under the City's plan, the design phase would cost a little less than $1,855,000.

To pay for the project, the city manager's office would take out $11 million in loans, a $3.4 million internal loan from the Community Center Fund, a $3.8 million internal loan from the General Fund, and a $3.8 million internal loan from the Innovation and Growth Fund.

Under the plan, the City would eliminate a full-time vacant Supervising Architect position and replace it with a Supervising Engineer position within the Department of Public Works.

The City Manager and City Treasurer will be asked to return in August 2017 with a plan to finance phases one and two of the project.

They will also be asked to make presentations regarding the possible creation of a special "Destination Sacramento" fund and the potential for financial assistance for a proposed hotel.