After making their stadium plans public more than two years ago, Sacramento Republic FC and the mayor’s office have announced plans for the construction of a new, state-of-the-art soccer stadium and entertainment district in Sacramento’s downtown Railyards they hope to open in 2027 as the team takes on new majority ownership.
Republic FC and outgoing Mayor Darrell Steinberg, at a news conference Thursday morning at City Hall, announced a term sheet is in place to construct a 12,000-seat stadium with the financial backing of the Wilton Rancheria, the Native American tribe in the Sacramento area that owns Sky River Casino in Elk Grove.
“This is the single biggest boost to our downtown, and the single biggest news for our downtown, since we saved the Kings and built the Golden 1 Center” in the city’s Downtown Commons, Steinberg said in an interview with The Sacramento Bee. The Kings staved off relocation by the NBA in 2013, and the Golden 1 Center opened in 2016.
Wilton Rancheria has taken over majority ownership of Republic FC from Chairman Kevin Nagle, who will remain a managing partner and primary voice in the club’s operations.
Wilton Rancheria is now the first North American tribe to be the majority owner of a men’s professional sports team. The terms of the investment were not disclosed.
Steinberg took the stage Thursday while “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey rang through the public address system. He was the first to speak on stage, along with Nagle, Wilton Rancheria’s Chairman Jesus Tarango Jr., Denton Kelley of LDK Ventures and the Railyards, state Sen. Angelique Ashby, and Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, who is currently leading in early returns to become the city’s next mayor.
A photo opportunity following the speakers included streamers while members of Wilton Rancheria’s tribal council received customized Republic FC jerseys with their names on them.
“It is an honor to welcome the people of Wilton Rancheria to join Republic FC,” Nagle said. “As we’ve formed this new partnership, it has been very clear that the future of the city, the club and the community that comprises Wilton Rancheria are immense sources of pride and passion — with a relentless pursuit to protect and grow.”
The agreement is expected to expedite the sale of the land of the stadium site from Downtown Railyards Ventures, LLC to the joint venture of Republic FC and Wilton Rancheria that they’re calling “Indomitable” as a nod to the soccer team’s nickname, “The Indomitable Club.”
Republic FC and the city on Thursday estimated the cost of the new stadium at $175 million and surrounding infrastructure at $42 million for a total of $217 million.
The formal term sheet for the project will be presented to the Sacramento City Council on Tuesday.
“Together, we’ve created a path to building a stadium downtown and we can take a massive step next week,” Nagle continued.
The entertainment district will adjoin the stadium and include a hotel, housing, entertainment, restaurants and mixed-use spaces on a 31-acre plot on the corner of North B and Seventh streets on the eastern end of the Railyards.
There are also plans for rehabilitating the historic Paint Shop building in the Railyards into a 3,600 fixed-seat music venue, which is being funded by Downtown Railyards Ventures and an as yet unnamed live music promotion company. That development and related infrastructure were expected to cost more than $125 million.
“The ancestors of Wilton Rancheria have been stewards of the Sacramento Valley region since time immemorial,” Tarango said. “We wanted to pursue this opportunity not only to recognize this important history but to build a future where our Tribe is an active leader in Sacramento’s growth.”
The sale of the land and capital investment have been roadblocks in the stadium’s construction since the latest round of plans were announced in 2022.
Steinberg estimated negotiations with Wilton Rancheria have been ongoing for roughly a year while the idea of a new stadium in the Railyards has been top of mind for much longer.
“This has been eight years in the making,” Steinberg said. “What’s different now is that we found the absolute right investor with Wilton Rancheria. In some ways, they’re reclaiming their historic lands. They’ve obviously had a lot of success in Elk Grove and it was quite a few months to get to this point.”
The construction of a new stadium is independent of Republic FC’s long-term goal of getting promoted to Major League Soccer. The latest deal has a new framework that differs from the one agreed to in 2019 when Sacramento was awarded an expansion MLS team before primary investor Ron Burkle backed out in 2021, which kept the club in the second-tier United Soccer League.
The design of the new stadium will allow it to expand to meet MLS regulations, which include an overhang to provide shade to the grandstands, increased capacity to over 20,000 and other amenities. The stadium is expected to be a potential hub to host concerts, community events and other sporting events.
“When I was a young councilmember,” said mayoral candidate McCarty, “we talked about the largest infill opportunity site west of the Mississippi (River). And there’s a key word there, largest infill opportunity site. Two-hundred plus acres steps from our downtown. And we said, ‘one day.’ Well, no longer is it an opportunity site. It’s going to be a destination. Today is our day. Congratulations about that.”
Republic FC officials said in April 2022 the cost of the stadium was expected to be $100 million to $150 million while the city would pay for infrastructure costs surrounding the venue. Steinberg said it was a priority to avoid using the city’s general fund for the project and the project will be privately financed. The city plans to use property taxes from the development to fund infrastructure costs, which was similar to the plan the City Council approved for the MLS stadium in 2019.
The announcement comes a little more than a month after Sacramento State announced it was modernizing with a new 25,000-seat football stadium by 2028, as stakeholders on the “SAC 12” Committee push for the school to be added to the Pac-12 conference.
MLS expansion on the table?
MLS has been in a holding pattern regarding expansion after awarding the league’s 30th team in 2023 to San Diego, which will begin play in 2025. There’s a chance the league could revisit expansion to 32 teams following the World Cup in 2026 being held in the United States should it amplify interest in the sport.
Having an expandable, modern stadium could logically improve Sacramento’s case to jump to MLS. Steinberg has said previously he believes Sacramento is worthy of MLS expansion.
“It would be turnkey,” Steinberg said. “But I want to be real clear, because we would love MLS. We do not need MLS. Our Republic has actually won a few matches against MLS teams.”
Republic FC beat three teams en route to reaching the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, becoming the first second-division team in two decades to reach the final round of the tournament before losing to Orlando City SC, 3-0.
San Diego’s MLS ownership group of Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation paid an MLS record $500 million expansion fee. Should Republic FC get back in consideration for MLS expansion, Canadian investor Belinda Stronach could be involved as a key financial contributor, as The Bee reported in July 2023.
Republic has long been trying to upgrade its home venue of Heart Health Park at Cal Expo, which cost just $3 million when it was built with temporary bleachers and bathroom trailers in 2014. The stadium is operated by Cal Expo, which temporarily prevented Republic FC from hosting a U.S. Open Cup game over the summer because it conflicted with preparations for the California State Fair next door.
Cal Expo later relented and allowed the game to be played.
Sacramento has regularly hovered among the leaders in USL attendance, averaging more than 10,000 fans per game.
California’s capital region, including Stockton and Modesto, is ranked by Nielsen as No. 20 in the country by media market size. Orlando is currently the only other market in the Top 20 with just one team from the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL. That will change next spring when the Athletics bring Major League Baseball to West Sacramento, but that is a temporary stay ahead of their planned move to a new ballpark in Las Vegas in 2028.
Wilton Rancheria’s presence in Sacramento region
Wilton Rancheria is part of a Miwok tribe that’s native to Northern California. It formally regained federal recognition in 2009 after losing that status in 1964 while the U.S. government went back and forth between selling off its land to developers and allowing the tribe’s self-determination.
“I am deeply proud to witness this moment, which stands as a profound testament to the resilience and determination of the people of Wilton Rancheria,” Tarango said. “In just over a decade, our Tribe has transformed from landless to becoming a significant economic force in the region. The opportunity to drive a project of such scale and importance, on land where our ancestors once walked, is deeply meaningful.”
The tribe has some 700 members with 62% living in Sacramento County, and built Sky River Casino in partnership with Boyd Gaming in 2022. The establishment has 2,100 slot machines, 80 table games and 18 restaurants. Expansion plans for the casino were announced this June with plans for a 300-room hotel, 1,600-space parking garage, spa, outdoor pool, meeting and event space.
Wilton Rancheria earlier this year reclaimed 77 acres of land from the federal government in Wilton after it became federal property in 1959. The tribe plans to build a village and community assets on the land.
Tarango pointed to Sky River Casino as an “overwhelming success,” and said that the Republic FC partnership allows Wilton Rancheria “to continue to build upon this monumental growth.”
“This is not only a chance to honor our history and uplift our community, but also to envision a future where we are not only part of Sacramento’s past, but an integral part of its future as well.”
This story was originally published November 07, 2024 10:00 AM.
