24 million hotel will have 135-room capacity
By Leticia Ordaz
8:36 PM PST Jan 27, 2015
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) —The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on Tuesday to approve a planned $24 million hotel at the Sacramento International Airport — and it’s expected to bring hundreds of new jobs to the region.
The hotel will be funded by a developer who is planning on building a five-story, 135-room Hyatt Place.
Los Angeles-based Sonnenblick Development is proposing to put a Hyatt hotel in a grassy area next to a parking garage, an open space between the airport’s two terminals.
“(It will be) very easily accessible from Terminal A and Terminal B,” said Robert Sonnenblick, with Sonneblick Development. “You fall out of baggage claim right into our lobby.”
The project will start this spring and generate about 300 construction jobs in the next two years.
Airport travelers are excited already.
“It’s a good thing for Sacramento,” Sydney Dawes said Tuesday. “Growth is great.”
An existing hotel was torn down more than six years ago to make room for the new Terminal B. The recession stopped plans for a new hotel at that time.
The economic revival doesn’t stop with the hotel.
Construction crews got an early start Tuesday morning at Bonney Field, the home of Sacramento Republic FC. The team is spending $1.6 million of its own money to expand the stadium’s seating from holding about 8,000 to now 11,000 fans at the Cal Expo site.
The project will send a strong message to Major League Soccer, a Sac Republic spokeswoman said.
“To show them that we can grow to a threshold of 11,000 — and then maybe as high as 14,000 in the future — (it) really shows that there is a demand and a market here in Sacramento,” Erika Bjork told KCRA 3.
Sacramento is among the cities in the running for MLS’s 24th and final franchise. Officials expect the league to make an announcement on expansion plans by June.
“We’re standing where we’ll probably have about 4,000 to 4,500 additional seating in the bleacher section — our most ardent and passionate supporters — our supporters including Tower Bridge Battalion,” said Bjork while showing KCRA 3 around on Tuesday.
Macy’s will also receive tax incentives to set up a warehouse at the former Campbell’s site. The online distribution center for wedding gifts and other goods will generate as many as 350 jobs.
“The warehousing jobs usually average $15 to $20 an hour, which is competitive for our area,” said Troy Givans, the Sacramento County director of economic development.
The worksite for the newly renamed Capital Commerce Center will become a magnet for new jobs.