Meeting Recap for Monday, February 24, 2013

“Go west,” was the advice of author, newspaper publisher and politician Horace Greeley to young men of the post-Civil War era.

“Look to the west,” was the advice of Centennial Speaker Series lead-off presenter Larry Kelley to a packed house at Rotary Club of Sacramento Monday at the Red Lion.

Well, OK, Kelley didn’t use exactly those words after being introduced by Past President Rob Scherer. But that was the gist of what he had to say as he shared his vision for the future of Sacramento.

Kelley, well-known developer of both Stanford Ranch and McClellan Park, focused extensively on the western part of Sacramento and West Sacramento as he gazed into his crystal ball.

Also an investor in the new Sacramento Kings ownership group, Kelley is working to acquire the former Union Pacific rail yards and take over the country’s largest urban in-fill opportunity.

Not surprisingly, both those endeavors involve development on Sacramento’s west side—but there was more to his “Westside Story” than those two projects.

“The new arena is going to be transformative for downtown,” said Kelley. “Its design makes it more inclusive and less elitist. It will be almost as much fun outside as inside.

“And I predict we’re going to get into a similar debate before long about construction of a major new soccer stadium in the downtown area. I think soccer’s time has come.”

Kelley also focused on West Sacramento and all the development taking place along the river near Raley Field and the Tower Bridge.

“I think that river is going to be bridged some more,” said Kelley. “I think we’ll be more ‘merged’ in the future. Mark Friedman is doing a great job with the Bridge District development.”

And then there is the Rail Yard, originally the location most people thought a new sports arena and entertainment complex might be built.

“There will be 2,000 to 3,000 homes, a new office building or two and, I predict, a new hospital. Right now there are no hospitals on that side of town,” he said.

Given Kelley’s track record (there are now more people working at McClellan Park than when it was an Air Force base), it would be well for all of us to think about going west!

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Larry Booth was the meeting sponsor, sharing photos of some of Frank M. Booth’s major construction projects. Larry Booth, Delta Properties, Gilbert Associates and John O. Bronson insurance are all Centennial sponsors.

The Rotary Rooters provided pre-meeting entertainment during the wine reception. Leo McFarland offered the invocation and Frank Cook and Pat Derickson acted as greeters. Kelley’s presentation was video-taped by a crew from Cosumnes River College—arranged for with the help of Brian King.

President Thom Gilbert offered members the opportunity to obtain one of the club’s new centennial pins, in exchange (of course) for a gift of $5. The new pins prominently feature the west-side landmark Tower Bridge.

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