Rancho Cordova Approves Funding For Entertainment Venue
RANCHO CORDOVA (CBS13) - The Rancho Cordova City Council answered the million dollar question on Monday night, voting unanimously to use public funds toward an entertainment complex.
The total bill for the entertainment venue is estimated at $28 million dollars, with $6 million in money and land coming from the public.
Some residents say the investment is well worth it. The old Sacramento 6 drive-in theater off Highway 50, here since 1972, is the only entertainment complex in Rancho now.
"I heard about that and it would benefit Rancho Cordova a lot," city resident Andrew Jinkerson said of the new project. "It would open jobs, it would hopefully lower the crime rate."
This is a summer blockbuster - a proposed multi-million dollar entertainment complex with eight movie screens, laser tag, restaurants and a 24-lane bowling center.
"They used to have Cordova Lanes a long time ago that used to be here, but then they built Save Mart and Walmart, Jinkerson said.
"As long as it's for the kids, keep the kids off the street, because the kids need more activities and things to do," said Tashun Miller, a mother of two.
It would be a new place for Vice Mayor Linda Budge to take her grandson.
"And so that's what this brings back to Rancho Cordova, all these wonderful civic assets that we've lost over the last 15 years," she said.
But the proposed venue comes at a steep price - $1 million in public cash and millions more in land.
"To be honest when you talk about the city using their own money, I'm down on that right now," Elizabeth Seely said.
Schools in Rancho Cordova have faced massive cuts, but the city is in a unique position with no deficit and now is a position to spend millions on fun and games.
"I think for us it says that we've operated well in the past 10 years and we hope to continue to operate in a good faith manner like that," said Micah Runner, the city's economic development manager.
The time frame for building this complex is 2013.
