Sacramento to repair damaged deck months after Rio City Cafe closure
SACRAMENTO – A dilapidated deck blamed for closing down a popular restaurant in Old Sacramento is finally set to be repaired by its owner, the City of Sacramento. It's also one step closer to repairing the city's reputation as a business partner.
The empty, damaged deck on the Sacramento River is finally set to be repaired after the Rio City Cafe closed its doors last year.
New plans are in place to begin the $3 million deck repair in May and be finished by October.
"I think the entire Old Sacramento is looking for something like a signal from the city that says, you know, we're serious," councilmember Phil Pluckebaum said.
Pluckebaum represents Old Sacramento and says he wants to see a local owner's restaurant reopen the space.
"It's unfortunate that we weren't able to get this done in time for Rio City Cafe," Pluckebaum said.
In 2024, the city cut Rio City Cafe's seating in half when it closed the deck due to safety concerns caused by the city's own deferred maintenance, leading the owners to announce they would close for good.
The closure came just ahead of the A's move to Sutter Health Park, just across the Tower Bridge from the restaurant, leaving an empty, high-profile location at a time Sacramento is seeking to highlight its waterfront location.
"Right now, what we need to do is meet that promise, keep that promise that we've made to the public to activate that space," Pluckebaum said.
In October, the city will need to find a new partner to re-open the doors again.
