"But the arena apparently posed another problem for Fat City, too,” says Sorich. “The restaurant group's CEO said that on event nights, parking in Old Sacramento costs $15, and that has dissuaded people from going to the historic district."

On the other hand, the CEO says Frank Fat’s, the Fat Family’s 80-year-old downtown restaurant at 8th and L streets, benefits from arena events. Some of the 45 employees at Fat City could get positions at other Fat family restaurants.

Old Sac Waterfront Redevelopment Moving Forward

The city of Sacramento is trying to inject new life into Old Sacramento, which is attracting fewer tourists. A design team has come up with a concept for redeveloping the waterfront. They call it the Front Street Experience. Sorich says Old Sacramento business owners last week got a peek at what it would look like.

"Ultimately, the waterfront redevelopment project could include elements such as public art, park space, interactive sculptures and fountains," says Sorich.

The goal is to turn Old Sacramento into a vibrant district with public amenities that can host events and be a community gathering spot near the Sacramento River. The city has dedicated up to $47 million toward renovating the waterfront as part of what it calls the Destination Sacramento Program. Feedback from last week's meeting will be used to prepare a concept, which will be presented to the city council before the end of the year.