New digs ahead

Wednesday afternoon, officials from Placer County and Placer Valley Tourism gathered to commence the groundbreaking of the newest addition that is coming to Roseville. A $34 million sports and event center is set to open in 2020 and serve the entire county in the way of facilities and tourism for years to come. Construction of the new Placer Valley Sports and Event Center will begin this month. When completed, the facility will open up opportunities for major amateur sports competitions, large meetings, trade shows, concerts and other events @the Grounds in Roseville. "The event center is truly a one-of-a-kind facility that will help meet the community's needs for a large event space while serving as the centerpiece for the further transformation of the decades-old fairgrounds," said Kirk Uhler, chairman of the Placer County Board of Supervisors. "The event center is an excellent example of how a public-private partnership can work and benefit everyone." According to Placer Valley Tourism, who took over the operation and development of the once-ailing Placer County Fairgrounds property at 800 All America City Blvd. last year, the center is expected to have an estimated $12 million annual economic impact at the former Placer County Fairgrounds and help make the region a popular destination for large events. Placer County and Placer Valley Tourism is a business improvement district that includes the cities of Roseville, Rocklin, Loomis and Lincoln. The nonprofit organization has already invested millions to renovate and transform the site into a much-needed multipurpose campus since summer 2017. Along with the $10 million remodeling and improvement of the 61-acre property last May, Placer Valley Tourism reached a long-term contract with local businessman Bill McAnally who operates the on-site speedway and has already transformed it into a successful facility just a year after it was facing failure. "It's amazing what has been accomplished, how the fairgrounds have changed in a very short period," said David Attaway, chiefexecutive officer of Placer Valley Tourism and @the Grounds. "It shows what can be done when everyone works together." The new rental halls, the lush lawns, an improved annual fair and successful speedway have rapidly brought the facility back to life. However, the newest addition is set to be Placer Valley Tourism's biggest accomplishment yet. "We're extremely proud of what we've accomplished in a very short period, but when the event center opens, it will greatly elevate the size and types of events that we can host," Attaway said. "The event center will be the crown jewel." Construction of the 160,000-square-foot event center is expected to be completed in early 2020. A 30,000-square-foot expansion and 6,000-square-foot culinary building are also slated as possibly additions in the future to the property. When completed, the new center will be much like the Sacramento Convention Center in size and will welcome a wide range of events, from conferences and large meetings to sports competitions. The event center will be able to host as many as 12 basketball courts or 24 volleyball courts, all on hardwood floors, creating an ideal location for sports tournaments. The 10,000-square-foot lobby will be larger than the recently renovated Johnson Hall alone and will feature comfortable seating areas for attendees. According to Attaway, the venue will accommodate more than 300 events per year, generating millions of dollars annually to the local economy, from those attending events and shopping at nearby stores to guests staying in local hotels. The tourism will be a boost for Placer County's economy. "The event center will provide a huge economic boost for the community, from creating jobs to generating sales-tax revenue for local government," said Ron Berger, chairman of Placer Valley Tourism and area general manager for Heritage Hotel Group. "It's truly an investment in the future of the region."