With the Sacramento city skyline as a backdrop and the occasional clanging of a cowbell from the Tower Bridge Battalion, the Wilton Rancheria led the formal groundbreaking at the site of new, $175 million soccer stadium in the Railyards near North B and 7th Street.
From tribal leaders, to team leaders to elected city council members, all agreed this has been a long journey.
“At the time, it felt like a whisper in a roomful of doubt,” said Chris Franklin, Wilton Rancheria’s chief operating officer.
Managing Partner Kevin Nagle also credited the resolve of this team and this city in getting to this point.
“Today is something we’ve been working toward for 12 years. And, I’ll be honest. For over a decade, we’ve been told no more times than we can count,” Nagle said.
The team explained that what makes this moment different from the previous 12 years is that the tribe is now the official owner of the land where the new stadium will be built.
The team could begin play as early as the 2027 season.
“This journey to this moment hasn’t been easy. It’s not been an easy path, nor has anything worth doing, right?” said Todd Dunivant, Sacramento Republic FC’s president and general manager.
The date of the ceremony carries special meaning. On Aug. 18, 1958, the California Rancheria Termination Act was signed into law, resulting in the loss of federal recognition for Wilton Rancheria and 40 other tribal nations.
“The beauty in all of this is that we are just getting started,” said Wilton Rancheria Chairman Jesus Tarango.
Also Monday, Sacramento Republic FC released a new flyover video and images from design architect MANICA that show how the club’s new stadium in the Railyards will look.
WRITTEN BY
Mike TeSelle
KCRA3