by Bob Walsh
The Sleep Train Arena is a large building on the edge of Sacramento, CA. It has been pretty much empty since the Kings went downtown and is likely to become the new site for the Sacramento Zoo.
When Sac started looking for a site for an emergency set-up field hospital the Kings organization "volunteered" the building. It is more-or-less modern, has lots of parking, easy access, a large open area, good utilities, etc. Looked like a winner, and the local media made much of the Kings' generosity.
What they didn't mention, and what wasn't real obvious from the get-go, was the kings' wanted (and got) $500,000 per month, plus utilities plus security costs for rent. Now I am not saying that is an unreasonable cost. The media had to file a FOIA to get a copy of the contract.
The total cost to the state will be about $3 million for three months. Is that a good deal for a 400 bed hospital? Maybe it is, I don't know. If, however, it is such a good deal why did they try to bury the cost?
EDITOR'S NOTE: Almost all of the sports franchise owners are robber barons socking it to the poor taxpayers. This is just one example.
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