City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2025-01739 10/21/2025
Suspend Competitive Bidding: Public Infrastructure to Support the Republic FC Soccer Stadium [Two-Thirds Vote Required]
File ID: 2025-01739
Location: Downtown Railyards, District 4
Recommendation: Pass a Motion by two-thirds vote: 1) determining that it is in the best interests of the City to suspend competitive bidding for the public infrastructure to support the Republic FC Soccer Stadium; and 2) suspending competitive bidding and authorizing the use of an alternative procurement method - request for proposals - for the public infrastructure to support the Republic FC Soccer Stadium.
Contact: Marco Gonzalez, Senior Development Project Manager, (916) 808-5757, [email protected], Office of Innovation and Economic Development; Chad Copeman, Interim Supervising Engineer, (916) 808-1158, [email protected], Public Works
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Facilities Map
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: In November of 2024, the City Council unanimously approved the Sacramento Republic FC Preliminary Term Sheet (Term Sheet) that provided a framework to catalyze additional development in the Railyards including, but not limited to a Republic FC Soccer Stadium, rehabilitation of the Central Shops historic district, and the City’s acquisition of two parcels that will be utilized to build out the Sacramento Valley Station (SVS) area consistent with the SVS Area Plan approved by Council in 2021. The development of these projects will generate millions of dollars in economic, cultural, and sports activity in the central city and will add new vitality to the City’s core. In June of 2025, the City Council unanimously approved definitive documents that contain details to implement the framework that was agreed to by the parties in the Term Sheet.
To meet the development goals for the Republic FC Soccer Stadium, laid out in the definitive
File ID: 2025-01739 10/21/2025
documents, Indomitable Ventures LLC (Indomitable) must make a significant upfront investment in public infrastructure to support the Republic FC Soccer Stadium and meet aggressive timelines. For purposes of this report, the terms “public infrastructure to support the Republic FC Soccer Stadium” and “Public Infrastructure” means the infrastructure segments shown in blue in attachment 2.
Indomitable must follow the City’s contracting requirements when contracting for the Public Infrastructure for the infrastructure costs to be eligible for potential future reimbursement through public funding mechanisms. For public works contracts of $250,000 or more, City Code chapter 3.56 requires competitive bidding, which is defined as the process of soliciting bids and awarding a contract to the lowest-responsible bidder; however, under City Code section 3.56.230.E., the City Council may, upon a two-thirds vote, suspend competitive bidding in the best interests of the City and authorize use of an alternative procurement method.
The Railyards, with its long history of soil and groundwater contamination, current land use covenant and environmental restrictions, and oversight by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), presents unique conditions for building the Public Infrastructure. Given these unique conditions, it is in the best interests of the City to suspend competitive to allow Indomitable to select a contractor through a competitive request for proposals (RFP) process that takes into consideration the contractor’s experience of constructing infrastructure in the Railyards and other relevant considerations such as:
· Experience constructing infrastructure in brownfield sites; · Experience adhering to soil and groundwater management plans (in collaboration with DTSC); · Experience implementing and following procedures and a workplan that accounts for unforeseen discoveries related to the former use of the site (former industrial railyard); · Experience implementing and following protocols for utilizing on-site material (mainly soils); · Experience implementing and following safety plans that are based on the nature of the work at the Railyards, thus minimizing exposure to risk and liability while also being protective of public health, workers, and the environment;
· Experience with land use covenants, clean covers, storm water management, and identification of re-use soil and suspect soil.
Suspending competitive bidding and allowing Indomitable to select a contractor through a RFP process will allow Indomitable to evaluate and retain the most-qualified contractor based on a combination of experience, past performance, safety, project schedule delivery, and other important factors. These considerations will support enhanced site safety, better coordinated site logistics, and greater environmental regulatory compliance and coordination, which will result in a more efficient construction schedule and use of funds.
Policy Considerations: Development of a new state-of-the-art multi-purpose outdoor stadium in the Downtown Sacramento Railyards is consistent with the Railyards Specific Plan and will contribute to the cultural and economic development of Sacramento and the region. This would further anchor
File ID: 2025-01739 10/21/2025
downtown as the region’s center of entertainment and cultural activity and provide Sacramento with a first-class outdoor venue for sports, entertainment, and cultural events. Both the construction and operation of the stadium would provide direct and indirect jobs. In addition, this project will accelerate other investment and development in the Railyards, Downtown, River District, and other areas.
Construction of the Public Infrastructure is necessary for the stadium project to move forward.
Sacramento City Code section 3.56.230.E. allows the City Council, based on a two-thirds vote, to suspend competitive bidding and authorize use of an alternative procurement method for a public project in the best interests of the City. A RFP is an alternative procurement method that allows the selection of a contractor based on factors beyond just price, such as experience, past performance, safety, and schedule.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): On November 10, 2016, the City Council certified the Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) for the Railyards Specific Plan Update, KP Medical Center, MLS Stadium and Stormwater Outfall Projects (Resolution No. 2016-0379) that evaluated overall development within the Railyards Specific Plan area. On September 8, 2025, the City approved an addendum to the SEIR and approved the Site Plan and Design Review entitlements for the Sacramento Republic FC Stadium project. The analysis within the certified SEIR and approved addendum included the infrastructure necessary as part of the development of Railyards as a whole and the Sacramento Republic FC Stadium. No further environmental review is required for the recommended actions in this report Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: To preserve eligibility for potential future reimbursement of the Public Infrastructure costs, Indomitable must comply with the City’s contracting requirements in City Code chapter 3.56, which require competitive bidding for public works contracts of $250,00 or more unless waived by the City Council in the best interests of the City. Suspending competitive bidding and authorizing Indomitable to use a RFP process to select the contractor to construct the Public Infrastructure is in the best interests of the City because it will facilitate the timely development of the Republic FC Soccer Stadium, support enhanced site safety, better coordinated site logistics, and greater environmental regulatory compliance and coordination, which will result in a more efficient construction schedule and use of funds.
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Infrastructure Segment
Covered by Grant
or Other
5th Street
5th Street - Summit Tunnel to North B X
6th Street
Railyards to North B X
Buffered Bike Lane South of Railyards X
7th Street
Widening from Tracks to North B
Flood Wall X
East RT Station X
Water Transmission Main South of Tracks (7th St Water Line) 8th Street
10th Street
Railyards to Boundary
Extension - Boundary to North B (Not feasible at this time) Deferred North B
5th Street to 6th Street
6th Street to 7th Street
7th Street to 8th Street
8th Street to 10th Street
Dos Rios at North B
Railyards Blvd
Restriping west of 7th Street
7th Street to 10th Street
10th Street to 12th Street Deferred
Trunk Sewer east of 7th (to 10th boundary only)
Bike Trail - Railyards Blvd to 6th Street (at Lot 48) X Stanford Street (Public) Intersection Relocation
Summit Tunnel
Storm Drain - 5th Street to 6th Street X
Sewer - Judah Street from Railyards Blvd to Summit Tunnel X 5th Street to 6th Street
6th Street to 7th Street X
Paseo Lot 65
Paseo Lot 65 (Public Storm Drain)
SUMMIT TUNNEL
STORM DRAIN
5TH ST TO 6TH ST
6TH STREET
RAILYARDS BLVD
TO NORTH B
NORTH B STREET
5TH ST TO 6TH ST
6TH ST TO 7TH ST
6TH STREET
BUFFERED BIKE
LANE
7TH STREET
WIDENING
FROM
TRACKS TO
NORTH B
7TH STREET
FLOOD WALL & BERM
7TH STREET
EAST RT
STATION
AND RAIL
7TH STREET
TRANSMISSION MAIN
(DEFERRED)
8TH STREET
10TH STREET
RAILYARDS BLVD TO BOUNDARY
TRUNK SEWER
10TH STREET
EXTENSION TO NORTH B ST
(DEFERRED - INFEASIBLE)
NORTH B STREET
7TH ST TO 8TH ST
8TH ST TO 10TH ST
NORTH B STREET
DOS RIOS INTERSECTION
(RECENTLY COMPLETED BY
SEPARATE PROJECT)
RAILYARDS BLVD
7TH ST TO 10TH ST
TRUNK SEWER
RAILYARDS BLVD
10TH ST TO 12TH ST
(DEFERRED)
BIKE TRAIL (LOT 48)
RAILYARDS BLVD TO
6TH ST
SUMMIT TUNNEL
6TH ST TO 7TH ST
PASEO LOT 65
PUBLIC WALK
AND STORM
DRAIN
5TH STREET
SUMMIT TUNNEL
TO NORTH B
STANFORD STREET
INTERSECTION
RELOCATION
RAILYARDS BLVD
RESTRIPING
STANFORD TO 7TH
JUDAH STREET
SEWER TO
RAILYARDS BLVD
SUMMIT TUNNEL
5TH ST TO 6TH ST
Infeasible
Water Transmission Main South of Tracks (7th St Water Line) Deferred
X