Annc: Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP, focusing on business law and commercial litigation, is proud to support Rob on the Road -— Region Rising.

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Rob: Coming up on Rob at Home, exciting news for the capital region.

Sacramento is soaring, so says this guy, Mike Testa with Visit Sacramento.

Our interview, coming up next on Rob at Home.

Annc: And now, Rob on the Road Exploring Northern California.

Rob: Hi there.

I'm Rob Stewart and welcome to Rob at Home.

It is great to see you today.

We are taking a 30,000 foot view, so to speak, of the Sacramento region, and who better to do that with than the CEO and president of Visit Sacramento, Mike Testa?

Hey, Mike!

How are you?

Mike: I'm good, Rob.

How are you doing?

Rob: I'm doing great.

It's good to see you.

And I'm so glad you're here.

What a fun background behind you!

What are all those posters?

Mike: So those are all concerts that were in Sacramento venues, everything from Hornet Stadium to the old Arco Arena, um, Crest Theatre, Memorial Auditorium.

We even have Freeborn Hall in UC Davis.

So, it's kind of a regional homage to... to concerts in this... in this city.

Rob: Those are fun.

Those are a lot of fun and so much... so much good is happening in our region.

I want to also say we are fully aware of the things that are not so good happening in our region.

Um, and we're working on that together.

We all are, as people, and we also want to celebrate the good things that are happening.

Mike, I look out of my window where I live here in Midtown and I see cranes in every direction.

Mike: Yeah.

I think, you know, the-— You just... you just said it, the silver lining of the pandemic is a lot of the progress, from a construction standpoint, hasn't stopped.

You know, the convention center didn't lose a step during... during the... the pandemic.

Like you said, there's cro-— you know, cranes and... and development going on everywhere.

So, what's been a really hard 18 months, there's things building underneath that I think will help us to come out of this in... in a great light.

Rob: The new SAFE Credit Union Convention Center and the center for performing arts is gorgeous.

Absolutely gorgeous.

And I walked around it the other night to see what it looked like at night, and it's just-— It's spectacular.

What do you think?

Mike: You know, it's interesting when-— We've been working on this since 2010 and you see it on paper, and you see the architect's plan.

It's like, "Okay, it looks pretty cool."

It's beautiful.

It's better than I ever could have imagined.

And, you know, I'm probably a little bit of a convention nerd at this point in my career but I walked through there with my sales team, and it was just more than... than we'd hoped for.

It was such a different first impression of Sacramento that... that the conventioneers will get when they come here.

Rob: Yeah, it's a total... it's a totally different, um, entrance to the city.

And I...

I say that literally because the entrance has been flipped and you enter the building, uh, from both sides in a very cool way.

Um, beautiful place.

You said it will be, uh, a bargaining chip for Sacramento nationwide.

Mike: Well, for sure it is.

You know, in... in the convention business, it's... it's very competitive.

We compete on a regular basis with San Jose, with Long Beach, San Francisco sometimes.

So, it matters, the quality of your building.

It matters, the, you know, broadband in your building and the technology.

And the last time our building was really touched was in 1997.

So, we were behind that curve with a lot of meeting planners.

So now, uh, we probably have the most technologically advanced convention center in the country right now, and... and that'll change obviously because there's others under construction, but it does give us a leg up.

And, you know, the... the former building, when you looked at it, it was the brutalist architecture and it... it wasn't very appealing.

And this new, um, this new building is so much warmer and so much more welcoming.

So, it's one of those things.

As we get convention here-— conventions here, that word will spread, uh,and... and word of mouth in this business is also really valuable.

So, I'm...

I'm excited, to say the least.

Rob: State-of-the-art performing arts center.

This place is phenomenal.

The... the new layout, the way it looks from the front.

I mean, you know, you can see in from the Capitol area.

You can see right in.

It's so inviting, and I ran into one of the architects leaving the Hyatt, who was so thrilled with the way it came out.

They were elated because of the-— of just the beauty.

How do you feel?

Mike: The same.

You know, again, it's one of those things that you didn't realize how bad the old theater was till you saw the new theater.

And you go in there and it's just such a different vibe and a... and a different feeling.

And, you know, when we look at Sacramento and how we've evolved over the last decade or so, we are worthy of a theater like that.

And, you know, we bring in amazing performances, whether it's performed by local artists or touring companies.

And so, to be in a facility where we're not only paying the respect to the performers, but to the attendees I think, is really valuable.

So, uh, I...

I think it's, a...a-— They did a phenomenal job on the building.

I think people are really gonna like it.

Rob: It's amazing, and you talk about top-notch performing.

I mean, the 2021-22 season, that kickoff is... is Hamilton.

I mean, that... that's huge.

And that is the national touring Hamilton.

So, Broadway Sacramento is just kickin' it there.

And so many other things are also going to happen in the performing arts center over the years.

You have all kinds of... of speaking engagements and things like that as well.

Mike: Yeah.

I mean, there's such a variety of things.

Everything from The Nutcracker around the holidays to, like you said, speaker series.

And I think one of the values of... of signing Hamilton first is others want to follow that.

You set that bar high.

We found that, at some of our festivals, if we can sign a well-known band, it's easier the next year to get a better well-known band.

These are resume-builders.

So, uh, starting out the gate with Hamilton is... is a big deal and I think will serve them well when they go to book other shows down the road.

Rob: Yeah, that was a... a huge coup to start the season that way.

Um, and so many other exciting shows coming up in the coming years.

I also want to talk to you, um, about the... the new things that are happening on the waterfront.

The plans, uh, that are coming for the Sacramento riverfront are... are phenomenal.

Mike: That's one of the... the exciting development opportunities.

The city is set to contribute $50 million to the Old Sacramento Waterfront.

And that's, uh, a very worthy investment and, perhaps, long overdue.

It's such a unique place in this region, uh, that... that hasn't really received the attention it deserves.

So, to be able to invest in Old Sacramento, not only from a tourist standpoint, but for the locals.

You know, I think sometimes we forget that... that we live here, and we enjoy these amenities too.

And what I love about that investment is it will come out of the hotel taxes.

So, it's not something the locals have to pay for, but it's something that... that the locals will get to enjoy.

Rob: That's fantastic.

The... the beautiful new, um, MOSAC, um, it is absolutely spectacular.

Went in the other day, and it is beautiful.

The planetarium is just gorgeous and that really, really gave me chill bumps.

Mike: Yeah.

You know, you look at the museums that we have here, and there's such a wide variety from, you know, the... the ones that are run by the state.

I mean, the... the Railroad Museum is phenomenal.

And you think about not only the local kids, but all the kids that bus in from other cities to tour these facilities, these field trips, and to be able to have that critical mass of museums here, I think, is... is really, really valuable for a variety of reasons.

And one of the things I love about Sacramento's museums is they always highlight the heritage of our city.

You know, they're talking about bigger things, but it's always about Sacramento at the core.

So, if you live here, or if you're coming from somewhere else, you get to learn about Sacramento, whether that was your intention or not, which I think is really cool.

Rob: It's very cool.

And I have to tell you this, Mike-— You know, my job is to... to do and know these things and every time I go in somewhere, uh, be it the Sacramento History Museum, the Crocker, just any... any museum that you can think of, I always learn something new.

And I've been in those places a zillion times.

Every time, you learn something new.

Mike: I...

I agree.

So, my... my mother was a ceramic artist, and I didn't know this until about 10 years ago, but she told me that the Crocker Art Museum has one of the largest collection of ceramics in the country.

I didn't realize that because I, you know, I wasn't into ceramics the way that she was but there's a lot of museums that we have here that can claim things like that, that they are the "biggest", or the "only", or the "best".

And I think some of those are well kept secrets, but, uh, I think for... for those of us who know, it's... it's a... it's a point of... of pride for us.

Rob: Yeah.

Also, at the Crocker, the California landscapes collection-— uh, one of the best in the entire country.

And California is not just a California story.

Where California is, the country is.

Eventually.

That's what they say, "“Where California goes, the country goes.

"” Mike: Yep.

Rob: Um, as the Visit Sacramento leader, what are you seeing in regards to statewide spotlight on Sacramento, the capital?

Mike: Well, it's interesting.

You're absolutely right.

What... what, you know, what we talk about internally is decisions made in Sacramento rise up to the state.

The decisions made by the state go out to the rest of the country.

So, Sacramento has a big influence on the rest of the country.

And if you think-— If you look at our identity 10 years ago, we were a sleepy Gold Rush town from 1849.

Now, we are a food powerhouse that's growing the food that feeds the rest of the country.

So, our... our voice has changed.

I think having a mayor who used to be the Senate pro Tem has elevated our profile as well.

So, you know, the... the challenge, Rob, is we're in California, right?

So, when you say, "Name a California city," Sacramento is probably not going to be the first one you say.

You're going to say L.A., San Francisco, San Diego, Napa.

But the reality is, within the state, our presence has increased dramatically.

And I think that that bodes well for businesses relocating here, more people moving here, and a... a better quality of life for those of us who live here.

Rob: You mentioned people moving here and, you know, Visit Sacramento is all about bringing in things that are... are bringing visitors.

But it's people who are staying.

Um, I can tell you on the hall where I live, the people that have moved in during just the past year-— London, Milwaukee, um, uh, I also had-— Someone just moved in from Charlotte.

There are people from all over the country and all over the world, moving... moving, truly, to Sacramento.

And I'm curious about that because it's not a cheap place to live.

Mike: Yeah, it's... it's interesting.

I think-— You know, I...

I'm one of those people.

I came from San Francisco about 20 years ago and I commuted for 6 months because there was no way I was moving to Sacramento.

And once I got here, it was a different quality of life.

It was far more affordable than San Francisco.

So, the people moving from inside to California-— inside California to Sacramento makes a little more sense because cost of living.

I think that the profile of our city has raised.

You know, The Wall Street Journal writes about our food scene.

The New York Times Magazine writes about our city.

We are suddenly talked about in the same breath as a Portland, or an Austin.

It's a different city than it used to be.

And, you know, there's a lot of people that have added to that, but it's become more appealing in that regard.

And I also think the larger cities, especially for millennials, aren't as attractive.

They want to go to smaller markets where they can feel part of the community, and that's certainly been a benefit for Sacramento.

Rob: The word I always use to describe it is that it is a manageable, marvelous city.

It's manageable.

Mike: Yeah.

Rob: Um, I've lived in New York City.

I've lived in... in Philadelphia and in Washington DC and none of those places, except for some of Philly, were manageable.

Um, this is a manageable, big city.

Mike: I...

I agree.

The streets are numbers or letters.

Like, you don't have to do a lot of math in your head to figure out where you're going.

Uh, I think, you know, the downtown is walkable.

Midtown is walkable.

There's restaurants outside.

I mean, when I moved here for the first time, it took about a week to figure out my bearings and where everything was.

So, that's helpful for us from a visitor standpoint.

When you get here, you don't have to spend a ton of time learning where you're going.

It's... it's really easy uh, to... to get around here.

And I think, you know, again, living here, that that makes it really cool.

Rob: Yeah, it... it... it does.

It really does.

What excites you, um, the most?

I know that... that this is an exciting time for you, particularly because you have signed some long -term contracts to some big, national events.

Mike: Yeah, and that is what excites me.

I mean, we host, uh, Aftershock every year.

It's turned into a 4-day music festival with some of the biggest names in hard rock, welcomes 40,000 people a day.

Uh, we signed The World's Strongest Man for the first time this year and we signed a 3-year deal for that.

So, they will be back.

Ironman, which we've never hosted in this region, we signed a 3-year deal with them.

Some of the... the best athletes in the world coming to Sacramento.

And then you look at the Farm-to-Fork events, which we've been producing annually.

The first year, we had 10,000 people.

In 2019, we had 155,000 people.

Uh, the Tower Bridge Dinner has been featured in Food Network Magazine.

So, what gets me excited, and I know you can hear it in me, is the profile of Sacramento is raising and the identity is changing, and it's reflecting who we are as the people who live here and I...

I just think that's great.

You know, I live here.

My kids live here.

I want them to like where they live.

I don't want them to go away to college and never come back.

I want people to be proud of this city and... and as proud as we are at Visit Sacramento.

Rob: Yeah, and when you mentioned Aftershock 2021, uh, Metallica.

What?!

Mike: Yeah, Metallica.

Two nights.

Cool, right?

Rob: That'’s wild.

You mentioned something in there about all these exciting things that are coming up.

What is your dream "“get"” for Sacramento?

What do you want to see happen while you are leading this organization, if you could just dream it?

Mike: So, one of them already happened, and I'll tell you the other.

When we attracted the Michelin Guide to Sacramento, that was a huge deal.

A lot of the culinary community said, "That will never happen.

They will never come to Sacramento."

And the fact that they did was a tremendous nod to the talent in our culinary scene.

Not only the farmers, obviously, but... but the chefs as well.

I think the second is expanding on the success of Aftershock.

I would like to bookend it with a country festival on one end and an Americana festival on the other, so that we have three weekends of music in Sacramento on the level of a Stagecoach or South by Southwest.

And I think we can do that because, um, the promoter who runs Aftershock is... is interested in investing more in Sacramento.

So, that, to me, is something that, again, raises the profile of our city, makes it easier for me to bring conventions, makes it easier for Barry Broome and G-Sac to get businesses to relocate here because suddenly the market becomes cool.

And we've seen that happen in Austin.

Austin and Sacramento is not very much different.

And 30 years ago, Austin wasn't what it is today.

They built that through marketing.

They built that through music.

It attracted high -tech companies.

And so that's the route that we're trying to go.

We want to change this market.

Rob: Yeah.

Music's a big deal.

In fact, you know, you talk about, um, these... these big weekend gatherings and concerts.

And, you know, you look down the line, nationally, at the things that are... are getting big, big numbers for... for turnout.

R&B, soul, gospel, jazz, um, you know, adult contemporary, Broadway-— It's all there.

Hard rock.

Everything's getting big groups.

Music is a universal language.

It gathers.

Mike: It does.

And... and one of the things we've looked at is the different genres, right?

Which audiences are we trying to reach with the festivals we're producing?

And one of the things that we've invested in for 2021 is something called The Color of Music.

It's an all African American classical symphony that will come to Sacramento, and we hope to do this on an annual basis.

So, the idea is that you create enough genres that attract every demographic to your city and the people who live here can relate to the shows that are being produced because it has to be about community.

It can't just be a segment of the population sees themself in a music festival.

Everybody has to feel valuable and welcome.

So that's something that... that we definitely and deliberately try to do.

Rob: This is a... a big year for our show too, for Rob on the Road.

We're celebrating 10 seasons... Mike: Wow.

Rob: ...and I remember you were one of the very first people I interviewed, uh, when I moved here at the convention center and we were there for, um, it was where everyone goes around and... and does all the different tastings and such a big celebration, and it's called Best of Sacramento.

But you were there and we talked.

Since that time, did you think a decade later we'd be where we are, farther, or less?

Mike: You know, I...

I will tell you, when I first moved here, the first 10 years, I kept thinking, "Why is everything so slow here?"

It felt like development and maturity was going at a snail's pace, but then, the next 10 years, since I last saw you, we've seen it blow up.

We've seen the Golden 1 Center get relocated downtown.

We've seen new hotels go up.

We've seen the expansion of existing buildings and the attraction of new events and new development.

So, what took a really long time of 10 years, feels like it just breezed by in the second 10 years.

So, I will tell you, I am pleasantly surprised at how this market has grown and-— You know, the good thing is, when I talk to the... the promoters of Aftershock or other... other developers, they still feel like they're getting in on... on the ground floor, that we have a lot more to go in this city.

And... and I agree with that.

The potential is... is huge.

So, uh, there's more to come and, I'm...

I'm extremely happy where we are.

Rob: So, do you have anything that you can tell us that'’s coming that you've not told anybody else?

Mike: I...

I could tell-— Well, man, there's a lot there.

Um, you know, it's... it's-— Rob: I'm begging.

Mike: Yeah, no.

I'm trying to think of something good for you, and something that I'm allowed to share.

I...

I will tell you from a... a convention standpoint, um-— And, you know, I...

I think people don't realize how important conventions are.

They are the... the leading driver of tourism in the region.

When I look at 2022 and beyond, the calendar is... is really robust.

There's a lot of new things coming to Sacramento that we haven't hosted before.

When I look at music festivals, we will get that country music festival.

We will get that Americana festival.

It's just a matter of time.

The pandemic hasn't stopped things, but it's slowed things down.

Um, we'll get back to those things.

And I-— You know, you're going to see, uh, some new hotel development, I think, with the convention center.

One of the things we're challenged with is we don't have enough hotel rooms downtown for conventions.

So, I will not be surprised, in the very near future, if you hear of a... a big announcement of a new convention hotel, which will be incredibly valuable.

Rob: Who's building it?

Who'’s it by?

Mike: I can't tell you that part.

I can't tell you that part.

Rob: Where will it be?

Mike: I can't tell you.

I wish I could.

Rob: Darn it!

Okay.

Mike: I know, all right.

Rob: So, the other thing I wanted to ask you is when we talk about Visit Sacramento, your organization, um, with that title-— and... and it's a cool title and a cool name-— people automatically get, uh, an impression of it.

It's about bringing people here.

But what is your mission?

What is it that makes Visit Sacramento, um, what it is, for you and for the future?

Mike: So, our mission is to... to bring visitors into the market, have them just spend their disposable income at our local businesses, and then leave and go back from wherever they came from and... and hopefully do it again the next year.

What we hear from businesses-— and this is, you know, we have data that shows this-— When we have a large convention in town, one restaurant will increase their revenue by $40,000 over 3 days.

That means they need to hire more people on staff that week.

That means they have extra revenues.

And that's just one restaurant.

Think about all the restaurants.

So, I think, again, people don't realize that Sacramento is a tourist destination.

Right?

You think of Las Vegas.

You think of New York.

The reality is there are more than 15 million visitors coming to this city every year.

They're spending more than $3 billion into our economy and generating well over 100,000 jobs.

That is a huge industry in our city that, again, flies under the radar a little... a little bit, but we talked about Old Sacramento.

We talked about SAFE Credit Union Convention Center.

Those projects are paid for by visitors and they get to be enjoyed by the locals.

So, the more visitors we get, the more amenities we build for the people who live here.

Rob: That's more than a million visitors a month!

Mike: I know, right?

Yeah.

It's a-— And... and I don't think people realize that.

Rob: Wow.

Uh, also several of the top 10 destinations in the state, um, some of those are in Sacramento, including the State Capitol.

Mike: State Capitol is a huge attraction.

The California State Railroad Museum is... is the largest railroad museum, I believe, in North America.

And... and, you know, for... for locals who haven't been through there since you had little kids, it... it's amazing to walk through it.

And... and we have so many of those things partially because we're the Capitol and... and the state has museums based here, but partially because of the heritage of this area.

So, there's a lot of gems here, you know, that... that aren't other places.

You think about San Francisco.

They have great museums.

I'd put the Crocker Art Museum up against anybody in the country.

The collection there is phenomenal and it's huge.

So, uh, there's... there's a lot of treasures here.

Rob: Yeah, I...

I would put it there as well.

Um, and their director, Lial Jones, has... has been called one of the best in the country, too.

Mike: Yeah, and she is.

Rob: So that... that's huge.

I want to ask you also, I...

I...

I've sat on panels with you before, we-— one a couple of years ago talking about tourism, and you really go to bat in a wonderful way for our region.

Anytime-— 'Cause there were several different regions on this panel, but you go to the plate with your passion for our region.

Um, and it's so much deeper than a job for you.

Could you talk to me about your personal story and why this is so important to you as a person and why you're spending your career promoting this area?

Mike: So, I've had jobs, obviously, that... that didn't strike passion in me that, you know, I was checking boxes and collecting a paycheck and going home at five o'clock.

And I started in Sacramento at the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, which was a nonprofit organization.

And I remember suddenly being passionate about it, making a lot less money than I was when I worked in San Francisco, but really liking the work.

And I think what... what really cemented it for me at Visit Sacramento is-— Remember, I was that guy who didn't want to move to Sacramento, who didn't think it was going to be a... a... a fun place to live and that changed, obviously, 180 degrees.

And so, I get excited about it because I want to tell other people about the secret.

I want people to know what a great city we have.

And, again, because I was a hard sell, I...

I think I've turned into a great evangelist because I believe it.

And you can't be passionate if you don't believe it.

And that's something that, you know, feeds me.

We're... we're not done here at Visit Sacramento.

I'm not done yet, professionally.

Uh, so I'm gonna keep going.

Rob: I love that.

I love what you just said about, you know, you having to be convinced, yourself, and once you were convinced, there you go.

Right out of the gate.

I...

I think that's fantastic.

Mike: Yeah, yeah.

I have that argument with anybody.

Tell me that you don't like Sacramento and... and we'll go back and forth until I've convinced you otherwise.

Rob: That's great.

The, um-— When we mentioned the riverfront earlier, I...

I wanted to bring up the bridge, the... the really cool I Street Bridge, um, that is coming.

That-— The imagery of that bridge is gorgeous.

Mike: Yeah, it... it... it's-— You know, when we talk about things like the new SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, or the theater, these are the icons that should be in our city and the I Street Bridge, currently, is a bridge.

What you're talking about is a work of art, and those are the things that should be on our skyline.

Those are the things that should be connecting our cities and our counties.

So, I think that's indicative of the evolution of... of Sacramento.

We are now looking at things that are specific to who we are as a... as a region and as a city.

So, as we continue to grow, I would expect more of those visionary ideas to... to come to the forefront.

Rob: And, also, I love this.

Right where the MOSAC, the Museum of Science and Curiosity, is on the riverfront is going to be, like Washington DC has, the beautiful cherry trees along the walk.

And that is going to be a national draw.

People go from all over the world to see that in Washington.

And... and that is going to be cool.

That was announced, I believe, by the Sacramento Tree Foundation.

Have you heard anything on that?

Mike: Yeah, I have.

And I have the same excitement that you do.

I...

I know people who have gone to Washington DC just to... to see those.

And... and I think it's okay to... to take what's working in other markets and try to put it here...

Rob: Yeah!

Mike: ...especially being City of Trees and the Farm-to-Fork capital, the more ag we can get here, the better.

And... and to your point, those things are a draw.

They're beautiful.

And... and, you know, we have the climate for it and the... and the weather to tour it.

So, uh, more of that stuff is... is always welcome.

I'm...

I'm all for it.

Rob: Okay.

Mike Testa, what an interesting time to spend with you, uh, both in the world, as well as... as right here, today.

It's a joy to get to know you better and to hear more of the exciting things happening in our region.

Um, I love cheerleading for this region because I truly believe in it.

And I know you do, too.

Mike: Thank you, Rob.

Keep... keep doing what you're doing.

Rob: You can say "“Visit Sacramento, Stay Sacramento.

"” Stay.

Mike: That's it.

We want you to visit but if you... if you come and fall in love and stay, we're good with that, too.

Rob: Thank you, Mike.

Mike: Thank you, Rob.

Rob: Nice to see you with Visit Sacramento.

Thanks for joining us right here on Rob at Home and we will see you next week.

♪♪ ♪♪ Annc: Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP, focusing on business law and commercial litigation, is proud to support Rob on the Road - Region Rising.

More information available at murphyaustin.com.