West Sacramento mayor praises A’s arrival, infrastructure in state of the city

The list of accomplishments West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero hoped to celebrate in her state of city address proved so long she worried the audience would tire of listening.

However, attendees showed no sign of boredom and punctuated her approximately 30-minute oration at City Hall with applause. The past year for West Sacramento has been unlike any other in its history, transforming the area to become more than “just a place on the other side of the river” when compared to California’s capital city, she said.

What was once a farming town dotted with rice silos is now what Guerrero called an internationally recognized destination flourishing with an MLB team and growth across all sectors. New parks are under construction. A new bridge across Highway 50 allows pedestrians and cyclists to connect across counties. A 190,000-square-foot Southport Logistics Center with rentable offices is open.

But none of the numerous achievements listed by Guerrero received as much applause as her announcement that Comcast would roll out high-speed internet to expand connectivity across the city. It came close to the exultation expressed when discussing the Athletics’s arrival to Sutter Health Park stadium.

“We’re not just growing,” Martha Guerrero said. “We’re growing with purpose and passion, and we are doing it together.”

West Sacramento planned for a year to bring in the A’s after they left Oakland. The transformation of Sutter Health Park to welcome a professional team was unprecedented, said Chip Maxson, the president and chief operating officer of the Sacramento River Cats.

“Nobody had done this before, but we welcomed the opportunity,” Maxson said, referring to refurbishing Sutter Health Park.

Business is booming along West Sacramento’s river district as baseball fans flock there to eat before and after games. Restaurateur Ernesto Delgado, who opened Mayahuel and Zocalo, is bringing his project called La Ciudad, a 4,000 square foot space, to West Sacramento. It revolves around the concept of a restaurant and bar, Guerrero said.

But there is still work to be done.

Residents voice concerns about road conditions and the impact of traffic, Guerrero said. Vulnerable residents in the city must be lifted up, she said.

And, West Sacramento is attempting to bring a MLB expansion team permanently to the city. Guerrero said she touts the city’s strong financial mechanisms to the league and a beautiful riverfront offering glittering views of a capital city’s skyline behind a vibrant bridge.

The City Council authorized selling up to $80 million in bonds to fund future infrastructure improvements, which demonstrates the municipalities’ fiscal responsibility, she said.

For Guerrero, a pinch-me moment, amid a year filled with accomplishments, came as she secured her A’s season tickets and sat in her spot to watch professional athletes just a few feet away.

“I’m always saying to myself, ‘Man, is this real?’” Guerrero said. “I cannot believe I am watching” a major league baseball team.

“It has been quite a year and we have quite a year ahead too.”

This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 3:29 PM.