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| Sacramento Economy 2025 |
| Highway 50 Project Continues Thru 2026
Construction on Highway 50 has been a long ongoing project that is expected to be completed in Spring 2026. But during construction, safety and aesthetic issues have led to questions about the project's organization and efficiency and how it impacts the local real estate industry. |
| Robert Craig Films Aims to Boost Sacramento Economy
In a recent 2025 episode of KVIE's Rob On The Road, Rob Stewart interviewed film director Jennifer Stolo of Robert Craig Films about how the local production company seeks to boost the local economy. She explains how Craig's has been to create social impact films and expand conversations about them. The company launched in 2020 and initially released streaming movies online, but in 2025 it's releasing its first film for theaters nationwide called No Address. The fictional film is about how homeless individuals can find hope in their lives. The film, according to Stolo, has given $4 million back to the Sacramento economy, partly from creating film crew jobs. |
| Discussion on New State Law Involving Housing Projects
California Insider interviews developer and former Costa Mesa mayor Jim Righeimer about a new California housing law involving the extensive permit process for construction. Governor Newsom recently signed the law as part of the state budget bill. This 38-minute discussion covers impacts of the bill that restricts what CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act of 1970) can be used for. The law required contractors to submit environmental impact reports before gaining project approval and proposing resolutions to negative impacts. |
| What's Fueling California's Economy
California State Treasurer Fiona Ma talks about why the state has a $4.1 trillion economy, making it the fourth strongest economy in the world. Ma explains why some filmmakers are returning to the state after leaving in recent years. She believes the state attracts international investors looking to profit from the state's robust economy. They are particularly attracted to California bonds, she says. |
| Sacramento Housing Market Slows in 2025
Home sales have slowed down in the Sacramento region in 2025. Many sellers have been sitting on listings for over a year. Realtors say the market has changed and the past June was the worst June in 25 years. |
| New City Plan to Make Sacramento a Concert Destination
Sacramento city officials approved a new plan in July to attract more concerts and events to city-owned venues such as the Memorial Auditorium and the Convention Center. Officials are considering a concert promoter incentive program rebate for up to $10 per ticket and $3 per drink. It may also offer discounts on box office and equipment fees. Focusing on the concert crowd could help stimulate economic activity for Downtown businesses. |
| Indian Group Purchases Macy's Downtown Property
Following the closure of Macy's Downtown location in March, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians purchased the property in July for $15 million. The tribe has made three other recent purchases in the region. The tribe's plan involves purchasing ancestral lands and enhancing the group's economic development. They have yet to release plan specifics but are open to hotel and entertainment possibilities. |
| Downtown Businesses Want State Workers Back on Job
Downtown Sacramento business owners have been frustrated by the number of state employees working at home because it has impacted sales. Tens of thousands of state workers have remained home while their union, SEIU Local 1000, negotiates a deal with the Newsom administration. As the state's largest labor union, it represents 100,000 employees. It appears the return to the office solution has been delayed until 2026. Downtown restaurants have been particularly impacted by the stay-at-home policy. |
| City of Sacramento Seeks New Riverfront Restaurant
The City of Sacramento announced in July it seeks a new business to occupy the space in Old Sacramento once operated by Rio City Cafe. Officials want the new vendor at 1110 Front Street to be a restaurant and is accepting proposals from entreprenuers, creative operators and experienced restauranteurs. |
| Local Businesses Featured in Sacramento Film
A new Hollywood film called Sacramento was released nationwide on April 11, giving exposure to various local businesses. The film, which stars Michael Angarano and Michael Cera, is about an unplanned road trip from Los Angeles to Sacramento. Some of the establishments featured in the film include Gunther's Ice Cream and Dive Bar on K Street. The film was shot in 2023. |
| How War Affects Oil Prices and the Economy
Alex Cosper explains how war and military action drive up oil prices, which can strangle the broader economy. Gas prices in Sacramento have generally been stable the past year, hovering between $4 and $5 per gallon. Consumers can research local gas prices all over the region via GasBuddy.com or its app. Arco's AM/PM gas stations often have the lowest gas prices due to its proprietary fuel blend called E40. |
| Macy's Downtown Closes After 60 Years
The Macy's at Downtown Plaza, which opened in 1963, closed its doors in March 2025. The store was a popular landmark for decades because of its location near Old Sacramento and its role in annual Christmas lighting. It's one of 66 stores the company is closing in 2025 including the Sunrise Mall location as part of a downsizing project to restore financial stability. |
| Blue Diamond Growers Leaving Sacramento
Blue Diamond Growers, after over a century in Sacramento of growing almonds, is leaving town in 2025, the company has announced. Around 600 employees at the plant on 16th Street will likely be effective. The company says the costs of operating Downtown are too expensive. So the firm is consolidating operations in the Salida and Turlock manufacturing facilities in the Central Valley while offering job relocation plans to Sacramento employees. Earlier this decade the company, which launched in 1910, reported revenue of over $1 billion. |
| What Attracts Newcomers to Sacramento in 2025
Jake DaRosa explains why people are moving to Sacramento in 2025. One of the biggest reasons is affordability compared with the San Francisco Bay Area and other parts of California. The median home price of Sacramento County at the end of 2024 was $595,000, whereas in the Bay Area it's over one million. Other reasons include job opportunities, economic growth and proximity between San Francisco and Tahoe. |
| KVIE Interviews Employment Expert on Workplace Trends
KVIE Studio Sacramento host Scott Syphax interviews author Dr. Jessica Kriegel about current workplace trends, in which unemployment is low, yet many workers seek other jobs. Kriegel says it's not just AI that's reshaping the workplace, despite it dominating financial headlines in 2025. She says nanotechnology, brain computer interfacing and quantum computing will play roles in the changing work environment. These factors will affect capitalism, she says, and how businesses evolve. |
| How Sacramento County Connects Homeless to Resources
Sacramento County's "Heart" Team provides outreach to homeless people in the area. With about 50,000 services, the team helped about 4,000 homeless individuals in the August 2022 to July 2024 period. The team provides mental health and substance abuse resources, along with food, medical help and housing. |
| History Museum Exhibits Sacramento's First Canning Business
The Sacramento History Museum unveiled an exhibit in July of the city's first canning business, which was for salmon packaged by William Hume and Andrew Hapgood in 1864. The firm served the growing population triggered by the 1849 Gold Rush. The operation was the first Pacific Coast cannery in North America, drawing from fish in the Sacramento River. The company only lasted a few years as the salmon run was diminished. |