Remote Surveillance Trailer in Rancho Cordova, CA

Sacramento landed two professional soccer teams this week that are expected to debut in 2027, with a new indoor arena planned for Rancho Cordova.

The Major Arena Soccer League announced Tuesday that the Sacramento area would be awarded two expansion franchises — one men’s team and one women’s team — following a unanimous decision by league owners.

The MASL currently features 12 teams across North America, with teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico, and players from more than 30 countries. The MASLW features 24 teams. The Sacramento teams, which have not yet been named, will be the 13th and 25th teams in those leagues, respectively.

Commissioner Keith Tozer said he’s excited for the growth of the league and expansion back to Northern California.

“I think it’s great that we’re back in Northern California. It’s a rich soccer history in this area, both on the women’s side and the men’s side,” Tozer said. “I think that will carry over for their success once they kick off in 2027.”

Sacramento used to field an indoor soccer team called the Knights, Tozer said. The team was around from 1993 to 2001. Another Northern California team, the San Francisco Fog, which only lasted for the 1980-81 season.

The new Sacramento teams are led by real estate development and sports entertainment group KozPure Development, founded by President Charanjeet Tiwana-Purewal and CEO Josh Wood.

City approves economic development deal

The two said that the city of Rancho Cordova will be the destination for the new soccer teams, as they prepare to build an indoor arena to be used for games and other sporting and entertainment events. The proposed arena will be developed on approximately 28 acres of land at Kilgore Road and Trade Center Drive and will seat a capacity of 7,500.

Rancho Cordova’s City Council unanimously approved plans for the project, adopting a resolution in a 5-0 vote to approve a new economic development and participation agreement with the developer over the next 35 years. This will include giving the developers a portion of a 13-acre city-owned parcel, valued at about $6.8 million, and proceeds from the city’s hotel tax estimated at about $500,000 a year per 100 hotel rooms built.

Additional revenue from the city to the developers will include excess sales tax revenue, which could be as much as $350,000 a year, and tax revenue from a planned cardroom at the site. The city will also consider waiving fees, which could total $40 million over the life of the project.

“For too long, our families had to go out for games, for concerts, graduations out in the sun,” said Mayor Siri Pulipati ahead of the vote. “This agreement will bring all of that home. And the best part ... this is our residents that have done this.”

The first phase of the plan includes the construction of the Cordova Arena, which will become the home to the franchises, framed around a central plaza. The plan also calls for two or more hotels, a retail district including a movie theater and more than 600 new residential units, according to the city.

A city staff report ahead of the vote said the project’s economic impact could generate nearly 23,000 jobs and an estimated $2.1 billion in direct spending over a 12-year period and “$4.5 billion in total economic output over the next decade.”

Cordova Arena could be ready by November 2027

“It’s a big deal,” Wood said. “The league is expanding across the United States and Mexico. … We were able to put together something that was compelling to the league, and we’re glad to say that the league board voted unanimously to allow us for an expansion team.”

Wood added: “We worked really hard on that behind the scenes for a long time to make sure that the league understood our dedication and what we are, and the type of facility that we’re going to bring that really is going to be the best in class.”

Wood said he expects the new development to be ready by November 2027, near the start of the MASL and MASLW 2027-28 season.

Tiwana-Purewal said the move will enhance the Rancho Cordova community that has seen prolific growth in the area.

“There’s been a significant amount of growth in terms of development, especially residential housing,” she said. “There are a number of different Master Plan communities, as well as specific plan communities that have been approved in and around the city of Rancho Cordova. And so through that growth, you’re just going to see an increase in the population.”

Tiwana-Purewal anticipates that the new indoor soccer teams and their arena will serve as a “central gathering place for residents of Rancho Cordova and surrounding communities.”

The additional teams now increase the number of professional soccer teams in the Sacramento region to three, joining the Sacramento Republic FC.

“We’re just really excited about the growth,” Tiwana-Purewal said. “But we’re really excited to bring another professional sports team to the region. Sacramento has a huge, huge soccer following. It’s composed of a lot of soccer fans and this gives them the opportunity to be able to go see all three teams.”

Wood said the new addition will be “transformational for the city.” Rancho Cordova had about 79,000 residents as of the 2020 Census.

“We are a big region,” Wood said. “A big city that is just missing the entertainment and cultural aspect that you have in a lot of other areas. … Rancho Cordova is an amazing city, but it’s nationally unknown and locally underestimated. What we have done is try to put together a program that will put Rancho Cordova on the national stage.”

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. —

Rancho Cordova leaders unanimously approved an agreement that carries the potential for thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars in direct economic spending for the city.

A proposed multi-use arena presentation was the focus of a special meeting of Rancho Cordova's City Council on Tuesday evening.

A Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) team, including the first professional women's soccer in Sacramento, would anchor the new arena. It would also allow for entertainment in a facility that bridges the gap between large arenas like the Golden 1 Center and smaller options like Memorial Auditorium and The Venue at Thunder Valley.

The city's elected leaders, in a 5-0 vote, adopted a resolution approving a new economic development and participation agreement with the developer.

"The City has been approached by KozPure Development, LLC working with Alpha One Sports and Entertainment Group, LLC to utilize a city-owned property to be part of a sports-anchored entertainment destination district and City Center (Development)," read a city staff report.

Proposed Arena Presentation

The economic impact of this proposal could potentially lead to 22,824 jobs and $2.1 billion in direct spending over a 12-year period.

The city sent KCRA 3 the following statement in advance of the special meeting:

"At the September 23rd Rancho Cordova City Council meeting, the City Council will consider an exciting proposal for a sports-anchored entertainment district located in Rancho Cordova. City staff have been reviewing the project, working with the applicant, and have prepared a staff report for Council consideration this evening."

Watch coverage ahead of the meeting in the video player below:

An arena could also rebrand the city of Rancho Cordova.

"Transforming the reputation of Rancho Cordova from a commuter suburb into the cultural capital of the Sacramento Valley and a twin-economic power City for the greater Sacramento-Cordova region," read the city staff report.

Ahead of the special meeting, MASL announced on Tuesday that league owners voted unanimously to award both a men's and women's team for the Sacramento-Cordova region. Both teams are set to debut in fall 2027 at the pending Cordova Arena.

"The arena is part of a larger vision to create a vibrant destination that drives economic growth and brings people together through year-round entertainment," a release from MASL read.

In that same release, MASL Commissioner Keith Tozer described Rancho Cordova as an incredible market for the league.

“Fans in this region have a long history of supporting their teams and an undeniable passion for soccer that continues to grow year after year. With strong and committed ownership in Kozpure, we know this team is built on a solid foundation. The new arena and surrounding development will provide a first-class home for both the team and the community, creating one of the most exciting environments in our league. We can’t wait to see MASL action come to Rancho Cordova.”

Select MASL games are broadcast on the CBS Sports Golazo Network.

“The Cordova City Center is more than just a sports and entertainment hub – it’s a major economic engine and job creator for Rancho Cordova and the entire Greater Sacramento-Cordova region,” said Charanjeet Kaur Tiwana-Purewal, President of KozPure Development, in a news release. “This project will draw fans from across the country, boosting tourism and driving significant economic growth. We’re building a space that fosters community, creates opportunities, and brings people together through unforgettable experiences.”

More information and agenda items for Tuesday's Special Meeting can be found here.

Chris Commander was sitting at a computer in his Rancho Cordova living room around 7 p.m. Monday when he heard one of his two dogs barking by the front door.

He pulled up a livestream from his Ring doorbell camera and watched in distress: A U.S. Postal Service letter carrier was spraying Xena, the eldest of his four cats, with a chemical and a burst of expletives — in an incident that shook him even if it did not hurt the tortoiseshell cat, Commander recalled in a phone interview.

Commander, a 35-year-old security officer at the Sacramento VA Medical Center, said he jumped up to confront the carrier, who had already returned to his vehicle down the block.

“I asked him directly, did you spray my cat?” Commander said. “He denied it, obviously. And then he said something about he’s a cat lover himself.”

Commander wasn’t buying it.

Back at the house, where he lives with his girlfriend and their three children, Commander found Xena’s hair covered on one side with what he described as an oily substance without a strong odor. He feared the cat, well into her golden years at age 15, might have suffered a respiratory problem of the sort that recently caused the natural death of another old cat he owned. But Xena was unscathed.

“She seems like she’s in good spirits,” Commander said.

It was a particularly surprising, he said, because other postal carriers routinely pet Xena on the porch.

“I didn’t know I had to be worried about this,” he said. “I just can’t understand how this even happened, to be honest.”

Commander said he filed a formal online complaint and received confirmation that the Postal Service received it.

“The United States Postal Service holds its employees to high standards of conduct, and any actions that conflict with these values are taken seriously,” Meiko S. Patton, a USPS spokesperson, said in a statement. “We are currently reviewing this incident and will take appropriate action based on the results to ensure alignment with our commitment to integrity and professionalism.”

As for the mail sent to Commander’s house? The carrier left it on the hood of a car, rather than in the slot, he said. There were about six envelopes, one containing a SMUD bill.

The 95-unit apartment complex preserves affordable housing for families in Sacramento County

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., Sept. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Preservation Equity Fund Advisors, LLC (PEF Advisors), a real estate private equity group focused on preserving existing affordable housing in high-cost markets, announced their recent sale of Rancho Cordova Apartments, a 95-unit apartment community located in Rancho Cordova, California. PEF Advisors acquired the development in October 2018. The property was originally built in 1971 and re-developed with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits in 2002.

The property is comprised of a 6.0-acre site with 13 apartment buildings, a leasing office with community room, a laundry building, and a storage building. The unit mix includes 12 one-bedroom units, 44 two-bedroom units, and 39 three-bedroom units. Nineteen units are restricted for occupancy by families earning no more than 50% of the area median income ("AMI"), and seventy-two units are restricted for occupancy by families earning no more than 60% of AMI. The property offers both single-story and townhome-style apartments in a low-density 16-units-per-acre setting.

Apartment amenities include private patios in townhome units, walk-up entry ways, ceiling fans in garden units, central heat and air conditioning, vaulted ceilings in the one-bedroom units, and garbage disposals. Community amenities include a clubhouse with a computer center, tot lot and picnic area, easy access to public transportation, a business center/tutoring facility and on-site laundry facilities. The property is within proximity of numerous shopping and dining opportunities and offers convenient access to downtown Sacramento within just 20 minutes.

PEF Advisors invested approximately $1.1M in capital improvements to address deferred maintenance, upgrade common areas, and replace building systems.

"We're pleased to transition this asset to another buyer who will recapitalize it and continue to improve the property while maintaining the affordability provisions," said Ann Caruana, President and Chief Investment Officer at PEF Advisors. "This planned disposition helps us achieve our goal of winding down our first Fund before the end of 2025."

About Preservation Equity Fund Advisors, LLCSince 2016, Preservation Equity Fund Advisors, LLC (PEF Advisors) has focused on acquiring and preserving existing affordable housing in high-cost markets through private equity funding. PEF Advisors is an affiliate of the WNC & Associates, Inc. (WNC) family of companies with access to WNC's more than 54 years' experience in acquiring more than 1,800 properties representing $20.6 billion in affordable housing nationwide, including through tax credit and/or preservation equity strategies.

Contact:Elaine Philis9498321923401141@email4pr.com

SOURCE PEF Advisors