The Abridged version:<\/p>\n
Major projects are in the works across the Sacramento region in 2026, potentially redefining communities.<\/p>\n
Abridged asked regional economic leaders about their hopes for the coming year.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Economic organizations are optimistic that Sacramento\u2019s growth will continue to outpace other parts of California.<\/p>\n
The year ahead will be pivotal for the Sacramento region\u2019s ever-changing economy.<\/p>\n
Plans are taking shape for a new downtown campus for Sacramento State<\/a> and live music venues around the region<\/a>. Investments are being made in other communities around the region, including Rancho Cordova and its ambitious plan to create a new city center<\/a>.<\/p>\n Abridged by PBS KVIE asked local economic leaders for their thoughts and hopes for the region\u2019s economy in 2026. The responses cover a wide range of viewpoints, from the importance of big events to the vitality of our neighborhoods.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what they had to say:<\/p>\n Cathy Rodriguez Aguirre<\/p>\n President and CEO, Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce<\/p>\n Looking ahead to 2026, I\u2019m encouraged by the continued opening of brick-and-mortar businesses and the emergence of new entrepreneurs across Greater Sacramento. These businesses represent confidence, resilience and long-term investment in our region. Hispanic-owned businesses are playing a significant role in job creation and economic growth, strengthening our communities and local economy.<\/p>\n As a regional chamber, we are committed to connecting entrepreneurs with the resources, partnerships and advocacy they need to thrive. Our hope is that 2026 brings sustained support for small businesses, workforce development and inclusive economic strategies that allow this momentum to continue.<\/p>\n \t\tSign Up for the Morning Newsletter<\/p>\n The Abridged morning newsletter lands in your inbox every weekday morning with the latest news from the Sacramento region.<\/p>\n Michael Ault<\/p>\n Executive Director, Downtown Sacramento Partnership<\/p>\n My hope\u00a0for\u00a0the Sacramento economy in 2026 is simple: that we keep showing up with purpose. At Downtown Sacramento Partnership, we\u2019re invested in this community and believe confidence in our market becomes lasting commitment when people are present. Recent\u00a0health care and innovation expansions signal opportunity, but cities also rely on emotional investment. A strong downtown \u2014 one with in-person collaboration, creativity and civic pride \u2014 reflects the health of the entire region. When our\u00a0shared\u00a0spaces are active, they signal prosperity, attract capital and help build the vibrant, inclusive city this community deserves.<\/p>\n Barry Broome<\/p>\n President and CEO, Greater Sacramento Economic Council<\/p>\n In 2026, the national economic outlook will remain cool and soft, driven largely by policy inconsistency at the federal and state levels that is tempering major investment decisions. California will continue to face challenges, particularly due to the condition of its cities and the ongoing struggles in the Los Angeles market, which represents roughly 25% of the state\u2019s economy. <\/p>\n Greater Sacramento, however, will remain the leading market in California, as it has for the past several years. We are outpacing the Bay Area in semiconductor job growth and expect to exceed state averages in GDP growth, job creation, market expansion and attraction of young talent. Our strength in semiconductors will provide resilience through 2026, alongside renewed momentum in clean technology, battery storage and the bioeconomy. Continued progress at UC Davis, including Aggie Square, will further fuel innovation. Despite a cooling national economy, Greater Sacramento\u2019s outlook in 2026 remains solid and positive.<\/p>\n Robert Heidt<\/p>\n President and CEO, Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce<\/p>\n As the CEO of the Sacramento Metro Chamber, my hope\u00a0for\u00a02026 is a capital region economy defined by growth, adaptability and shared opportunity. As hybrid work reshapes how we live and work, we see downtown evolving into a vibrant hub\u00a0for\u00a0connection, commerce and culture. We want to see continued strength across health care, life sciences, logistics and innovation, with businesses driving jobs and prosperity. By investing in housing, infrastructure and workforce development and strengthening collaboration across business, education and government, we can turn today\u2019s transitions into long term economic strength and ensure the region remains competitive, resilient and inclusive.<\/p>\n Pat Fong Kushida<\/p>\n President and CEO, Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce<\/p>\n I believe that the Sacramento business community will be more diversified, resilient and by necessity innovation driven.\u00a0Growth in our leading industry sectors will continue alongside the challenges of Sacramento\u2019s public sector foundation.\u00a0 Small businesses and startups will play a larger role, supported by increased collaboration, local investment and workforce development initiatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hybrid work and AI tools will reshape how businesses operate, expanding opportunities beyond traditional boundaries. At the same time, equity, sustainability and community impact will need to be central priorities, as businesses respond to housing, climate and workforce challenges while trying to maintain steady growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mike Testa<\/p>\n President and CEO, Visit Sacramento<\/p>\n Visitor spending will continue to contribute millions of dollars to our local economy, with exciting new events making their debut. 2026 marks the first time that Sacramento will host the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight rounds\u00a0for\u00a0Women\u2019s March Madness basketball, and June will see the X Games League launch its new global competition, with Sacramento as the first stop. Then it\u2019s mainstays like Tower Bridge Dinner, Grand Tasting, Aftershock and IRONMAN. Between overlapping conventions, sporting events and festivals, Visit Sacramento has programmed 600+ event days into 2026 that will bring measurable economic prosperity to Sacramento\u2019s businesses and residents.<\/p>\n Ryan Lillis is the Associate General Manager of News at PBS KVIE.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Abridged version: Major projects are in the works across the Sacramento region in 2026, potentially redefining communities.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":150062,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[5592,121,123,122],"class_list":{"0":"post-150061","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sacramento","8":"tag-feature","9":"tag-sacramento","10":"tag-sacramento-headlines","11":"tag-sacramento-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}