Our Mission Is Two-fold:

1) To stop the 'California Exposition and State Fair' (Cal Expo) from turning its state land over to private developers and destroying the largest urban public commons left in California.

2) To create a new vision for Cal Expo as the world hub and showcase of advanced technology and environmental preservation exhibits, methods and products of the future.

Notes to visitors: Site installation continues. Some submenu links on 'inside' pages may not work . Please bear with us. We should have them all up and running soon. CEAV Project proposal is also being updated. a copy of the current version is still available (see sidebar)

ALERT: The latest version of Cal Expo's intention to turn its land over to private developers is its Grand Land Swap ("CONVERGENCE") scheme in conjunction with the NBA and arena developer John Kamilos. This changes nothing except to widen the area of destruction, threaten surrounding environments and insure the permanent removal of significant portions of the public commons.We will be tracking the progress of this new scheme and keep you updated as things develop. Meanwhile, you can call the Governor, Cal Expo and your council members and tell them, "NO!" to Cal Expo's schemes. - The CEAV Project


So, what's so important about what happens to the State Fair? Why should anybody care?

If you are citizen or a business or a nonprofit organization involved with some project dealing with environmental issues, resource management, alternative energy, advanced technologies, reclamation or restoration of natural lands, urban land use and planning for the future, climate change, recycling, 21st Century education, green research, health care and advanced health technologies or, the coming generation of products and services designed for moving forward on such matters, then what we are proposing may very well accelerate and amplify your efforts by an order of magnitude. For some of you, it could mean the difference between success and failure.

Agreed, that's a pretty tall claim to make. I don't blame you if you're skeptical. But if you read on about the CEAV Project, I think you will see how that is exactly what CEAV can do - for California; indeed, for the nation.

It's definitly an idea whose time has come. Unfortunately, if Cal-Expo has anything to say about it, it will never happen. They have their hearts fixed on something else - something so destructive to their mission and the state land that was entrusted to their stewardship that it raises serious questions about their having taken Governor's appointments to sit on the Cal-Expo Board of Directors. Read on, and you will also be able to see that for yourselves.

[for a glimpse of what CEAV envisions click here.

Welcome to The CEAV Project. Welcome to the 21st Century.





Welcome, and thank you for your interest in visioning the future with us. This site is new. Many pages and documents are yet to be installed. we will be doing just that over the next few months. A few of our documents are available now. They will explain the basic idea of the CEAV Project and what we hope to accomplish.

For a quick preview of what the CEAV vision of a transformed California Exposition & State Fair might be, we suggest you look at the comparison of Features and Offerings charts at the bottom of this page; and then take a few verbal 'walk-throughs' on our 'Imagine-This' tour of CEAV's vision of the future.

CEAV makes no secret of the fact that we are fighting a 'David and Goliath' battle against big money and big politics. At the moment, the Philistines appear to be winning. We do, however, have one, not-so-secret, weapon - Our idea has merit; their's does not. In fact, the current Cal-Expo/NBA plan is so destructive of the community, the environment and the public interest, that we think that difference may finally be large enough to decide the matter. That is, if merit still counts for anything on this 'field of schemes'.

The present Board and management of Cal-Expo would have you believe that what happens to the Cal Expo property is purely a matter of local interest for those of the Sacramento region. Even so, their NBA plan would still be a bad idea. But, as we have reminded them, this is not a local matter. They are public officials, entrusted with the stewardship of state land, chartered for a very important, if much neglected, purpose - to showcase the best that California has to offer. The people of California are still, for the moment, the principle stakeholders in the future of this land and the use to which it is to be put.

What's next? That really depends upon you. We encourage you to read the rest of this page and to download and review our proposal (see the link on the right-sidebar) along with other documents that we will be posting during the next few months. We also enourage you to visit our 'Stewards' section and consider how you can help. Without your help, Cal-Expo - An Alternate Vision' (CEAV) is simply not going to happen. With your help, well, perhaps.


Keep in mind, Cal-Expo has been at this, behind the scenes, for quite some time. Under recent pressure from the Mayor of Sacramento, they are determined to lock things in place and call their plan a "done deal." It's a familiar strategy, "death by a thousand little paper cuts." We, the people of California, are the only thing that stand in the way. Read the material, check the 'stewards' section of the site and then, if you agree with us, get involved. If we all "JUST SAY, NO!" to what they are trying to do in the back rooms of Sacramento, then we will preserve the opportunity to say "Yes!" to something much, much better.


Thank you,

Red Slider, steward
The CEAV Project

 

CEAV: 'Cal-Expo - An Alternate Vision'
brief description

Imagine this: A permanent World's Fair, at the heart of Sacramento's and California's future; a world-class showcase for advanced environment and resource management; for health, education, agriculture; tools for resolving energy, water and climate issues, and similar products and services; on exhibit in year-round display at dozens of major venues on the Cal-Expo site.

Imagine this:Imagine a transformed Cal-Expo as the centerpiece of California's future economic infrastructure. A global hub for world trade and commerce to present the most advanced technologies and next generation products along with the ideas and services for restoring the health of our planet and creating a sustainable future for generations to come.

Imagine this: Cal-Expo hosting a U.C./CSUS 'School of Green Design'; imagine a major Technology Transfer Center to accelerate the invention, production and market readiness of products of the future. Imagine dozens of California art, culture and performance venues, interactive exhibits, and, yes, shops where green products can be seen and purchased.

Imagine a site with actual demonstrations of wetlands and river reclamation and other restoration projects, on-site as an intregral part of the transformed Cal-Expo mission. Imagine A Cal-Expo re-inventing itself with each new season and each new generation of fair goers.

Imagine all that, and much more....

Then, imagine what happens if Cal-Expo is allowed to go ahead with its plan for a major developer's cement-pour and blight itself with a sports-arena, "townhouses", shopping-malls, and similar development enterprises. Add to that the nightmare of traffic, over-extension of services, hidden taxes, long-term costs and almost certain failure of the fair, itself, if their NBA concept moves forward.

Imagine that and we really need say little more about why Cal-Expo's "concept" for the future isn't about a future at all; or, even about basketball. It's about the past and the almost certain death of Cal-Expo and it's true mission, for many generations to come. Cal-Expo's NBA plan will mean foreclosure on a unique opportunity and the dreams of our children and grandchildren for a very long time.

At this website we hope to fully describe why we cannot afford to permit Cal-Expo to continue its fixation with becoming the next developer's pocket liner; why the Kings may need a good home and why that isn't Cal-Expo. We hope you'll visit us often and check and comment on our progress. Most of all, We hope you will find reason to get involved and get your neighbors involved. Not simply to stop Cal-Expo from destroying a unique opportunity, but to help turn that opportunity from a vision into a reality. Doing that will be entirely up to you.

Compare the two visions (below); wander through some imagined possibilities for a CEAV-inspired 'Green Expo' of the future; Are we making the case? Go to our contact page and drop us a note. Offer to help, if you're inclined, or just let us know how we are doing.

(we have immediate need of people with technical and webdesign skills; and, artists, poets etc. who can imagine and provide renderings (any media) of what a CEAV of the future might look like. please use our contact form, or directly email CEAV: art-atsign-ceav-dot-us ). Below is a quick look at why we think we must act and, why CEAV (or a CEAV-like project) is the way we should proceed:



 

COMPARING OFFERINGS

(NBA)
CAL EXPO		 or, (CEAV)
CAL EXPO
BASKETBALL & SPORTS ARENA WORLD-CLASS SHOWCASE for
21st CENTURY LIFE
TOWNHOUSES 'SMALL FOOTPRINT' HOMES
FUTURE LIVING DEMONSTRATIONS
RETAIL SHOPPING 'GREEN VILLAGE' SHOPS
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Some traditional exhibits and activities Some traditional exhibits and activities
& THAT'S ALL FOLKS! & MUCH, MUCH MORE . . .
  KNOWLEDGE-TRANSFER CENTER for
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
  U.C./CSUS 'SCHOOL OF GREEN DESIGN'
CAL-EXPO CAMPUS
  RESOURCE MANAGEMENT &
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
DEMONSTRATION & EXHIBIT VENUES
  CAL-EXPO ENVIRONMENTS:
DEMONSTRATION GREEN PROJECTS,
WETLANDS RESTORATION, NATIVE PLANT PRESERVES, XEROSCAPES,
RIVER PRESERVATION & MORE. . .
  SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES:
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD
FARM & GARDEN
  VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS VENUES
PAVILLIONS, STAGES & EXHIBIT FACILITIES
  FULL SCALE DEMONSTRATIONS of
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY for CAL-EXPO
& SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES
  BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH STATIONS
RESTORATION & PRESERVATION of
LOCAL ENVIRONMENTS
  CALIFORNIA CULTURES CENTER AND PAVILLIONS
  'THE CALIFORNIA GAME'
  WELLNESS PARK AND GARDENS:
PERSONAL, COMMUNITY & GLOBAL HEALTH
  'CENTRAL DESK AND COMPLETE AG LIBRARY FOR CALIFORNIA'S MASTER GARDNER PROGRAM
  a FEDERAL BUREAU OF
'GREEN STANDARDS & MEASURES'
  NUTRITION EXHIBITS/EDUCATION
LIFE-STYLE EXHIBITS AND OFFERINGS
  'FUTURE LIFE VILLAGE'
A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE PROGRAM AFFORDING THE HOMELESS AND WORKING POOR AN OPPORTUNITY for FIRST HOME BUY-IN
  21st CENTURY EDUCATION &
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITS
  REGIONAL HUB for
LOCAL FARMER'S MARKETS - ORGANIC FOOD/ARTS&CRAFTS/VENUE
  DIAGNOSTICS AND VACCINATION STATIONS
PERSONAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS


COMPARING FEATURES

(NBA)
CAL EXPO		 or, (CEAV)
CAL EXPO
SERIOUS TRAFFIC IMPACTS REQUIRING EXTENSIVE MITIGATION REMOTE AREA PARKING;
ZERO EMISSIONS INTRA-EXPO TRANSIT
DEVELOPER-DRIVEN, PRIVATE,
FOR-PROFIT INTRESTS		 NON-PROFIT INVESTMENT IN CALIFORNIA'S FUTURE AND ITS PEOPLE
TOWNHOUSES,SHOPS, SPORTS-ARENA SHOWCASE FACILITIES FOR THE BEST OF CALIFORNIA; HELPING TO CREATE A HABITABLE PLANET, ADVANCING CALIFORNIA COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
FOCUS ON SALES, RENTALS AND CONSUMERISM CREATING VISION, IMAGINATION, KNOWLEDGE AND RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT & THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THAT SUPPORT THAT
OVERSHADOWS, CONFLICTS WITH AND DESTROYS THE MISSION OF THE 'CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR AND EXPOSITION' ENHANCES, UPDATES AND TRANSFORMS THE CAL-EXPO MISSION FOR 21st CENTURY MINDS AND INTERESTS
SERVES THE LOCAL AND NARROW INTERESTS OF A FEW PEOPLE SERVES THE INTERESTS OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA AND ITS BUSINESSES
BANK, DEVELOPER FINANCING BASED ON PROFIT INVESTMENTS AND ENDOWMENT, TRUST AND CORPORATE UNDERWRITING, FOUNDATION AND FEDERAL FUNDING AND OTHER FINANCING BASED ON REAL VALUE TO COMMERCE, INDUSTRY, AGRICULTURE AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
USES ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF ENERGY AND RESOURCES TO RUN ITS FACILITIES CREATES SURPLUS ENERGY AND RECLAIMS VALUABLE RESOURCES.
LIMITED, 20TH CENTURY VISION. FAIR CONCEPT BASED ON OUTDATED CIRCUS AND CARNIVAL IDEAS OF DIMINISHING VALUE TO 21st CENTURY MINDS. THE SPORTS COMPLEX MAY HAVE CONTINUING PUBLIC VALUE, BUT IS A BRANCH OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY; A PRIVATE, FOR-PROFIT ENDEAVOR, OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW OF 'PUBLIC INTEREST'. A THOROUGHLY 21st CENTURY CONCEPT WHICH ADVANCES THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND MAY SERVE TO PROMOTE SOLUTIONS TO SERIOUS SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME
FIXED POSITION, CEMENT POUR FLEXIBLE, SUPPLE EVOLVING DESIGN, CHANGING TO MEET FUTURE NEEDS AND INTERESTS.
BUSINESS AS USUAL REDESIGNING OUR LIVES, OUR ECONOMY AND OUR PLANET FOR A HEALTHIER MORE FULFILLING PRESENCE IN THE WORLD
A 'DONE DEAL' WE CAN CHANGE THAT.


Now that you had a glimpse of what CEAV is Proposing as compared to what Cal-Expo is promoting, we think you can understand why CEAV decided to pursue the matter despite the fact that we are up against some pretty big money, some pretty big politics and a whole lot of hurdles that very narrow interests, serving only themselves, will undoubtedly put in our way. We'd like to be able to say we were also up against some stiff competition in suggestions for renovating Cal Expo and creating something that will truly serve the needs and interests of the 21st century. We would welcome a flood of good ideas. The more the better.

Unfortunately, so far as we know, there have been no other ideas except for Cal Expo wrangling with harness racing fans and horse enthusiasts who want to keep their interests and passion at Cal Expo. For its basic concept, however, Cal Expo refuses to even consider any other ideas than its sole-source NBA package. We will have more to say about Cal Expo's determination to shut out the public and to manage this matter completely on its own, as if it were a private company serving private interests with no accountability to the public at all.

For the moment, now that you've seen how the two concepts compare, perhaps you would like to take a verbal 'walk' through some of the sights and activities that you might find at a CEAV designed Cal Expo of the future. This Imagine Link will take you directly to that imaginary fair of the future. Enjoy your visit.