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The city of Sacramento and Railyards developer Thomas Enterprises expect to move forward Monday on attempts to put a price tag on key land needed for a future regional transportation center.

The city exercised its right to request an independent arbitrator after both sides failed to agree on the price of 33 acres needed to build the transportation center, an expansion of the historic Sacramento Valley Station into the 244-acre Railyards development.

A public hearing has been set for 9 a.m. Monday at Sacramento County Superior Court to help narrow down the list of potential arbitrators qualified to set a value and price for the land, which will also contain relocated railroad tracks and other infrastructure needed for the transit center and the Railyards development, said Sheryl Patterson, senior deputy city attorney.

Each side will submit five names to a judge. The judge will winnow that to a list of the five most qualified.

Both sides will then strike names from the list, after the judge tosses a coin to decide who goes first. Arbitrators will be crossed off if not available. The arbitrator is expected to be selected and the dates of arbitration hearings set by the end of next week, Patterson said.

Photo by Eric Whalen. Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.