During the summer, critical progress was made on the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan with the Port of San Diego and City of Chula Vista approving financing and construction documents necessary for the next major step in breaking ground on the development’s anchor project.
The June action moves the port, city and developer RIDA Chula Vista LLC, closer to leasing and construction of the Gaylord Pacific Resort, convention center, public infrastructure and two parks.
The $1 billion bayfront development is a blueprint for roughly 535 acres on the city’s southwest side, meant to transform a mostly vacant and underutilized industrial area into a thriving recreational, residential and resort destination on the city’s waterfront.
The Gaylord Pacific resort will be built west of Marina Parkway between H and G streets. The port, the city, and RIDA anticipate closing escrow in late 2021/early 2022, clearing the way for RIDA to begin construction on the resort hotel, public infrastructure and convention center, opening as early as 2025.
Operated by Marriott International convention hotel brand Gaylord Hotels, the resort will stand 22 stories high, include up to 1,600 hotel rooms, resort-level amenities including recreational facilities, a spa, lazy river and bike and boat rentals with 275,000 net square feet of convention and meeting space in the convention center.
Construction of the bayfront master plan began in September 2019, when the Port of San Diego and City of Chula Vista held a groundbreaking celebration for the first two major projects, including the RV Resort and Sweetwater Bicycle Path and Promenade located at E Street and Bay Boulevard.
Upon completion, the bayfront development is expected to generate $23 million in annual tax revenues to Chula Vista, provide more than 200 acres of parks and open space, a shoreline promenade, walking trails, RV camping, shopping, dining and more.