By Mark Edward Nero
The Port of San Diego said June 2 that it would seek bids this
month for a plan to develop more than 500 acres of waterfront property. A
convention-oriented hotel and resort fronting the San Diego Bay will be the
centerpiece of the project, the port says.
According to the port, a Request for Qualifications will be
issued seeking a developer for a convention destination resort hotel as part of
the Chula Vista Bayfront. The project will, according to the port, “transform
535 acres on San Diego Bay into a world-class destination for domestic and
international visitors alike.”
Respondents to the RFQ will need to demonstrate their skills
and ability to finance, design and construct a large-scale environmentally
sustainable convention-oriented destination hotel and resort.
“The port’s investment in this important new waterfront
destination will truly transform the City of Chula Vista and San Diego’s South
Bay region,” Port Commissioner Ann Moore said.
A recent report by the San Diego Tourism Authority estimates
that San Diego’s overnight visitor volume is expected to increase nearly two
percent annually over the next four years. The port says the bayfront project
will provide the necessary infrastructure for convention demand.
Also included in the plan are marina improvements expected
to create an active commercial harbor with retail shops, restaurants and public
space at the water’s edge.
“Chula Vista and the port have cleared the way to create a
shovel-ready project on prime bayfront property,” Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox
said.
More information about the project is available at
http://www.cvbayfront.com.
