Port Pavilion to Welcome First Cruise Ship December 22

Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Contact: John Gilmore (619) 341-5684, (619) 686-7206, Dale Frost (619) 686-6461

Pavilion Dedicated During Public Celebration, Dec. 18

The Port of San Diego's new Pavilion on Broadway Pier welcomes its first cruise ship on Wednesday, December 22, 2010, when Holland America's 1,400-passenger Rotterdam docks at the $28 million cruise and event center to embark and disembark passengers.

The grand opening of the Port Pavilion was on Saturday, December 18, 2010. A day-long public open house was held, allowing community members to become familiar with the region's newest "green," or environmentally-friendly, building.

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Port of San Diego, Carnival Cruise Lines and local officials formally dedicated the two-level, 52,000-square foot structure.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders credited the Port of San Diego with building a facility that will keep San Diego competitive with other West Coast ports that are seeking to attract cruise ships and tourism dollars.

"We need this facility, there's no doubt about that," said Sanders. "When you look at the numbers related to economic impact from cruise ship operations, it underscores that fact."

It is estimated that every cruise ship visit pumps $2 million into the local economy. This includes tourism spending by passengers, and provisioning and servicing the vessels.

The Pavilion serves as an auxiliary terminal to the Port's main B Street Cruise Ship Terminal. It also will be available for public events when cruise ships are not in port.

Port Commissioner Michael Bixler said he is especially proud of the pavilion's sustainability features. It is the first building constructed by the Port of San Diego that is designed to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.

"I say to the public: 'This is your pier. Stroll out and enjoy it,' " said Bixler.

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The formal dedication concluded when officials and guests gathered at the front of the pavilion at dusk to view the inaugural light show from the public artwork "Tidal Radiance" that enhances the façade of the building.

"It turned out exactly as I planned. This is absolutely it," said artist Leni Schwendinger, who designed the luminous artwork.