Now Open! Port and City Leaders Celebrate Ribbon Cutting for Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center on the Chula Vista Bayfront

Download full size image

PHOTO CREDIT: Gaylord Pacific

With the cut of a ceremonial ribbon, the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center is officially open for business, relaxation, and leisure. Built in partnership by the Port of San Diego, City of Chula Vista, and RIDA Chula Vista, LLC, this historic occasion marks a new era for Chula Vista’s waterfront. The Port of San Diego, City of Chula Vista and other South Bay leaders and partners celebrated the opening on Thursday, May 15, 2025, along with representatives of Marriott, Gaylord Hotels, and many partners and community supporters. 

“The Gaylord Pacific opening signifies that this is Chula Vista’s decade,” said Chula Vista Mayor John McCann. “Chula Vista’s Bayfront will be a regional economic engine creating $475 million of economic impact annually and thousands of new jobs. It will become a world-class people’s bayfront with public access, walking trails, parks, and restaurants. The transformation of Chula Vista’s Bayfront will continue to improve under our Master Plan and provide huge value to our community.”

“This project represents one of the most significant regional transformations in a generation,” said Chair Danielle Moore of the Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “It shows what’s possible when we work together across our Port cities—with sustained commitment and shared purpose—to create thousands of jobs, attract global investment, and deliver long-term benefits for the entire region.”

“The Gaylord Pacific didn’t happen by chance – it happened because Chula Vista, the Port, and our partners stayed focused, strategic, and committed to a shared vision embraced by our community,” said Vice Chair Ann Moore, Chula Vista’s appointee on the Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “This project is a game-changer for the South Bay and a powerful example of how public access and economic development can go hand in hand.”

“We are so thankful to have reached this momentous occasion, and I am so proud of the public/private partnership with the Port of San Diego and the City of Chula Vista, which made all of our visions into this magnificent reality,” said Ira Mitzner, CEO of RIDA Development.

“Today marks a defining moment for Gaylord Hotels, Marriott International, and the City of Chula Vista. We are honored to open our doors and welcome guests to this remarkable destination on the San Diego Bay,” said Scott Siebert, General Manager, Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center. “Gaylord Pacific was purpose-built to bring people together—whether for celebrations, business, or family fun—and we are proud to join this vibrant community as both a hospitality leader and a committed neighbor.”

Gaylord Hotels is the large convention hotel brand of Marriott International – Gaylord Pacific is the brand’s first West Coast location and Chula Vista’s first world-class hotel and convention center. Gaylord Pacific features 1,600 guest rooms and suites, more than 10 restaurants from fine dining to casual cuisine; multiple pools, waterslides and a lazy river; public promenades; a spa; and more. The convention center boasts four ballrooms, three levels of meeting space, and two outdoor meeting and event lawns. To ensure connectivity to the wider bayfront, the venue also has many public amenities including pedestrian promenades, bicycle access, a variety of food and beverage offerings, game activities, a nature playground, and more. 

The $1.35 billion resort and convention center is expected to have an enormous impact on the South Bay and the San Diego region and attract visitors from throughout the State of California and beyond. According to RIDA, it created 7,000 jobs during construction and is estimated to create sustained economic impact of half-a-billion dollars each year and thousands of permanent jobs. 

Decades in the making, the project was delivered via a public-private partnership jointly conceived by the Port of San Diego and the City of Chula Vista and executed through the participation of RIDA Chula Vista’s partners, RIDA Development Corp and an Ares Real Estate fund. The Port and the City successfully secured $284 million to support the project, most of which was through public bond funding. In the complex deal, general fund commitments to the project are strictly capped for both the Port and City and neither public agency is liable for any debt beyond what was committed. Revenues generated by the project will directly pay down the debt.

Chula Vista Bayfront Redevelopment
With its nationally recognized brand, the Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center is expected to spur other development on the 535-acre Chula Vista Bayfront. The project is part of the first phase of the Chula Vista Bayfront redevelopment, which also includes the brand-new 39-acre Sweetwater Park, an expanded Harbor Park (formerly known as Bayside Park) from approximately 12 to 25 acres, and the Sun Outdoor RV Resort. Future phases include Harbor Park improvements, more public parks, expanded retail and restaurants around the marinas, additional hotels, supporting public infrastructure, and more. 

For more information about the Chula Vista Bayfront, visit portofsandiego.org/chulavistabayfront.