Staycation in Chula Vista? The city broke ground on the Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center over the summer — a $1.35 billion project that’s been in the works since 2002.

The goal is to take 500 acres of vacant land in the Chula Vista Bayfront and turn it into an area that will benefit residents, tourism + economic growth. Now, the project is shaping up to do just that.

A rendering of the Gaylord Pacific. | Photo via @thinkchulavista

Amenities

A recent flyover video of the construction shows mostly flat land with the beginning signs of structural development on the 275,000-sqft site. The project is expected to be completed in 2025, and the space will look very different. Once guests arrive, they can expect:

1,600 rooms for guests, including 89 suites.
A convention center with 62 breakout rooms + three ballrooms.
A 4.25-acre water park with slides, a wave pool, a surf simulator, a lazy river, and more.
Nine restaurants and bars, including a 2-level sports bar + hidden speakeasy.

It will be Gaylord Hotels’ sixth location — a conference-focused brand managed by Marriott International. Visitors will be seven miles from downtown San Diego, allowing for easy access to other nearby destinations.

Community Impact

The new space may be focused on tourism, but developers and the city hope the Gaylord Pacific will have positive impacts for locals, starting with the ~4,000 jobs created by the development. This is expected to have an annual impact on Chula Vista’s economy amounting to half-a-billion dollars and $11.5 million in tax revenue.

As part of the development plan, the Port of San Diego + City of Chula Vista will maintain public access to the Chula Vista Bayfront area including San Diego Bay and Chula Vista Marina. This will include the development of Sweetwater Park and doubling the size of Bayside Park and renaming it Harbor Park. Locals will be able to access these spaces + their amenities — even if they’re not guests at the resort — and they’ll be able to shop and dine at new businesses that are part of the project.