The long-awaited Gaylord Pacific Resort is holding its grand opening in Chula Vista, marking the culmination of nearly two decades of planning and development. The $1.3 billion resort is expected to transform the Chula Vista Bayfront, adding thousands of jobs and millions of dollars to the local economy.
The resort features 1,600 guest rooms, a water park, spa and 12 different restaurants situated right on the bayfront. According to the Port of San Diego, the resort has created 4,000 jobs for the area between construction and permanent staff positions.
Chula Vista Mayor John McCann has been involved with the project since its inception when he was a councilmember during the drafting of the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan.
"The Gaylord Pacific is just one of the major projects that we are doing, south of that we are going to have a 35-acre bay project that is going to have housing, fine dining, and also high-end retail. Then you will see the marina be upgraded... that whole area is going to be upgraded as well," McCann said.
The master plan includes residential areas, office and retail space, 70 acres of new parks and 120 acres of open space for wildlife.
The development has been a long time coming.
The city began revising the master plan in 2003, but it wasn't until 2012 that the California Coastal Commission approved the new master plan to allow this kind of major development. In 2018, the Port of San Diego and the City of Chula Vista approved the agreement with Gaylord.
A year later, they broke ground on the Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay RV Resort, Sweetwater Bicycle Path and Promenade projects, which opened in 2021, paving the way for construction on the Gaylord.
Local businesses are already seeing benefits from the development. Michael Jimenez, owner of Chula Vista Watersports, is now a vendor for the hotel and will provide kayak and paddleboard rentals to guests.
"We are really excited about the opportunity for tourists to come in because it is going to bring tourism to the area. It's also going to bring business and economic growth to the area, that is something we are excited about ... but our biggest priority is our community," Jimenez said.
Jimenez has partnered with the Chula Vista Parks and Recreation Department to provide lower prices for residents so they too can enjoy the bayfront.
The resort is holding its official, invite-only grand opening and ribbon cutting on Thursday afternoon before opening to the public this weekend. The first guest is expected to check-in at 4:15 p.m.
The San Diego Workforce Partnership reports that the Gaylord will be hiring during the holidays, specifically more than 700 temporary positions.
