Economic development staff details hotels, action‑sports pipeline and visitor goals for Lake Elsinore

Gina Gonzalez, representing the city’s economic development staff, delivered an update to the Lake Elsinore city council outlining a pipeline of private and public projects, revised internal coordination procedures and near‑term initiatives to grow tourism, retail and specialized recreation in the city.

Gonzalez told the council the economic development program is pursuing a multi‑pronged strategy that includes business attraction and retention, workforce partnerships, downtown revitalization, targeted industry support (including cybersecurity and AI), and a tourism and visitors bureau as part of the city’s broader 2040 plan initiatives.

Why it matters: The initiatives are intended to bring new jobs, increase local tax revenues and expand tourism amenities. Gonzalez said the work also focuses on creating higher‑paying jobs and strengthening development processes to reduce project delays.

Key points from the presentation

- Development process and coordination: Gonzalez said the city expanded its development stakeholder meetings and moved coordination from biweekly to weekly to troubleshoot projects earlier and streamline permitting and design review. She identified water district processing and cultural resource agency management plans as active constraints being coordinated across departments.

- Pipeline projects and sectors: Gonzalez listed a range of projects and prospects the city is engaging with, including multiple hotel prospects (she named Hilton, IHG, Marriott and Choice as previously approving site proposals and said Wyndham is processing), an identified need for roughly 400 hotel rooms in a market study prepared by HVS, an indoor hockey rink (“Ice Cave”) in tenant improvements, a large indoor athletic complex (site selection for ~80,000 square feet), and reopening of the Summer League golf course and motorsports park. She also identified ongoing efforts around specialty grocers, sit‑down and fast casual restaurants (the presentation cited 7 sit‑down restaurants and 13 fast‑casual prospects in various stages), and a proposed indoor family entertainment/adventure park.

- Action‑sports and tourism: The city is pursuing an action‑sports industry plan (Lake Elsinore action sports industry growth and action plan), supporting events such as the Grand Prix and a proposed repeat of the Dream Extreme regatta, and exploring lake activation projects including a proposed surf park island and an Elsinore Yacht Club sailing program. Gonzalez said the action‑sports sector and related events are a focus for tourism and business growth.

- Retail and tenant work: Gonzalez described outreach to commercial brokers and a merchants program, efforts to reposition centers and attract tenant mixes including home‑decor and specialty grocers, and a goal to improve signage and cleanliness to support retail vitality.

- Metrics and estimates presented: Gonzalez said the city has about 17 businesses open or in process tied to recent efforts and later provided a breakdown “number of businesses by industries, 39; 13 new retailers; 2 grocers; 3 additional hotels; restaurants, 16.” She also summarized revenue and visitor estimates in her slide pack; the transcript records her saying estimated annual property tax “1.3,” estimated annual sales “just over half a mil,” TOT “just over a million,” close to 3,000,000 annual visitors and about 1,300 employees. The presentation did not specify units or the precise bases for the abbreviated revenue figures in the transcript; the transcript quotes the slide wording directly.

Council response and next steps

Councilmembers thanked Gonzalez and asked that the department make the information more digestible for the public. Councilmember Johnson asked for a communications plan to “slow‑drip” highlights so residents can more readily follow progress. Councilmember Manos thanked staff for coordination and emphasized constraints along Riverside Drive fall under Caltrans jurisdiction, a point raised earlier in public comment. Mayor Pro Tem McGee and others praised staff for outreach and event facilitation.

Ending

Gonzalez said staff will continue coordination across departments, work with the fire, police and public works teams on site‑specific items and follow up with the council on communications and updates. Several projects described remain in pre‑development or approval stages; Gonzalez noted work on grant applications, signage/code updates and development stakeholder review as continuing tasks.