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Port commissioner updates Chula Vista council on Bayfront progress and Pangea ENA
Summary
Port Commissioner Moore told the council the Bayfront has two major 2025 openings (Sweetwater Park and the Gaylord Pacific Resort), outlined timing changes sought in the 2010 Bayfront EIR to ease transportation mitigation for later phases, described Harbor Park's South Face amenities and schedule, and said the Port entered a six‑month exclusive negotiating agreement (ENA) for the unsolicited Pangea proposal.
Commissioner Moore, the Port of San Diego board chair representing Chula Vista, gave the City Council a multi‑part update on the Chula Vista Bayfront, saying recent completions and planned next steps aim to accelerate redevelopment while preserving public benefits.
"In April, we opened the brand new Sweetwater Park at 39 acres," Moore said, and he noted the Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center opened later in the year. Moore told the council those projects produced thousands of construction jobs and, he said, more than 1,200 full‑ and part‑time positions since opening.
Moore said the Bayfront’s certified environmental impact report, adopted in 2010, includes timing requirements for certain transportation mitigation that could discourage investment for phase 2 and phase 3 developers. He said the port will update the EIR ‘‘to refine the transportation mitigation measures associated with phases 2 and 3 to clarify the timing of when mitigation associated with specific transportation impacts could be implemented.’’
The presentation included details on Harbor Park, an expansion from roughly 12 to 25 acres. Moore described the South Face as the first area to be developed and listed planned amenities: two play areas (ages 2–5 and 5–12), a nautical‑themed playground, a 1,100‑square‑foot splash pad with a rinse shower, pedestrian lighting, picnic areas and bicycle parking. Moore said the construction contract will be taken to the port board in February, South Face construction will start in early 2026, the playground is expected to be finished in fall 2026 and the splash pad in early 2027.
On the unsolicited Pangea Chula Vista proposal for phase 3 (the "0 District"), Moore said the port board considered factors including the proposal’s uniqueness, public benefits, development team strength and a proposed tennis center. He said the team is pursuing a partnership with a professional athlete under a nondisclosure agreement. The board voted to waive a competitive process and authorized staff to negotiate a six‑month exclusive negotiating agreement; Moore reported the port and the developer executed an ENA effective Jan. 1 through July 1 to solidify key elements.
Moore emphasized what the ENA is not: "It's not a development agreement. It's not a lease. It's not a financing agreement. Nor is it a formal CEQA review. It's also not a funding commitment by the port and it's certainly not a deal," he said, adding the board has not made a final determination and has only provided direction to staff to explore the proposal.
Moore closed by previewing the port’s Jan. 14 swearing‑in ceremony at the Gaylord Pacific Resort and said the port will return with updates after the ENA period.
What happens next: Moore said staff will work with city stakeholders, wildlife agencies and the public during the ENA period to address outstanding elements and confirm any future steps.
