Measure would also provide funding to expand homeless services, street resurfacing.
SAN DIEGO, CA – A citizens’ initiative backed by San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and tourism officials to modernize and enlarge San Diego’s iconic bayfront convention center will go before voters in March 2020 following a vote by the city council earlier this week.
Under the initiative, voters will be asked to approve a hotel transient occupancy tax increase that would fund the modernization and expansion of the convention center, as well as provide billions of dollars for homeless programs and road repairs across the city.
“This measure is about enhancing San Diego’s quality of life for decades to come,” said Joe Terzi, President and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority. “Not only is enlarging our center absolutely critical to our tourism economy, it will put thousands of San Diegans to work and generate billions of dollars in additional tax revenue to fund essential city services.”
"We are proud to be an economic engine for the betterment of San Diego, providing jobs for San Diegans throughout the region," said Clifford "Rip" Rippetoe, President & CEO of the San Diego Convention Center. "Our customers continue to tell us that they want a contiguous, on-site expansion, and if we deliver, they will deliver. Other cities are moving past us and are expanding their facilities, including our closest neighbors in Anaheim and Los Angeles. Every year San Diego misses out on major convention, trade show and event opportunities. This results in the loss of millions of dollars in tax revenue that could be used to address the urgent issues of homelessness, road repair and protecting our economy. We look forward to the voters having their say on this issue."
Last year, the convention center hosted 133 events, which attracted 785,460 attendees and generated an economic impact of $1.1 billion.
The expansion plan, which has secured unanimous California Coastal Commission approval, would add more than 400,000 square feet of exhibit, meeting and ballroom space and include a five-acre rooftop park.
Under the proposal, the city’s transient occupancy tax paid by hotel guests would increase from 12.5 percent to no more than 15.75 percent depending on a hotel’s proximity to the convention center.
Backers of the initiative collected more than 114,000 signatures last year to qualify the measure for a public vote.
This week’s city council action was the approval of a resolution in favor of presenting the citizens’ initiative to voters in March 2020 instead of November 2020. The council will vote again at a later date to formally place the measure on the ballot.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
