New Hilton San Diego Bayfront Celebrates ‘Topping Off’ Ceremony

Hilton Hotels Corporation executives, San Diego City officials and civic leaders celebrated today as the new Hilton San Diego, next door to the San Diego Convention Center received its final touches at the ‘topping off’ ceremony of the 550-foot structure. A new name was announced that truly reflects the hotel’s location on San Diego Bay: the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. The 30-story, 1,190 room hotel on the edge of San Diego Bay is scheduled to open in November of this year.

Situated on 12.79 acres of bay front land owned by the Port of San Diego and designed by John Portman and Associates, the Hilton San Diego Bayfront will complement San Diego’s scenic beauty and superb climate by maximizing water views and open spaces. The hotel is situated on a ‘podium base,’ with the entrance elevated to provide unparalleled views of San Diego Bay from the main lobby and meeting areas. Restaurant and retail guests and customers will also have direct pedestrian access to the waterfront promenade and the new 4.3-acre waterfront park that complements and is part of the hotel. The new hotel is just steps away from the San Diego Convention Center and PETCO Park and will maintain a view corridor that will run along Park Boulevard from San Diego Bay to Balboa Park.

Addressing the large morning gathering were Tom Keltner, executive vice president/CEO Americas & Global brands, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Michael Bixler, chair, Board of Port Commissioners/Port of San Diego, Kevin Faulconer, councilman, City of San Diego District II, Robert Horsman, president & CEO San Diego National Bank, Carol Wallace, president & CEO, San Diego Convention Center Corporation, Sal Giametta, vice president community relations, San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau and Karima Zaki, area vice president of operations, Hilton Hotels. Representatives from ING Clarion Partners, Phelps Development, Portman Holdings, John Portman & Associates also attended.

“Hilton Hotels is excited about this project in San Diego, a city where we have had more than a 40-year relationship, with 18 hotels representing all of our brands! The Hilton San Diego Bayfront is an outstanding addition to the Hilton brand and its large collection of world-class meeting and convention hotels in major cities throughout the U.S. With its idyllic waterfront location and offerings, the property will help San Diego continue to be a prime destination for national conventions or just a great location for those who wish to come and enjoy all that greater San Diego has to offer.”

During the ceremony, the impact of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront was also noted both economically and for travel and tourism opportunities. What is now more evident is the ability for the City of San Diego to now attract even larger annual conventions than ever before.

When the hotel opens in November, it is anticipated to provide close to 1,000 new jobs to the City of San Diego and will enlarge the city’s meetings and conventions with the addition of 1,190 guest rooms and 165,000 square feet of meeting and event space that includes a grand ballroom and a junior ballroom and pre-function lobby space, plus 35 meeting rooms. A 7,300 square foot health club and spa, featuring Fitness by Precor USA, 3,000 square feet of retail space, a 2,400 square foot business center, swimming pool, and three restaurants will all be enriched with the 4.3-acre Waterfront Park that will be able to accommodate 15,000 for outdoor meetings and events. There is also an adjacent parking structure that will accommodate 2,000 vehicles.

Since the groundbreaking exactly two years ago to this date, more than 1.5 million working man hours have been recorded along with 2000 concrete driving piles and stone columns and 112,000 tons of rebar placed, 55,000 cubic yards of concrete poured and 4,000 tons of steel imbedded into the construction moving quickly towards its completion date.

The Hilton San Diego Bayfront is located at One Park Boulevard, San Diego, 92101.

More...