The groundbreaking festivities for the new 1,190-room Hilton San Diego Convention Center took place in January 2006.  The 30-story property will be located next to the Convention Center, on the east side of the building, situated alongside the city’s sparkling waterfront.  Slated to open in late 2008, this latest addition will boost downtown San Diego’s total hotel room inventory past 10,000 rooms within one mile of the building making us more accommodating than ever.

1,190 hotel rooms Slated to open 2008

The ceremony attracted officials from the Convention Center, the Port of San Diego, Hilton Corporation, ING Clarion Partners, Portman Holdings and Phelps Development and several City of San Diego leaders including the new mayor, Jerry Sanders.  Mayor Sanders, a strong supporter of San Diego’s convention and meetings industry, welcomed our new hotel partners and spoke at the event.

Kevin Tilden, the board chair of the Convention Center Corporation, also spoke at the ceremony and acknowledged that this new hotel enhances our city’s overall destination package.  “This hotel is great news because in addition to our beautiful weather, waterfront location and fantastic destination amenities we already have, we can now offer our clients the additional headquarter hotel that they have been asking for since we expanded,” he said.

The primary design theme of the new Hilton property will complement San Diego’s scenic beauty and superb climate showcasing amazing views of San Diego Bay.  When complete, the main tower will be situated on a podium base, with an elevated entrance that provides striking views of the waterfront from the main lobby and meeting areas.  Guests will have direct pedestrian access to the bay and the Convention Center.

The hotel will also have more than one million square feet of interior space, including 1,190 guestrooms; four food and beverage outlets (including a waterfront restaurant); 165,000 square feet of interior meeting, a grand ballroom and a junior ballroom and pre-function lobby space plus 32 meeting rooms and a conference center; a 7,300-square foot health club and spa; 3,000 square feet of retail space and a 2,400 square foot business center.  Located on the site of a historic shipyard, the development will also include a 4.3 acre exterior waterfront park.