San Diego Approves Midway Rising Plan for New 16,000-Seat Arena
The City Council approved the Midway Rising redevelopment, advancing a new arena designed for the Sports Arena site alongside housing, dining and public space.
The San Diego City Council unanimously approved the Midway Rising redevelopment on November 9, advancing a new 16,000-seat entertainment arena to replace Pechanga Arena as part of a larger project on the city-owned Sports Arena site.
The council action approved the real estate and land-use framework for the roughly 49-acre development. The current plan also includes about 4,250 homes, 130,000 square feet of shops and restaurants, and parks and public space. The city estimates more than $4.2 billion in construction investment across the full project.
“This vote today brings us closer to a long-overdue transformation of the Midway District.” — Jennifer Campbell, San Diego City Councilmember
For the arena, the city’s project page specifies a multipurpose building of at least 380,000 square feet with a 16,000-seat target, subject to a permitted reduction to no fewer than 15,200 seats. An earlier Midway Rising proposal described premium seats, loges and suites among the intended seating options; the current approvals do not set out a final premium inventory or sales program.
The development team includes Chelsea Investment Corporation, Legends Global, Zephyr Partners and The Kroenke Group. City officials say the existing arena will remain in operation until the new venue is ready to open. The developer must still secure permits and satisfy other agreement milestones before construction begins.
Times of San Diego Staff Reports
