San Diego Convention Center Faces $21M in Urgent Repairs

Expansion plans delayed as city prioritizes critical maintenance needs

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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San Diego's City Council has approved $21.4 million in funding for urgent repairs to the aging San Diego Convention Center, including a new roof and central plant overhaul. This is the first phase of a five-year, nearly $120 million plan to address years of underfunding and deferred maintenance at the 2.6 million square-foot facility. While Measure C, a 2020 ballot initiative, aimed to fund a substantial expansion, rising costs and the need to prioritize repairs have complicated those plans.

Why it matters

The shift in focus from expansion to repairs highlights the complex trade-offs inherent in public funding and the challenges of balancing long-term vision with immediate needs. Prioritizing essential maintenance ensures the facility remains operational, but may delay realizing the full economic benefits of a larger, modernized convention center.

The details

A 2022 assessment identified nearly $244 million in needed repairs and capital improvements over 25 years. With Measure C funds now available, the city has allocated $21.4 million this year for deferred maintenance, including a new roof and central plant overhaul. However, rising construction costs and the city's lease agreement with Fifth Avenue Landing, which controls a key waterfront parcel needed for expansion, are complicating plans to move forward with a substantial convention center expansion.

  • In 2020, San Diego voters passed Measure C to increase the hotel room tax and fund convention center upgrades, homelessness programs, and street repairs.
  • By the end of the current fiscal year, the city anticipates $45.4 million in hotel tax funds dedicated to the convention center.
  • The city's lease agreement with Fifth Avenue Landing, which controls a key waterfront parcel needed for expansion, does not expire until mid-2027.

The players

San Diego City Council

The governing body of the city of San Diego that authorized the first phase of convention center repairs.

San Diego Convention Center Corporation

The organization that manages the convention center and has lacked sufficient funds for upkeep in recent years.

Fifth Avenue Landing

A company that controls a key waterfront parcel needed for the convention center expansion project, with a lease that does not expire until mid-2027.

Robert Gleason

The chair of the San Diego County Lodging Association who emphasized that voters were promised an expanded convention center when they approved Measure C.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

As the expiration of the Fifth Avenue Landing lease approaches in mid-2027, the city will begin to develop more concrete plans for a potential convention center expansion. However, the timing and scope of any expansion will likely depend on future budget allocations and economic conditions.

The takeaway

The San Diego Convention Center's urgent repair needs have taken priority over expansion plans, highlighting the challenges of balancing immediate facility maintenance with long-term development goals. This situation underscores the complex trade-offs inherent in public funding and the need to carefully manage aging infrastructure alongside ambitious growth initiatives.