One year ago, Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center opened its doors on the Chula Vista Bayfront, and what a year it has been. The Port of San Diego reports 400,000 room nights booked for 2025 alone, with the resort projected to bring in $350 million in revenue, placing it as Marriott International’s third-highest-grossing property in the world.
Beyond the impressive numbers, the resort has been a win for the wider community. The Living Coast Discovery Center, the nonprofit zoo and aquarium next door, has seen tourism grow thanks to its early partnership with the resort. Harbor Park, right next to the property, is also being expanded from 12 to 25 acres, giving residents even more public space along the water.
Nearby businesses are still warming up to the influx of visitors, and more development, including the proposed Pangaea sports and entertainment complex, is on the horizon.
If you have not made it out to Gaylord Pacific yet, now is a great time to go. You do not need to be a guest to walk through the lobby or explore the property. It is our city, and it is worth seeing.
Great news, Chula Vista!! The Tender Hooligan is officially back open, and the vibes everyone loves are still fully intact. I stopped by last night for a late-night coffee and found the place full of energy, with an artists’ night in progress, people sketching, and a DJ spinning music. It was such a good reminder of why this spot means so much to Downtown Chula Vista. They’ve also launched a brand-new Instagram account and have a lot planned, so make sure you follow them. It’s really good to see The Tender Hooligan back, and if you’ve missed it too, now’s the perfect time to head over and show some support.
The City of Chula Vista has officially acquired the Historic Vogue Theater and its adjacent parking lot in downtown Chula Vista, marking a major milestone in the revitalization of Third Avenue. Mayor John McCann announced the acquisition during a press conference, calling it a historic day for the community and a clear commitment to preserving one of the city’s most beloved landmarks.
This one hits close to home for me. I remember going to the Vogue as a kid, watching movies on that big screen, and sitting in the loge seats in the back, the ones you had to pay extra for. Years later, I took my daughters there to do the same thing. When the theater closed in 2006, it was genuinely sad. I had always hoped it would become something more, whether that was a live music venue, a performing arts space, or even another movie theater.
But as the project stalled year after year, I knew that the longer we waited, the more money and work it would take to bring it back to life. I have covered this topic many times on my social media channels. So many residents have commented saying they would love to see something happen to this historic building right here in downtown Chula Vista. This announcement is exactly the kind of news this community has been waiting for. You can see that video here
A Chula Vista Landmark Since 1945
The Vogue Theater first opened its doors in 1945 and quickly became a gathering place for Chula Vista and the broader South County community. Located at 226 Third Avenue in the heart of the Third Avenue Village, it was the place where families made memories, couples went on dates, and kids experienced the magic of the movies for the first time. The city designated the Vogue as a historical resource in 2011, recognizing its significance to the community.
Mayor McCann shared his own memories of the theater during the press conference, recalling Dollar Tuesday nights where he watched classics like The Terminator, Poltergeist, and Star Wars. Those kinds of personal connections are exactly why this building means so much to those of us who grew up here.
After closing in 2006, the Vogue sat dormant while the city and various stakeholders worked to find a viable path to reopen it. Previous owners made promises to local businesses and the community, but those efforts never materialized into results. I had heard so many rumors about the Vogue Theater and how the main developer wanted to make it housing. I was hoping those rumors weren’t true.
The Historic Vogue Theater has been part of downtown Chula Vista since 1945 and holds many memories for Chula Vista residents.
The Vision Moving Forward
Mayor McCann made it clear that the city’s vision for the Vogue is not housing or apartments. Instead, the plan is to transform the theater into a performance and entertainment venue dedicated to the arts. The space would host theatrical productions, live music, movies, and community events.
The city does not plan to operate the venue directly. Instead, it will seek a world-class operator to manage programming and scheduling while the city retains ownership of the property. McCann acknowledged that a full analysis of the building is needed and that investment partners will be essential to realizing the vision.
Financial details of the acquisition have not yet been released due to a settlement agreement with the previous owners, but the mayor indicated that those numbers would become public within days.
Downtown Business Owners See Opportunity
Dominic LiMandri, district manager of the Downtown Chula Vista Association, spoke at the press conference and called the acquisition a watershed moment for Third Avenue. He described the Historic Vogue Theater as an institution over 80 years old and expressed excitement about the potential for live music and arts programming to generate new foot traffic and economic activity along the corridor.
Local business owners echoed that optimism. Kevin from Lime and a Coconut noted that having the city in control of the property gives business owners real confidence. After years of waiting for previous owners to deliver, the city now holding the keys changes the outlook entirely. Joe from La Bella Pizza, which has been on Third Avenue for 70 years, said it simply: the Vogue will help put more feet on the street and bring energy back to downtown.
Both business owners see live entertainment and arts programming as an economic multiplier for the restaurants, bars, and shops along Third Avenue. With the Vogue back in play, they expect new opportunities that were not possible before.
If you want to see the full press confrence, you can view it on the mayor’s YouTube channel here.
What Comes Next for the Historic Vogue Theater
There is no official timeline for reopening the Vogue. The city is in the early stages of planning. It will need to assess the building’s condition, identify partners, and develop a strategy to transform the space into a functional venue. Mayor McCann also mentioned the city’s earlier acquisition of the Women’s Club, another historic property that is now in line for revitalization funding in the upcoming budget.
The acquisition of the Vogue sends a strong signal that Chula Vista is committed to investing in its downtown core and preserving the landmarks that define the community’s identity.
Tell Us What You Think
We want to hear from you. Let us know on our Facebook page what you think about the Historic Vogue Theater and what you would love to see it become. Whether it is live music, theater productions, classic movie nights, or something entirely new, this is a chance for the community to help shape the future of one of Chula Vista’s most iconic spaces. Follow us on Facebook for more updates on the Vogue Theater.
If you’ve been following the decades-long push to bring a four-year university to Chula Vista, this week brought some of the most exciting news yet. San Diego State University and the City of Chula Vista signed a 10-year lease that officially brings university-level classes to the South Bay starting this fall.
Here’s what happened, what it means, and why this is a really big deal for our community.
The Lease Is Signed
On May 1, 2026, SDSU President Adela de la Torre and Chula Vista Mayor John McCann signed the lease agreement at a ceremony in Chula Vista. The deal gives SDSU more than 7,000 square feet of space on the lower level of the brand-new Millenia Library at 1775 Millenia Avenue in eastern Chula Vista. The lease was approved by the Chula Vista City Council back on April 14 at a rate of just $1 per year.
The first program moving in is SDSU’s accelerated second bachelor’s degree in nursing, a hybrid program that combines online coursework with in-person labs and clinical placements across the region. The first cohort of 50 students is expected to begin classes in the fall 2026 semester.
A lot is coming to this building in the Millenia Community. The new library, the Chula Vista Entertainment Complex, and a whole lot more.
Why Nursing? Why Now?
The nursing shortage across San Diego County and the country is well-documented. By placing this program in Chula Vista, SDSU is addressing a real workforce need while making higher education more accessible for South Bay families. Many students in the area have historically faced long commutes to attend a four-year university, and this partnership starts to change that equation.
As President de la Torre said during the ceremony, for many South Bay students, going to a university is about more than getting admitted. It’s about whether they can manage the commute, balance work and family, and find a program close enough to make it all possible.
The Bigger Picture: A University District
The lease signing is exciting on its own, but it’s actually just one piece of a much larger vision. Chula Vista has set aside over 383 acres of city-owned land in eastern Chula Vista for what they’re calling the University District at Chula Vista, or UDCV. At full build-out, the plan calls for 4 million square feet of academic space, room for 20,000 students and 6,000 faculty and staff, plus an innovation district, housing, and 160 acres of preserved open space.
This is not going to be a traditional single-institution campus like a “UC Chula Vista” or “Cal State South Bay.” Instead, the vision is a collaborative, multi-institution model. Think of it as a university district where multiple schools, including California public universities, out-of-state institutions, and potentially universities from Mexico, share space and resources. Different colleges would offer different programs based on workforce needs in the region and the broader binational economy.
The Task Force Is Getting to Work
To figure out how to make this all happen, a South County Higher Education Planning Task Force has been formed through Assembly Bill 662, authored by Assemblymember David Alvarez. The task force includes 14 members drawn from business, education, and community leadership, including Chula Vista City Manager Tiffany Allen and representatives from SDSU, UCSD, Southwestern College, and the Sweetwater Union High School District.
The task force held its first meeting on May 1, the same day as the lease signing, at the Chula Vista City Council Chambers. Their job is to evaluate governance models, funding mechanisms, and the statutory changes needed to bring a four-year university presence to the South Bay.
Incubation Is Already Happening
Even before the university district is built, higher education is starting to take root in Chula Vista through what leaders are calling “incubation.” Beyond the SDSU nursing program at the Millenia Library, UCSD is already offering public health classes at nearby Southwestern College. SDSU also recently launched a psychology program at Southwestern and continues expanding transfer pathways through long-standing partnerships with local school districts. More than 1,500 South Bay students were admitted to SDSU for the 2026-27 academic year.
What This Means for Chula Vista
For a city of more than 280,000 people, having access to four-year degree programs without leaving the community is transformative. State Senator Steve Padilla said it well: for too long, South County students have had to leave their community to pursue a four-year degree. That is changing.
The Millenia Library itself is a four-story, 168,000-square-foot building that goes well beyond a traditional library. Along with the SDSU programs on the lower level, the building will house the public library on the first and second floors, community meeting spaces, a small business incubator, a gallery, a passport office, and the Chula Vista Entertainment Complex occupying the top two floors.
This is one of those stories that has been building for nearly 30 years, and the momentum right now feels different. With the signed lease, the task force, state funding, and community support, Chula Vista is closer than ever to becoming home to something truly special.
