^^ Yeah lets see if San Diego can ever get some meaningful amounts of tech employment downtown. Did you guys see the article a month ago or so where Jason Hughes of Hughes Marino said a CEO of a big tech company wanted to come to downtown SD and when he got here was like "its small town USA or something like that" it was this really truncated take on why tech hasn't been coming to downtown it made no sense. If a company wants a couple hundred thousand sq. ft they will have to build it they can't just expect a city of this size to have perfect space just sitting here waiting for them.

San Diego #10 among Cities Best Positioned For Success ...

http://www.visualcapitalist.com/char...-term-success/

Comi-con was absolutely insane with the closure of 5th all the way up to J for vehicle traffic. I've never seen anything quite like this in SD (or any other west coast city, for that matter).

https://preview.ibb.co/iwN4Gy/IMG_1515_1.jpg

I'd like to see their methodology for putting SF/SV at the top, because that entire economy is actually in a precarious position even as it rises to unprecedented heights. The tech industry is based around venture capital, of the stupendously rich lending money to startups in the hope of them taking off. The problem is that with the rising cost of living in the valley it's becoming one of the most expensive areas to start a new company in the country, if not the world, and it's taking more and more cash coming in to keep those wheels greased. SF has more billionaires per capita than anywhere else on the planet, which is holding up the system so far, but in the event of a credit crunch the valley will be the absolute first to feel it.

For the record, I didn't get FF/SV either. I just posted this because it places SD in impressive company.

tbh San Diego should rate even higher, we have a stability most other cities envy. The three big pillars of the SD economy are Military, Tourism, and Technology. The military is one of the most bombproof sources of income imaginable, it isn't effected by problems in the outside economy in the least, and as long has America has interests in the Pacific the navy will be a major presence in the region. Tourism can take a hit on the down years, but most of SD's visitors are coming from LA, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and other relatively nearby areas. SD is the already the "budget" destination people go to when money is tight.

The weakest link in the SD economy is probably tech, the near loss of Qualcomm showed just how reliant the sector is on a single company. Hopefully a growth in downtown office space will attract some more diversity.

Has there been any recent news about the convention center expansion or comic cons commitment to stay in SD? I don't think Comic Con would be as successful in LA or Vegas and I hope Comic Con realizes that. Vegas doesn't quite match the vibe that Comic Con brings and LA is where most the panels are from. But I was talking with some writers for American Dad and the Simpson, they didn't sound too thrilled about the idea of it moving to LA. They enjoy attending industry parties in a place that isn't LA. I can't imagine LA transforming into the scene that SD creates, there's nothing really to do near the LA convention center.

It's really going to come down to the voters to decide on an upcoming ballot measure that our civic leaders are most certainly scrambling to get passed to expand the CC. KOGO morning radio today said that ComicCon fans especially loved the shutting down of Harbor Drive, and that it made it much easier to get from the center to downtown and of course spend money. It sounds like it just gets more and more popular around the country, imo voters would be stupid to vote against an expansion. If passed, it would legally override any hotel deals in limbo (i.e. 5th Ave hotel) or challenges to coastal environmental laws (CEQA, California Coastal Commission), since the initiative process is a California Constitutional amendment and therefore supersedes most state law. My 2c, it will get passed, San Diego voters love an excuse to not have to cough up taxes for more services that we are chronically underfunded for, and relish the idea of having some out of town shmuck pay for it all.

Has the city or Caltrans ever talked about fixing the 5/163 merge?

I deal with it everyday and it boils my blood pressure

I saw a crane up at Broadway Block, yesterday.

It depends. If LA gets a new convention center, which seems to be likely and comic con moves north. People will use their trip to explore all of LA and OC rather than just downtown and with two different rail lines in near proximity, getting to the west side is really easy now for those looking for the beach and their idea of what "LA" is, or they can take a rail line to Hollywood and universal. Comic Con can be successful in LA, especially with all the new things being built downtown. BUT. It probably wont be AS successful as San Diego. Now Vegas....Literally almost any convention in Vegas can easily become successful and Comic Con fits the Vegas vibes totally. A Vegas move will probably make it even more successful. I like San Diego, I really do. ITs always my go to getaway (after Vegas of course) and I like the Gaslamp district a lot. But San Diego is lacking something. :shrug:. The Chargers are gone. The citizens of San Diego need to get their new convention center pronto. Losing Comic Con as well will be an economic blow.

Folsom street fair in the San Fran comes to mind. :yes:;)

SD Missing Something...
 

Caligrad interesting analysis and I know what you are saying. Losing the Chargers has nothing to do with "something missing" downtown but I've heard from a few guys who work at hotels say that guests ask what is there to do downtown besides nightlife and dining after dark. I think a lot of people have become a bit spoiled by Vegas with there being so many options to choose from. This show, that show, events what have you, that when they come to SD its like "great you have tons of bars/clubs/restaurants but what else is there". Balboa park closes early for example.

In the summer if Padres happen to be playing that is cool, but I think a new arena with an NBA team and the Gulls which is very high quality hockey even though its not NHL would really help with that "missing" feeling downtown. I know we have some comedy clubs and Balboa Theatre/Spreckels but that is about it. You can take a party boat thing out and cruise around the bay.... Hopefully the nice new aquarium that eventually will come with the Seaport Village redo will stay open late.

So Caligrad if our downtown got a new arena behind Petco with NBA and Expanded the convention center would we still have anything "missing"? Remember the waterfront will be totally revamped with the Manchester Pacific Gateway project and Seaport Village redone.

[QUOTE=caligrad;8261559]The Chargers are gone. The citizens of San Diego need to get their new convention center pronto. Losing Comic Con as well will be an economic blow.

Losing the Chargers was one of the best things to happen to San Diego, if it weren't for the horrible losing deals that got them here in the first place. It's a proven fact that sports teams are almost always losing propositions in the long run. Now that the land will be freed up for development that will actually generate economic benefits in the long-term, like our CC, I definitely agree with you there. Sorry if I offended any Chargers fans, I'm not a sports guy in general.

I can’t speak for Caligrad, but what I think he’s getting at is that SD has been kicked in the nuts a bunch of times and needs to put its big boy pants on and step up. SD lost the Chargers, lost the Rockets and Clippers, still has the aging Sports Arena, is the largest city without NBA or NHL, and can’t get it together enough to expand the Convention Center (or move the airport).

The point I believe is that SD is great but is falling behind due to its infighting and inactivity which is slowly reducing the status of the city.

Chargers ha, good riddance. Theres more to do within a 4 mile radius of DTSD than any other city in the country and I've been everywhere man.

DTSD to Coronado 2,000ft
DTSD to Harbor Island 3,000ft
DTSD to Balboa Park 1 Miles
DTSD to Shelter Island 2 Miles
DTSD to Sunset Cliffs 4 Miles
DTSD to Seaworld/ Mission Bay/ OB/ Belmont 4 Miles
From the Mandalay Bay to the Stratosphere 4 miles

I had a friend in town from NYC, her first time in SD. She googled "things to do in SD" and when a park popped up #1 she was disappointed, but when we got there she was blown away by the fact that its more than just a park. After showing here everything mentioned above (within two days) she ultimately said the range of things to do in SD beats NYC. The only problem was that when I wasn't there to drive her around she couldn't get anywhere. We're lacking good public transit, but I don't want to see more trolleys. Maybe just a small people mover or those gondolas that were proposed. We're also lacking public attention, no one ever hears about SD. It's overshadowed by LA. I guess you could say the Chargers provided that but I'd rather have more conventions like comic con then the lousy Chargers.

East Village
 

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/NLKCAEA.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/rE0ZOrG.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/SlnbjOs.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/rkm9iGa.jpg[/IMG]
East Village is looking nicer with all of the developments going up!
Balllpark village is looking superb with its very modern style and its shopping plaza/area

Sorry for such large images i don't know how to resize them

Had some business in city hall today so I took a pic of the downtown construction progress.

From left to right: Savina, Carte Hotel and 499 Ash St apartments, 520 W Ash St apartments.
https://image.ibb.co/eHdQw8/IMG_1527_1.jpg

Great pics!
Thanks to everyone for the updates.

San Diego is very strong in not just electronics tech and defense tech, but biotech. I believe #3 behind SF and Boston. Lots of biotechs up on Torrey mesa. UCSD is a great resource.

I think a consensus is emerging among the movers and shakers that a new arena can be built downtown or in east village (for hockey, NBA and other large events, including concerts and political conventions). NBA and NHL would almost certainly place teams here in a new 18-20,000 seat arena. To help pay for it, the old arena in the Midway (more than 50 years old) can be replaced with badly needed apartments and condos, some subsidized. This can be done.