By SDCN Editor
Coronado, CA–The Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners has authorized staff to begin an environmental review for a significant renovation proposed by Loews Coronado Bay Resort.
At their December 10 meeting, the Board received a presentation about the project from the Loews Hotels and Co team.
Loews Hotels and Co operates the 440-room resort and 80-slip marina on Coronado Bay Road in Coronado. Existing amenities include a restaurant, bars, event and meeting spaces, a temporary event tent, a full-service spa, a fitness center, heated outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a marina, and water equipment rentals.
The hospitality company proposes transforming and repositioning the property into a modernized luxury resort destination. The project includes updating guest rooms and amenities, enhancing the landscaping and outdoor recreation areas, and replacing the temporary event tent structure with an improved permanent event space. Public access improvements include a new pedestrian promenade along the bayfront shoreline with spectacular views toward downtown San Diego and the Chula Vista Bayfront. The project does not propose adding any new hotel rooms or work to the marina, nor does it propose any development or improvements beyond Loews Hotels’ existing leasehold. Loews Hotels anticipates a total investment of over $220 million into the project.
“This is the kind of commitment we like to see from our visitor-serving tenants – reinvesting in their leaseholds to deliver high standards of hospitality while also adding more public access and connectivity along our bayfront,” said Chairman Frank Urtasun, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “This project as proposed will elevate the guest experience and benefit the community.”
“Today marks what Loews Hotels and Co believes to be a significant milestone in the spectacular transformation of the Loews Coronado Bay Resort,” said Alex Tisch, president and CEO, of Loews Hotels and Co. “After more than three decades of being part of the Greater San Diego hotel skyline, we are excited to work with the Port in negotiating, and hopefully implementing a comprehensive plan to transform the experience. Our plan is to create a best-in-class resort product for residents, guests, corporate groups, and our team members to enjoy, amidst one of the most spectacular settings in the United States.”
Loews Hotels and Co also proposes comprehensive maintenance of existing assets and improvements to infrastructure and utilities, including roofing, stormwater, lighting, power, and telecommunication systems. Where practical, energy-efficient improvements will be made.
For the next steps, staff will begin an environmental review by the California Environmental Quality Act. The timeline for construction and completion is pending project approvals permitting.
