San Diego Awaits Conv. Center

<B>San Diego Awaits Conv. Center</B>

By Judy Jacobs

The San Diego Convention Center expansion, expected to be ready in September, will be the latest development in the revitalization of the city's downtown, an area that is becoming more attractive to business travelers.

The long-awaited $216 million expansion project, delayed by a Libertarian lawsuit over the funding process, will reposition San Diego as a convention destination. "The expansion puts us in the big league of convention cities," said Carol Wallace, president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corp. "We will be able to handle 85 percent of the market out there."

The expansion more than doubles the size of the facility's exhibit hall space and adds 40 meeting rooms and a second 40,000-sq.-ft. ballroom to handle simultaneous events. It also means that San Diego can pursue major trade show business. "In the past, our business was more conventions with a trade show rather than trade shows in themselves," Wallace said.

Another development that will give downtown a boost is the $411 million San Diego Padres ballpark, opposite the convention center. The ballpark, scheduled to be completed in early 2004, will help to spur further downtown development and also will be a venue for those convention groups with more than 15,000 seats.

The convention center expansion and the ballpark are major additions to a rapidly improving downtown. Like many urban downtowns, San Diego's was neglected for years before beginning to come back to life. Now, according to city officials, 20,000 people are living downtown and 90 restaurant and nightclub permits were issued last year for new facilities.