MISSION BAY – Plans for an extensive remodeling of Paradise Point Resort & Spa on Mission Bay can move forward after the California Coastal Commission approved it on Nov. 6.
Paradise Point Resort & Spa was acquired by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in 2018. The trust acknowledged that the resort property’s image needed a freshening, pointing out that the now 63-year-old resort needs upgrades to maintain its appeal.
The Coastal Commission’s approval of the redevelopment project came more than five years after plans were announced to renovate and rebrand the 44-acre Paradise Point at 1404 Vacation Road, formerly Vacation Village, transforming it into a Margaritaville.
Those former plans have not been confirmed, and it’s unknown if eventually transitioning into a Margaritaville is still in the works for the Mission Bay resort. Pebblebrook owns the Margaritaville hotel in downtown San Diego.
Pebblebrook’s plans for re-imagining the property include remodeling the resort’s 464 casita-style rooms, updating its restaurants, adding a bar and outdoor patio to its lobby areas, installing a floating bridge over its man-made lagoon, and constructing a 10,000-square-foot outdoor event tent.
Nestled on its own 44-acre island, Paradise Point Resort & Spa originally opened in 1962. Designed by architect Eldridge Spencer and his team, the Vacation Village was constructed with innovative flair, often engineering solutions as they built, drawing on modernist principles while embracing theatricality and whimsy.
Renovation plans at Paradise Point also envision filling in part of the resort’s artificial lagoon to create additional outdoor dining for its Barefoot Bar, a waterfront restaurant known for its panoramic views of Mission Bay, along with its laid-back vibe.
Paradise Point’s proposed remodeling, however, encountered opposition from San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. His office sent two letters to the Coastal Commission asking the state regulatory agency to postpone approving the project’s redevelopment.
Gloria argued that the city has not been adequately involved in reviewing the resort’s proposed redevelopment. He has insisted that the project, as presently conceived, far exceeds its original intent.
The mayor’s office has also objected to what it described as a flawed parking study for the redevelopment project, which it claims fails to consider more intense uses at the resort with its future redevelopment, which includes adding a large event tent.
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