SD Explained: The Powerful Port of San Diego

The Port of San Diego serves as a landlord to the businesses along the water's edge of San Diego Bay, but folks don't always agree about how that land should be used.

From the Convention Center to the marinas, hotels and restaurants, the Port of San Diego collects rent from its tenants and must approve all construction projects and developments. The board of port commissioners – made up of delegates from San Diego, Coronado, Imperial Beach, Chula Vista and National City – calls the shots on which businesses get prime spots. And now, commissioners face some big decisions that could affect the region for years to come.

On this week's San Diego Explained, NBC 7's Catherine Garcia and Ashly McGlone lay out what hangs in the balance for the Convention Center expansion, a major vehicle importer and the port itself.

The Port of San Diego may be one of the lesser known government agencies in town, but it’s powerful. The state of California owns the land surrounding the bay, and the port serves as a landlord. As Voice of San Diego’s Ashly McGlone and NBC 7’s Catherine Garcia explain, people don’t always agree about how the land should be used.
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