Commonly Asked Questions

• What is the purpose of the initiative?
• Who came up with the initiative?
• What is the Port's position on the initiative?
• The initiative says it will preserve marine freight and create maritime jobs. Why would the Port oppose it?
• The initiative says marine freight would be established as the priority use at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal and that could only be overturned by another vote of the people. Why are you worried that the initiative would eliminate marine freight activities?
• How much would the development project cost?
• Has a project like this been done before?
• The initiative backers say the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal is underused. Is that true?
• Why do people keep saying the marine terminal is underused?
• If San Diego didn't have a marine freight terminal, how would goods get here?
• Would private development on a working marine freight terminal compromise security?
• If enough people sign the initiative, isn't it the will of the people to pursue this project?

What is the purpose of the initiative?

The initiative proposes to open up the Port of San Diego's Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal to private development of non-maritime uses, such as a sports venue, restaurants, shopping centers and hotels. This would be done either by building a "deck" over the marine terminal on which the private developments would be built or by building on the terminal itself.

Who came up with the initiative?

A political action committee called San Diego Community Solutions is the initiative proponent.

What is the Port's position on the initiative?

The San Diego Board of Port Commissioners strongly opposes this initiative, as do labor groups and the waterfront industrial businesses along San Diego Bay, such as NASSCO. All believe the initiative will drive water-dependent freight operations out of business, threatening more than 42,000 jobs directly tied to cargo and at least $7.6 billion in economic impact to the region's economy.

The initiative says it will preserve marine freight and create maritime jobs. Why would the Port oppose it?

Marine freight activities do not mix with commercial and tourism developments. Signature gatherers have told voters the initiative will protect maritime jobs. On the contrary, the Port believes it threatens the very existence of San Diego Bay's working waterfront.

The initiative says marine freight would be established as the priority use at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal and that could only be overturned by another vote of the people. Why are you worried that the initiative would eliminate marine freight activities?

The San Diego Board of Port Commissioners has already established marine freight as the exclusive use of the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. Hotels, sports venues and other similar developments simply cannot coexist with a working marine freight operation. The security and logistics alone are incompatible with development that is suggested by the initiative.

How much would the development project cost?

The initiative backers have said the project would cost $8 billion and would result in $1.5 billion in "value added," which presumably is profit.

Has a project like this been done before?

No. "Deck" like structures have been built over rail yards, but never over a working marine freight terminal. Given the size of some of the cargo coming into the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, such as wind mill blades and ship engines used by NASSCO, the deck would need to be hundreds of feet in the air, the same height as the Coronado Bridge.

The initiative backers say the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal is underused. Is that true?

No. The Port's maritime business has increased by 87 percent in the past five years and is forecast for continued growth through 2030. An annual cargo growth of 15 percent is projected through 2030.

Why do people keep saying the marine terminal is underused?

Due to the nature of the marine freight business, goods move in and out regularly. On any given day, visitors to the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal could see hundreds of workers offloading goods from multiple cargo ships. On other days, this cargo is moved out by truck and rail to get the terminal ready for the next shipments. To someone unfamiliar with this global industry, a day without ships in port looks like a day the terminal is not being "fully utilized." The fact is the terminal is busy.

If San Diego didn't have a marine freight terminal, how would goods get here?

If goods such as fruit, steel, lumber, sand and other building materials could not come by ship, they would have to come by train or truck. Bringing goods to San Diego by ship instead of truck or train is better for traffic and the environment.

Would private development on a working marine freight terminal compromise security?

The safety and security of marine terminals are a big concern for local, state and federal law enforcement, including Homeland Security. The Port of San Diego is designated a "strategic port" by the U.S. military- one of only 15 in the United States. The military uses the Port's two marine terminals to transport classified cargo to support our military operations around the world. Because of security issues, private development cannot co-exist with a freight terminal.

If enough people sign the initiative, isn't it the will of the people to pursue this project?

Port Commissioners believe the initiative is misleading. For example, the initiative suggests the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal is underused. It is not. The language is vague and unclear and the initiative implies that it would protect the terminal. To reiterate, the Board of Port Commissioners opposes this initiative because it would allow for incompatible uses and threaten maritime jobs.