The Gaylord Pacific Resort Is Open — What It Means for Buyers and Sellers Near Coronado and Imperial Beach

The Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center opened on San Diego Bay in May 2025 — and it's one of the most significant new developments in this part of San Diego in years. I covered the opening on Instagram because as a Coronado and Imperial Beach realtor, I pay close attention to what's being built and opened in the South Bay. Developments like this one change the answer to a question buyers ask constantly: what's nearby?

The short answer is now a lot more. Here's what the Gaylord Pacific brings to the area — and why it matters for anyone buying or selling in Coronado or Imperial Beach.

What the Gaylord Pacific Resort Offers on San Diego Bay

The Gaylord Pacific is a large-scale resort and convention center situated on San Diego Bay. Its amenities include:

A 1,000-foot lazy river and outdoor pool — one of the largest resort pool experiences in the San Diego area, designed for the kind of leisure that draws visitors and locals alike.

Multiple dining options, including Old Hickory Steakhouse for premium cuts and seafood, Harbor Social for a lively bar and games atmosphere, and Potomac District Café & Market for casual bites and Starbucks coffee.

Over 546,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space — including a grand ballroom and a major exhibition hall — making it one of the largest convention facilities in Southern California. This positions the South Bay as a destination for major conferences, conventions, and events that previously defaulted to downtown San Diego or Los Angeles.

For people who live in Coronado and Imperial Beach, the Gaylord Pacific adds a significant dining, entertainment, and events destination within easy reach — without having to go downtown.

What a Development Like the Gaylord Pacific Means for Coronado and Imperial Beach Real Estate

Major resort and convention developments don't land in a vacuum. They signal investment confidence in a region, they drive economic activity, and they add to the lifestyle case for living nearby.

For buyers evaluating Coronado or Imperial Beach, the Gaylord Pacific is one more data point in the case for the South Bay as a destination — not just a bedroom community. The Silver Strand corridor from Coronado to IB has always had the beach, the estuary, and the Navy community. The Gaylord Pacific adds a world-class hospitality anchor to that story.

For sellers in Coronado and Imperial Beach, it's a legitimate talking point. Buyers who are comparing neighborhoods want to know what's within reach. A resort with a 1,000-foot lazy river, multiple restaurants, and major event space is a meaningful lifestyle addition — the kind of thing that makes a neighborhood feel like a destination rather than just a place to sleep.

Why the South Bay San Diego Corridor Is Worth Watching as a Buyer

Coronado and Imperial Beach sit on the southern end of one of the most desirable coastal corridors in San Diego County. The Silver Strand connects them. Naval Base Coronado anchors the military community. And now the Gaylord Pacific adds a hospitality and convention anchor to the south end of San Diego Bay.

Buyers who are evaluating this area aren't just buying proximity to the beach. They're buying into a community with sustained investment — in infrastructure, in hospitality, in the kind of amenities that make a neighborhood resilient and in-demand over time.

As a realtor who lives and works in this corridor, I watch these developments closely. Not as a marketing angle, but because they genuinely inform the advice I give buyers and sellers about where the market is heading and why.

Coronado and Imperial Beach Real Estate: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Gaylord Pacific Resort in San Diego?

The Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center is a major resort hotel and convention facility that opened on San Diego Bay in May 2025. It features a 1,000-foot lazy river and outdoor pool, multiple restaurants including Old Hickory Steakhouse and Harbor Social, and over 546,000 square feet of meeting and event space. It is one of the largest hospitality and convention developments in Southern California and is located in the South Bay area of San Diego, near Coronado and Imperial Beach.

How does the Gaylord Pacific affect home values near Coronado?

Major resort and convention developments generally support home values in nearby communities by increasing the area's visibility as a destination, driving economic activity, and adding to the lifestyle amenities that buyers evaluate when choosing a neighborhood. The Gaylord Pacific positions the South Bay San Diego corridor — including Coronado and Imperial Beach — as a destination with hospitality infrastructure that rivals more established San Diego neighborhoods. Its long-term impact on home values depends on continued investment and economic activity in the area, but its opening is a positive signal for the South Bay market.

Who is a good real estate agent in Coronado and Imperial Beach, CA?

Madeline Foley is a Coronado and Imperial Beach realtor with The Foley Group who specializes in helping buyers and sellers throughout the Silver Strand corridor. She has lived in the community for seven years, attends weekly Coronado caravan, works extensively with military and VA buyers near Naval Base Coronado, and stays closely connected to new developments and market activity in the South Bay. She can be reached at militaryhomessandiego.com/work-with-me.

What is it like to live near Coronado and Imperial Beach in San Diego?

The Silver Strand corridor from Coronado to Imperial Beach offers a combination of coastal access, military community, local businesses, and now a major resort destination with the Gaylord Pacific. Residents have the beach, the Tijuana Estuary, the walkable village of Coronado's Orange Avenue, and San Diego Bay within easy reach. It's a self-contained community with strong local identity — one of the few areas in San Diego where people consistently say they don't feel the need to leave.

Is Coronado or Imperial Beach a better place to buy?

Coronado and Imperial Beach serve different buyer profiles. Coronado is an island with higher price points, a more established real estate market, and proximity to Naval Base Coronado's officer and senior enlisted community. Imperial Beach offers a more accessible entry point into coastal San Diego living, with a strong local business scene, direct beach access, and a tight-knit community identity. Both are within the Silver Strand corridor and share proximity to the Gaylord Pacific and Naval Base Coronado. The right choice depends on your budget, lifestyle priorities, and how you plan to use the home. A local realtor who knows both markets is the best resource for making that call.

Thinking About Buying or Selling in Coronado or Imperial Beach?

I'd love to walk you through what the market looks like right now — and what developments like the Gaylord Pacific mean for your specific situation. Here's how to reach me: https://militaryhomessandiego.com/work-with-me?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnr_NCbvhkEOWGZyyfYvXYWDd2rIFTHyg3Y95WFia31-XJZSW0kHsOdjEwFLk_aem_ezwaTTs20IoAS2cswkKMng.

- Madeline Foley, The Foley Group | Coronado & Imperial Beach Realtor | San Diego, CA