Chula Vista is locking in its Olympic future. The City Council yesterday signed off on a 10-year renewal that keeps Elite Athlete Services running the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center through 2035, marking the start of a major master-planning push just in time for the 2028 Games. The longer runway is meant to fuel upgrades, bring in more hosted events and keep the campus firmly anchored as a training base for both U.S. and international teams. City leaders say the move is about drawing more competitions and training camps - and maybe even Olympic trials - straight into the South Bay.
As reported by The San Diego Union‑Tribune, the council approved a 10-year management agreement with Elite Athlete Services that includes an annual operator fee of $500,000, paid from facility revenues. The contract also gives the operator the right of first refusal to host the Olympic rowing trials in February 2028. It launches a formal master-planning partnership between the city and the company. Mayor John McCann told the paper he wants to push the center "to the next level" and tap into international sporting events as part of the city's broader playbook.
Campus, sports and history
The Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center stretches across 155 acres beside Lower Otay Reservoir and supports more than 20 sports, including rowing, archery, rugby, U.S. soccer programs and Paralympic track and field, according to the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center site. The complex packs in athlete housing, training fields, a boathouse and a visitor center that offers tours and public programming. Ownership shifted from the U.S. Olympic Committee to the City of Chula Vista in 2017, as detailed on the City of Chula Vista site.
Money, medals and upgrades
Elite Athlete Services told city officials that any operator revenues left after paying expenses and the annual fee would be steered into capital improvement projects. The campus currently serves roughly 1,000 meals a day to athletes and staff, The San Diego Union‑Tribune reports. Leadership at the company has even set an internal target: help produce 100 medals at the Los Angeles Games for athletes who train at the facility. Officials say that mix of medal ambition and reinvested revenue is designed to attract more international programs and events that can help pay for long-term upgrades.
What's next
According to the City of Chula Vista, city staff and Elite Athlete Services will launch a joint master-planning process to spell out specific facility needs and development opportunities, with community input slated to follow. The planning phase will map out the timetable for design work and any construction. City officials say they prefer projects that can be funded by operator revenues rather than new general-fund spending. If the operator follows through on hosting bids and trials, the center could see test events and construction activity well ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Local impact
Officials argue that a more polished, competition-ready campus will pull in more teams and spectators, feeding business to Chula Vista hotels, restaurants and local vendors while keeping high-level training in the South Bay. The center already appears on local tourism pages for its tours, public programs and meeting and event space that attracts groups year-round. City staff plan to roll out additional details and opportunities for public comment as the master plan advances.
