San Diego City Council Committee Advances $4.2B Midway Rising Project as Mayor Gloria Nominates Bethany Bezak for COO

Land Use and Housing Committee Advances $4.2 Billion Midway Rising Redevelopment

SAN DIEGO, California — Marking a transformative milestone for regional housing and economic development, the San Diego City Council’s Land Use and Housing Committee voted unanimously in mid-October 2026 to advance the proposed $4.2 billion Midway Rising redevelopment project to the full council. The landmark initiative envisions transforming the aging 48-acre Sports Arena site in the Midway District into a vibrant urban mixed-use community.

The development blueprint delivers more than 4,200 residential homes—with more than 2,000 units deed-restricted as permanently affordable for lower-income working families—alongside a state-of-the-art 16,000-seat entertainment arena, 20 acres of public parkland, and ground-level retail. Committee members highlighted that the project represents the largest single affordable housing commitment in San Diego’s history, directly supporting the city’s transit-oriented infill targets near the Old Town transit center.

City Council Prepares for Confirmation Vote on Bethany Bezak as Chief Operating Officer

Inside City Hall, the council prepared for formal confirmation hearings regarding Mayor Todd Gloria's executive nomination of Bethany Bezak as the city’s next Chief Operating Officer (COO). Bezak, a seasoned civil engineer who previously led the Transportation Department and spearheaded major stormwater infrastructure compliance, was nominated to supervise day-to-day operations across 40 municipal departments and more than 11,000 city workers.

Mayor Gloria emphasized that confirming experienced administrative leadership ensures rigorous oversight of capital infrastructure projects, utility billing upgrades, and public safety coordination as San Diego balances complex fiscal challenges.

Council Debates Automated Surveillance and Public Safety Safeguards

In civil oversight, council members engaged in focused discussions concerning municipal surveillance technology contracts, evaluating regulatory standards for automated automated license plate recognition cameras. Civic leaders affirmed that combining transparent municipal governance, responsible public safety technology, and landmark transit housing positions San Diego for sustained growth.