The San Diego Port Commission has voted in favor of spending $23 million on a new cruise ship terminal at the foot of Broadway. However it remains unclear where that money will come from. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.
Carnival Cruises has agreed to pay $12 million towards the cruise ship terminal, but that will only pay for an unsightly prefab warehouse building, which would ruin the visionary plans for San Diego's downtown waterfront.
Critics object to building any terminal on the Broadway pier which is a center piece for the Embarcadero. But the cruise ship industry is bringing millions of dollars to San Diego's economy, so Port Commissioners approved an upgraded architectural design estimated to cost $23 million. Commissioner Laurie Black
Black: To be honest I still think it should be open space. That's not realistic for what the port needs the economy needs, I will support a prefab building, I will support it I believe we can find the money within the port to do that.
However other commissioners pointed out the city benefits financially from the cruise ship industry more than the Port . Ultimately the Port commissioners voted to write a letter to mayor Sanders requesting that the city help pay for the architecturally improved terminal. Alison St John, KPBS News.
