New Addition to Airport
International Arrivals Facility. (Photo by Pablo Mason, courtesy of San Diego International Airport)
International Arrivals facility opens
at San Diego International Airport
The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, along with officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Turner|PCL Joint Venture, marked the completion of a new 130,000-square-foot International Arrivals facility at San Diego International Airport’s Terminal 2 on June 28. The new facility will allow the airport to accommodate the increase in international passengers resulting from recently added overseas flights.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $229.4 million. The new facility will serve British Airways, Edelweiss Air, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines.
The airport has experienced significant growth in international arrivals in the past quarter-century – from about 50,000 passengers a year in the early 1990s to more than 400,000 a year in 2017. That number – and the associated economic impact — will continue to grow as more international nonstop flights are added.
The new facility improves the processing experience for passengers with reduced wait times and a more welcoming environment. It features the newest technologies from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
At 130,000 square feet, the new facility is five times larger than the previous facility. It also increases the number of international gates at the airport from three to six.
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Supercell invests $5 million in
Carlsbad’s Redemption Games
Redemption Games, an innovative game development studio in Carlsbad, will become the first American company to receive investment by Supercell, the Finland-based game company known for hit mobile gaming titles Hay Day, Clash of Clans, Boom Beach, and Clash Royale. The $5 million Investment will be for a minority stake in Redemption Games, which will continue as an independent studio with full control of its operations.
“In our investments, we are always looking for the best teams with great culture,” said Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen. “Redemption Games has an amazing team of experienced developers who have a solid track record and true passion for making great puzzle games.”
Michael Witz and Dan Lin, co-founders of Redemption Games, worked together for 20 years, collaborating for 10 of those in mobile gaming. They sold their prior company, Mob Science, to Jam City (previously SGN) in Los Angeles where they led the design and development of the top grossing game Cookie Jam. Their passion for gaming and entrepreneurial spirit precipitated the formation and success of Redemption Games.
The strategic partnership with Supercell will take advantage of the growth model that has allowed it to gross $2 billion in revenue, and $810 million in profit in the last year; growth that was achieved with only a few hundred employees.
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Tribal casinos’ gaming revenues
climbed nearly 4 percent last year
The Day
Native American casinos generated $32.4 billion in gross gaming revenue in fiscal 2017, a 3.9 percent increase over the previous year and the seventh straight year-over-year increase, the National Indian Gaming Commission announced. San Diego County is home to 18 Indian tribes, the largest concentration of any county in the United States. Eleven of the tribes have gaming operations.
The commission compiled data from the independently audited financial statements of 494 gaming operations owned by 242 federally recognized tribes.
“All of Indian Country has worked very hard to maintain a flourishing and constantly growing gaming industry,” Jonodev O. Chaudhuri, the commission chairman, said in a statement.
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A Hidden Gem: Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum
By Clark Knapp
Classic cars surround one of the oldest local vineyards on this Sunday, June 10. The Deer Park Winery Gathering on the Green charity car show features music and wine tastings among the lawns and shady oaks.
Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum, a true hidden gem of San Diego County, features a permanent collection many consider unrivaled in all the land: from convertible cars to pre-war radios to glitzy neon dealership signs. Deer Park will take you back in time while enjoying locally grown and estate wines.
Founded in 1979 by native San Diegan Lila and Robert Knapp, it was one of the original seven wineries in the county and the new Vintner’s Association founded some years later.
Originally the grapes were harvested by hand and loaded onto the 1950 Studebaker truck on display, and eventually hauled up to the sister winery dating back to 1891 in the Napa Valley.
Beginning with the 1990 harvest, all production of the Escondido winery’s grapes is conducted on site, making it one of the few estate wineries around. Currently, the only time a bottle leaves the property is in the hands of the purchasing visitor or guest.
Every bottle produced from the local vineyard boasts a label with a vintage car from the collection. The award-winning label designs are crafted from California artists. Many summer weekends, and every second Sunday in June adds to this unmatched venue with a classic car show on the lawns and wine release tastings.
Clark Knapp is the owner of owner of Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum.
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Carnival Cruise Line to return to
Port of San Diego in late 2019
Carnival Cruise Line will return to the Port of San Diego for the first time in seven years when Carnival Miracle arrives in late 2019. Carnival Miracle will operate a winter schedule of three- to 15-day voyages from San Diego from December 2019 to February 2020.
The schedule kicks off with a seven-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera departing Dec. 1, 2019, and also includes two longer-length Carnival Journeys voyages — 14- and 15-day Hawaii adventures visiting popular destinations throughout the Aloha State departing Dec. 8, 2019 and Jan. 17, 2020, respectively.
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General Atomics system aids FAA-approved
flight of NASA unmanned aircraft
A Detect and Avoid (DAA) avionics system developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. was the key technology that enabled an unmanned aircraft flight through the National Airspace System after taking off from Southern California recently.
The DAA system installed on Ikhana, a NASA-owned Predator B/MQ-9 Unmanned Aircraft System, enabled the UAS to meet the FAA’s requirement to “see and avoid” other aircraft during Tuesday’s flight.
“Our goal of producing UAS that can be certified to fly in non-segregated airspace took a big step forward today,” said Linden Blue, CEO of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. “Today’s successful flight is testament to the strong relationship that we have with the FAA, NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center and Honeywell to produce the definitive standard for unmanned aircraft operation in congested airspaces.”
The DAA system combines automatic collision avoidance with the ability for the pilot to remain “well clear” of other airspace users.
General Atomics has been working with the FAA, NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, Honeywell, and other industry partners since 2013 to develop, flight test, and standardize an airborne DAA system.
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Barons Market executive selected
as one of 2018’s Top Women in Grocery
Barons Market President of Marketing Rachel Shemirani has been selected as one of 2018’s Top Women in Grocery by Progressive Grocer, for her integral rold at the family-owned market. The award recognizes outstanding women in all positions of the food industry, from wholesaler and supplier to marketing and branding, who have demonstrated above-and-beyond achievements between April 2017 and March 2018.
“Over half of the management team at Barons Market are women. This award is a testament to their hard work and forward-thinking leadership,” says Shemirani. “I’m proud to work at a company where women can thrive and be a key part of the market’s success.”
When Shemirani’s father (Joe Shemirani) started Barons Market in 1993, Rachel took a job at the store in high school days – working at the register and learning the true meaning of customer experience. Shemirani worked her way up in her family’s company, eventually earning her current role as vice president of marketing.
Shemirani and the other awardees from a variety of fields within the grocery industry will be honored in Chicago on Nov. 8, 2018.
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Vertex Pharmaceuticals opens its new
research facility in Torrey Pines
BNBuilders, Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. and Vertex Pharmaceuticals celebrated the grand opening of Vertex’s new research facility in San Diego with a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 18. Located at 3215 Merryfield Row, Vertex’s new facility was developed by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, with the building shell designed by LPA and interiors designed by DGA.
Boston-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals is a biotech company focused on creating transformative medicines for people who have serious diseases. The company has had a research and development presence in San Diego for more than 15 years.
Vertex’s new building in Torrey Pines is at the heart of San Diego’s biotech community. The 170,000-square-foot facility is double the size of Vertex’s former space, and can accommodate 250 employees. Within the LEED Gold certified building, 70 percent of its space is dedicated to laboratory/research activities. The site has a 1,500-square-foot Learning Lab for STEM education programs, a 4,000-square-foot Incubator Suite for external collaboration, and an air circulation system designed to bring in 100 percent outside air, the highest quality available.
BNBuilders and Vertex used virtual reality during the design stage of the project to review the functionality of laboratory spaces.
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Nat Bosa opens his newest, most lavish
Downtown residences — Pacific Gate
Pacific Gate by Bosa, downtown San Diego’s newest big residential building, has opened. The 41-story building at Pacific Highway and Broadway has 215 residents and is more than 70 percent sold.
Amenities include an original piece of public art by world-renowned artist Jaume Plensa, and Puffer Malarkey Restaurants’ newest restaurant concept, Animae.
The building and design team include Bosa Development, New York-based architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox, and interior design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates.
“We have built a great and timeless building that people should be proud of and enjoy for a long time; there is nothing else like it,” said Nat Bosa, chairman of Bosa Development.
One of the most unique offerings is the exclusive access to Pacific Dream — a 45-foot Cruisers Yacht. Residents and their guests have already been enjoying their time on the San Diego Bay with the yacht. Additional amenities include access to a private luxury fleet of cars, chef concierge and porter services to facilitate residents’ needs, from restaurant or entertaining assistance, as well as a 24-hour attended lobby.
Residences range from approximately 1,276 to 2,450 square feet and are priced from the $1.1 millions.
