PETCO Park

Project Overview

Opened in 2004, Petco Park is home to Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres and the cornerstone and catalyst of a thriving urban ballpark district. Adding to its civic value, the 42,500-seat ballpark anchors one of the largest redevelopment projects in U.S. history, featuring hotels, offices, retail and residential components, that has transformed a chronically underutilized warehouse district into a vibrant new neighborhood and year-round destination for residents, visitors and businesses. The $294 million ballpark, owned 70 percent by the City of San Diego and 30 percent by the Padres, was part of an overall $474 million development, which included land assemblage and infrastructure improvements. Development investment, including both public and private projects within the surrounding 60-block area, is projected to exceed $4 billion in the near term.

Our Role

Prior to founding JMI Sports, Erik Judson led the development of Petco Park as Vice President of Development for the San Diego Padres. Judson was involved in all elements of this extraordinarily complex project, including: vision development, feasibility studies, site selection, land acquisition, entitlements, community outreach, political approvals, consultant and contractor selection, programming, permitting, project budgeting and scheduling, design team oversight, construction management, interior design, marketing, transportation planning, FF&E procurement, and facility operations. JMI Sports was subsequently founded to share the valuable knowledge gained from the Petco Park experience with other teams, universities and municipalities.

Petco Park is a shining example of how a public/private partnership can provide a tremendous win/win outcome. Erik Judson played a key role in the success of the project and was someone that I personally relied upon to keep the project on track.