On Monday, May 19, a natural gas explosion occurred at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel, presently under construction and located across the street from the San Diego Convention Center.  Although four floors of the hotel were impacted, engineers have completed an assessment and determined there is no structural damage.  As a result, officials from Hensel Phelps Construction Co., the construction team working on the project, are optimistic the hotel will open as scheduled in December 2008.

Currently, the Convention Center is hosting Digestive Disease Week, with an estimated 20,000 attendees.  Although the explosion was felt throughout downtown, at no time were any of our attendees, or Convention Center employees, in danger and no interruptions were experienced in service. The Convention Center sustained very minor cosmetic damage to its light fixtures on the exterior of the east side of the facility. No structural damage occurred and future events will not be impacted in any way. 

The San Diego Convention Center Corporation, the Hilton Corporation and Hensel Phelps Construction Co., are continuing to work together to provide our clients with the most accurate and up-to-date information.  This is what has been determined as of today:

• While extensive, the damage to the 30-story Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel sustained was not structural and was confined to a small portion of the building. 
• The origin of the explosion was in the 5th floor boiler room.
• Now that it has been verified that there is no structural damage, Hensel Phelps Construction Co. will implement a plan to safely remove the debris and repair the building.
• Construction in other areas of the building will continue as scheduled.
• The Convention Center sustained no structural damage, events in the building were not impacted, and guests and employees are all safe.
• The Convention Center anticipates a very small number of our future clients may be impacted by this accident. Those clients will be contacted personally within the next 48 hours.
• As a result of this accident, three construction workers were badly burned and 11 others were injured.  Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were hurt and their families during this difficult time. 

For additional comment or information, please contact Steven Johnson, VP Public Affairs, steven.johnson@visitsandiego.com or (619) 525-5251.

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