Flood Maps Raise Questions About Convention Center Expansion

Source: KPBS

The planned expansion of the San Diego Convention Center will include almost one million additional square feet of space and cost half a billion dollars. It will have more room for meetings, exhibitions, a ballroom and retail outlets. The people who pushed for the larger venue believe it will lure major conventions to San Diego.

But all of this may be irrelevant.

The expanded version of the Convention Center could be inundated with seawater by mid century if climate change predictions are accurate.

“Your mother told you to hope for the best and plan for the worst,” said San Diego Port Commissioner Scott Peters. He was referring to maps making the rounds at the agency that show sea levels climbing anywhere between 18 inches to 4 feet along the tideline by 2050. “Look, if we’re going to make an investment like this on our waterfront, we need to be ready for sea level rise.”

<snip>

Read more: http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/nov/15/flood-maps-raise-questions-about-san-diego-convent/

---

Good article - worth reading in full.
This is something coastal communities all over will have to deal with.
Around half the population lives within 50 miles of the coast.
Scott Peters may be going to Congress - he has a slight lead against incumbent Republican Brian Bilbray.
His experience on the Port Commission will be valuable in helping our country prepare for the future.