The construction team of Mortenson Construction and McCarthy Building Companies are building the Gaylord Pacific Resort Hotel & Convention Center on the Chula Vista bayfront for RIDA Development.

The Gaylord Pacific will be a 1,600-room hotel operated by Gaylord Hotels, part of the Mariott group. The reported cost is US $1.3bn.

“After a multi-year preconstruction process, the Mortenson | McCarthy Joint Venture team is pleased officially break ground on Gaylord Pacific alongside owner RIDA, designer HKS and Chula Vista Bayfront Facilities Financing Authority,” said Maja Rosenquist, senior vice president at Mortenson. “Mortenson and McCarthy have a long history of building landmark projects together, and we know Gaylord Pacific is a project with the power to transform the community. It’s not just a resort. It’s an opportunity for new jobs and future economic development to take place and ultimately for Chula Vista to be on the forefront of growth in the region.”

Among the construction challenges facing the team is a large atrium with an array of water features, a translucent polymer roof and an elaborate glass wall system with large folding doors offering views of the bay.

The project is expected to create approximately 3,480 jobs annually during the construction phase, and an estimated 3,900 permanent jobs, once opened in 2025.

Mortenson previously built the Gaylord Rockies in Denver, Colorado.