James Chatfield

James Chatfield, JMI Realty's managing partner, says high-density residential development is a major part of the Ballpark Village project once more.

Chatfield said his firm had seriously considered developing a 1,800-room convention-oriented hotel on the property but backed away from the proposal because he didn't want to do battle with local labor unions over the hotel's operations. One such tussle resulted in the Gaylord Entertainment Co. (NYSE: GET) pulling out of a commitment to develop a roughly 2,000-room hotel with a major convention component on the Chula Vista Bayfront last year.

The Marriott Corp. (NYSE: MAR) had hoped to develop a 2,000-room hotel on the property but backed out within the past year because the rough economy.

Now, in one sense at least, the Ballpark Village plan, which began as a heavily residential development earlier in the decade, has come full circle.
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