The OCMI team has contributed to SDSU’s Snapdragon Stadium and Mission Valley Site’s development since its very inception. Snapdragon Stadium and the surrounding site development is the biggest project the CSU system has undertaken.

Our work began during the site acquisition, which lasted 21 months. Our team and subconsultants. JMI Sports and JMI Realty, specializing in sporting venue development, began with a thorough understanding of the University’s stadium and campus extension vision to develop and write an RFQ/RFP to solicit qualified general contractor candidates. Utilizing a customized Progressive Design/Build approach, the University selected the stadium general contractor, Clark Construction, and then solicited response packages from architectural firms, both locally and around the country, who specialized in site development and selected Gensler. Innovations include a unique contractual approach for the site contract, modifying the agreement to allow the participation and commitment of self-perform trades in a competitive environment. The OCMI team was instrumental in working with the University and representatives from the Office of the Chancellor to develop this RFP process. OCMI supported the team with all preconstruction activities, including site due diligence, construction scheduling, construction budgeting, and all infrastructure planning and design.

With the team in place, OCMI and our partners have continued our project oversite by conducting and managing design, interfacing with the City and federal jurisdictional agencies, design phase meetings, CEQA and property acquisition coordination, off-site improvements, developing and updating the program schedule and budget for the project, and implementing and administering Smartsheet® as the program management/project controls platform.

As part of the site development and working alongside the Ernst and Young P3 Advisory team, OCMI has been overseeing the installation of all the site utilities and piping to meet the demands of the housing, retail, and future campus needs. OCMI has worked with the design/builder and master plan engineer to strategize utility extensions throughout the campus and residential street grids, including the phased rollout of developable pads.

The completed 135-acre Mission Valley site is now the home to a 35,000-capacity stadium for Aztec Football, the San Diego Wave women’s soccer team, the San Diego Loyal soccer team, and a future Major League Soccer partner, as well as 80 acres of community parkland. Future developments include a planned 1.6 million SF high-tech campus extension, 15 blocks of mixed-used residential for over 4,600 units, and 200k SF of hotel space representing over $15 billion in construction. The SDSU Mission Valley Site and Stadium is a shining example of collaborative innovation, sustainable design, and a pinnacle of the enhanced fan experience.

River Park
In 2022, work began on the River Park, a critical SDSU Mission Valley development component. River Park is a 58-acre park with biking trails, sports fields, playgrounds, basketball courts, an amphitheater hill for local community productions, and improvements to the existing San Diego trolley stop. OCMI works with SDSU and the Clark Construction Design/Build team to manage the design, working with local and state agencies to manage permits and approvals, and continuously managing the program budget and schedule.

Future Developments
The University will utilize Public-Private Partnerships (P3) to develop future projects on the site, broken into two pieces: Residential/Hospitality Projects of up to 18 projects and the Innovation District of up to 15 projects. OCMI will continue to support the University with budgetary and schedule advisory services. The OCMI team will also review any off-site improvements identified during the planning phase to manage. OCMI will present cost summary spreadsheets at each requested stage to rationalize infrastructure project costs.

The SDSU Mission Valley Site and Stadium is a shining example of collaborative innovation, sustainable design, and a pinnacle of the enhanced fan experience.

Drone footage courtesy of OCMI, Inc. and photography courtesy of Gensler