Chula Vista, California has a long and varied history of economic development that has had a major influence on its politics. From the Great Depression to the move of Rohr Aircraft Corporation to the city in 1941, and the subsequent population boom, Chula Vista has seen its share of economic changes. Today, the city is home to one of the few Olympic training centers in the United States open year-round, while popular tourist attractions include Sesame Place San Diego, the North Island Credit Union Amphitheater, the Chula Vista Marina and the Living Coast Discovery Center. Zaneta Encarnación, candidate for mayor of Chula Vista, is enthusiastic about the opportunities offered by the bayfront project, as it will bring a much greater economic contribution to the city.
However, she is concerned about gentrification in western Chula Vista. The city operates under a council government and administrator system. To learn more about its history, visitors can visit the Chula Vista Heritage Museum or the Chula Vista Public Library. In 1795, Chula Vista became part of a Spanish land grant known as Rancho del Rey or The King's Ranch.
The Sweetwater Dam was completed in 1888 to provide water to Chula Vista's residents and their farmland. Interstate 5 connects Chula Vista to North County and beyond, to the Los Angeles metropolitan area and Northern California. According to the 2010 census, the racial makeup of Chula Vista was 53.7% white, 4.6% African American, 0.8% Native American, 14.4% Asian, 0.6% Pacific Islander, 20.2% from other races and 5.8% from two or more races. After World War II, Chula Vista's population tripled from 5000 residents in 1940 to more than 16,000 in 1950. The last citrus plantations and produce fields disappeared when Chula Vista became one of San Diego County's largest communities. Economic development has had a major impact on politics in Chula Vista over time.
From its beginnings as a Spanish land grant to its current status as a major tourist destination with an Olympic training center and bayfront project underway, economic development has been a driving force behind political decisions in the city.
