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<figure id="attachment_38787" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38787" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/stories/chula-vista-chamber-of-commerce-ce…; rel="attachment wp-att-38787"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-38787" src="/sites/default/files/2017/02/2-10-17-vito-di-stefano_-114-300x200.jpg" alt="Photo: Vito DiStefano" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2-10-17… 300w, https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2-10-17… 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-38787" class="wp-caption-text">Photo: Vito DiStefano</figcaption></figure>
<p>The Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce has a lot to look forward to this weekend. Founded in 1927, the local business association will be celebrating its 90th anniversary on Sunday, February 19.<br>
Lisa Cohen, CEO of the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce, has been at the helm of this organization since September of 2001. In an interview last year, Cohen recalled some of the challenges that local businesses in Chula Vista have faced in her 15 years of leading the Chamber.<br>
“We had a huge downturn of business licenses during the 2007-2008 economic recession. The City of Chula Vista lost almost half of its businesses. Since then, we have always been working on helping businesses that are currently in town, helping these expand, as well as bringing new businesses to Chula Vista,” Cohen shared in an interview held in February of last year.<br>
The business outlook in Chula Vista has improved in the past year. Cohen spoke about the growth that the Chamber and the City of Chula Vista have seen in the past 12 months.<br>
“We have a lot more businesses coming to Chula Vista and local businesses are expanding,” Cohen stated.<br>
One of these expanding local businesses is Novo Brazil Brewing Co., which has only been operating for two years but has constantly been increasing their production and will soon be opening up a second tap room in National CIty.<br>
One of Novo Brazil’s most popular products is their Chula Pils beer, a pilsner style brew named after the City of CHula Vista. This brew, along with other beers from this craft brewer, are currently being exported to Canada, Mexico, and Brazil, with more countries to come in the future.<br>
The Chamber’s CEO went on to highlight other exciting business opportunities and developments.<br>
“We are also waiting on the Bayfront Masterplan to be approved by the Port of San Diego and the City. The Pacifica Group will be developing the new bayfront project in the 2017-2018 timeframe.<br>
This waterfront development, which will sit adjacent to Chula Vista’s Marina Park, will feature 1,445 residential condominiums with commercial space and a boutique hotel. Rida, a development company specializing in resort hotels and convention spaces, is involved in developing spaces in this master plan.<br>
“We are also looking forward to the opening of our new hotels in eastern Chula Vista which will be built by Baldwin and Sons and operated by Marriott. These hotels will be right at the Otay Ranch Town Center on Birch Road,” Cohen said.<br>
Cohen also went on to speak about the prospect of the long-speculated university project that has long been rumored to come to Chula Vista.<br>
“We are waiting on the university project for eastern Chula Vista. We are interested in what that will look like and what businesses and educational complexes it will bring. We might be looking at biotech and electric technology coming here along with the university,” Cohen mentioned. “It’s a very exciting time and prospect, but we are still working with the city to make sure that we still bring the right jobs and businesses to Chula Vista.”<br>
Growth and constant progress are not the only exciting things the Chamber has to celebrate. Last week, the Chamber celebrated it’s annual installation and observed its 90th anniversary during the celebration.<br>
During the gala dinner, awards were presented to outstanding members of the local business community. Recipients included Soraya Pasten Martinez, Sweetwater Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Karen Janney, William Hall of Vivistar, Neisha Hernandez of Neisha’s Dance Academy, among others.<br>
The event concluded with the passing of the president’s gavel from the exiting president, Copylink CEO Kevin Marshall, to incoming president Pablo Velez, CEO and Senior Vice President of Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center.</p>
