SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 20: General view of the atmosphere at SeaWorld on July 20, 2021 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images)
San Diego, California – A years-long financial dispute between the City of San Diego and SeaWorld has ended not only in a multimillion-dollar settlement but also in a tangible win for public spaces across the city. On Tuesday, the San Diego City Council unanimously approved allocating nearly $7.9 million from the settlement to improve 11 parks and recreational facilities, delivering long-requested updates to playgrounds, restrooms, and accessibility infrastructure.
The money comes from an $8.5 million settlement reached in January after the city alleged that SeaWorld had failed to pay lease obligations dating back to 2020. While the theme park denied wrongdoing, the agreement diverted a large portion of the funds into two public accounts: the Mission Bay Park Improvement Fund and the San Diego Regional Park Improvement Fund.
According to city officials, projects eligible for the funds were already in design or construction phases and were chosen for their benefit to residents and visitors alike.
One of the most significant investments—$3.6 million—will go toward overdue upgrades at Robb Field in Ocean Beach. Improvements there include new restrooms and playground facilities, with construction expected to begin next year. The project was approved earlier this spring and has entered its design phase.
Other Mission Bay investments include $719,000 to improve restrooms and parking at Dusty Rhodes Park and $235,000 for the renovation of basketball courts and parking at South De Anza. Those projects are scheduled to break ground in 2026 and 2025, respectively.
Elsewhere in the city, $2.8 million in regional park funding will support a broad array of infrastructure updates. These include restoring sidewalk safety at Ellen Browning Scripps Park, improving ADA accessibility at Mountain View sports courts, restoring the historic barn at Rancho Peñasquitos’ equestrian center, and modernizing facilities at Balboa Park’s Organ Pavilion and Spanish Village.
Mayor Todd Gloria framed the upgrades as overdue and essential. “San Diegans have been asking for new bathrooms, safer playgrounds, and upgraded facilities,” he said Tuesday. “That’s exactly what we’re delivering.”
The announcement arrives as SeaWorld faces another legal challenge. A separate $1.5 million class action settlement was reached over allegations that the company failed to properly notify customers about automatic annual pass renewals. The proposed resolution, which does not include an admission of wrongdoing, still awaits final approval in San Diego Superior Court.
Taken together, the settlements mark a rare alignment of municipal accountability and public reinvestment—an outcome more visible at a local playground than in a courtroom.
