by Nadia Lathan / Voice of San Diego / August 14, 2026
A new bill related to San Diego’s Midway Rising project was set in motion Thursday, August 13, as lawmakers began a process to gut and amend an unrelated bill that would potentially give broader environmental exemptions for the planned dual sports arena and housing complex.
New bill language isn’t available yet, but it’s expected to appear next week ahead of an Assembly Natural Resources Committee meeting where it’ll be taken up in a public hearing. State Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson is expected to be the primary author and several San Diego delegates will be co-authors.
Project leaders for Midway Rising joined Weber Pierson at a town hall earlier this week to field questions and comments from an at times contentious crowd. About 150 people showed up at the Pechanga Arena. Many opposed the construction of Midway Rising, including former San Diego Assemblymember Lori Saldaña, who shared concerns about infrastructure and environmental damage.
Shortly after in Sacramento, lawmakers also advanced Senate Bill 958, a bill which would rule out building height alone from being considered a significant environmental impact. When asked about the legislation and event this week, Weber Pierson said SB 958 is “not a Midway Rising bill,” and emphasized that the proposal would apply to other projects statewide if they meet the bill’s narrow financing and construction requirements. It awaits a final floor vote in the Assembly.
>> Weber Pierson said SB 958 is “not a Midway Rising bill,”
BS
They are fixin’ to ram Midway Rising right down our gullet.
Does anyone believe differently ?
Good. It is desperately needed and the NIMBY protesters are everything that is wrong with California
see, some actually say they believe this claptrap.
Frank – Yeah, hard to believe but there are some. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised – Jim Jones convinced over 900 people to drink the Kool-Aid :-( This guy had nothing to say apart from what he undoubtedly hoped were some inflammatory comments. Trying to be an arsonist with words.
Robert — you’re that old you remember the Jim Jones Kool-Aid massacre?
I guess it has been a while (1978, almost 50 years), but it remains an icon of unquestioning devotion to a shared delusion.
That might not be an apt description of the authors & instigators of Midway Rising, but I believe it is an extremely accurate description of the supporters.
Those who stand to profit from it are the ones serving up the Kool-Aid. I fail to understand the motivations of those who are gulping it down with abandon.
William – you are clearly a troll. Nothing to say, just trying to stir the pot.
Can you justify your comments at all ?
“It is desperately needed” – In what way ?
The Sports Arena could use a make-over, though I have been to plenty of sports events and concerts there, and never found it inadequate in any way.
Midway needs housing ? It already has the worst traffic in San Diego. How will that be addressed ? And the flooding ? Historical fact. Better have a plan to deal with this before any construction is approved. And why does Midway need housing ? Oh, the construction lobby’s Halloween mask of YIMBY ? Heh, does anyone fail to see that California does not have a “housing crisis”, though it may well have an aff8rdable housing crisis.
And where exactly is the incentive for the construction lobby to build “affordable” housing ? I have several friends who do construction, (not developer-level), and they have been complaining since the tariffs started up about the cost of building materials, especially wood. So any given structure costs more to build today that it did just a few years ago. Yet somehow we anticipate constructing a significant number of residences that will cost less than the prevailing market rates ? Do we have Penn and Teller consulting on this for us ?
“NIMBY protesters are everything that is wrong with California”
Everything ? They are responsible for the $100m+ budget deficit in San Diego ? They are responsible for the bullet train fiasco ? Water issues including that from the Colorado River ? Homelessness, wildfires, ICE, data centers, street repair ? Man, that word everything sure encompasses a lot.
Get a grip pal, there are serious issues with the Midway project, and your 10 cent opinion does nothing to address them. What is wrong with California is that non-thinkers like you have the ability to vote. There is hope though. Given the level of intelligence you display here, it seems unlikely you will figure out how to fill out the ballot until it comes supplied with crayons.
Yep, the “Progressives” at work, undoing the CEQA and Height Limit.
And if the “Conservatives” were at work on this, it would be on steroids. After all, they made bribery in politics legal! Everyone should read this… https://wpdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-2-26-Midway-Rising-Comment-Letter.pdf
This is how corrupt politics is played. Right here in River City.
The new Bill SB344 was on Assembly Rules Committee agenda on August 17 as an Urgency Clause. From Weber-Pierson letter to Assembly Rules Committee: “As emended SB344 would deem the Midway Rising Specific Plan Subsequent Environmental Impact Report to be in full compliance with California Environmental Quality Act or CEQA.”
cindi l – Exactly. Not just ignoring the people but actively subverting their interests.