City Ends Starlight Bowl Negotiations, Takes Over Management of Historic Balboa Park Venue

The City of San Diego is ending its lease negotiations with Save Starlight, the nonprofit that had been seeking to repurpose the historic Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park, and will take over management of the venue directly, the mayor's office announced Thursday.

Under the city's plan, the Parks and Recreation Department will secure the site and maintain the amphitheater. In the coming weeks, the city will issue a request for proposals for a food service vendor to activate the upper concourse area facing Palisades Plaza. Additional resources will go toward landscape maintenance and security staffing around the venue.

"The Starlight Bowl is a landmark of Balboa Park and a beloved part of San Diego's history," said Mayor Todd Gloria. "This part of the park should be cared for, active, and welcoming to the public — and my administration remains focused on practical steps to make that happen."

The city will also initiate an update to the Balboa Park Master Plan later this month, which envisions the preservation and enhancement of the historic park.

Years of disrepair and stalled revival

The Starlight Bowl has not undergone any significant improvements since it closed as a performance venue in 2010. Built in 1935 as part of the California Exposition, the amphitheater once hosted some of the world's top acts — the Rolling Stones, Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Dylan, the Ramones, and Diana Ross — before falling into disrepair. A 2014 city condition assessment confirmed the venue was in poor physical condition and would require tens of millions in rehabilitation costs to address structural, electrical, acoustic, and accessibility issues.

In 2017, the city issued a special-use permit to Save Starlight to bring the facility back into use. Work began on accessibility and restroom improvements, but when it came time to renew the permit, the city learned Save Starlight had operated without a valid nonprofit license for a period of time.

In 2024, the city initiated a formal request for proposals for managing the venue. Save Starlight was the sole bidder and entered exclusive negotiations with the city. But in August of this year, the city received notice of concerns related to the Save Starlight board of directors and financial controls.

After providing the organization an opportunity to respond, the city determined the concerns "could not be resolved to a standard that would justify continued negotiation," according to the release.

"The Starlight Bowl requires extensive infrastructure repairs," the city stated. The venue's structural and accessibility problems remain unaddressed 14 years after its last performance.