C
hula Vista Mayor John McCann has divested himself from Coronado Shores Co., a real estate company he co-owns with his wife, after Voice of San Diego inquired about the firm's potential involvement in the $1 billion Amara Bay luxury high-rise condominium project. The project is currently under construction on the Chula Vista bayfront and features seven high-rise towers, commercial space, and a 250-room hotel.

    Coronado Shores Co., which was registered to do business as Amara Bay Real Estate and Amara Bay Property Management in 2018 and again in 2023, appears poised to join the rush to sell property at Amara Bay. However, McCann claims that registering under the Amara Bay name does not necessarily mean the company intends to sell real estate in the project.

    McCann's involvement in the bayfront master plan is well-documented, and he has regularly spoken about his role in bringing it about as a city official. He has also listed Coronado Shores Co. as a primary source of income on his financial disclosure form, stating that the company is worth over $1 million and pays him more than $100,000 annually.

    The Amara Bay project is part of a larger bayfront master plan adopted jointly by Chula Vista and the Port of San Diego in 2012 to transform the city's industrial waterfront into a world-class residential, commercial, and tourist destination. The project's developer, Pacifica Companies, has not yet made arrangements to sell or market condominiums in the development.

    McCann's real estate company also appears to have created a promotional Facebook page advertising real estate in Amara Bay, but the information about Coronado Shores Co. was removed after Voice of San Diego asked questions about it. The developer of Amara Bay, Pacifica Companies, denied any partnership with McCann's real estate company.

    McCann's close involvement in Amara Bay and other bayfront developments is not unusual for a Chula Vista city leader, but the prospective involvement of his real estate company raises questions about potential conflicts of interest. State law prohibits elected officials from voting on or influencing policies that could benefit them financially.