What the World Beach Games Will Do for SD’s Economy

Mudd: “Everybody is getting an upswing with high-level events.”

SAN DIEGO—In addition to boosting tourism, the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games will draw spark investment in infrastructure and grooming of existing real estate for the athletes and their entourage, Carrier Johnson + CULTURE managing partner Vincent Mudd tells GlobeSt.com.

Mudd, who has served with the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp., founded and now chairs the nonprofit San Diego Exploratory Foundation, which works to transform San Diego “into a global center for innovative sports and active lifestyle.” Through SDEF, Mudd has spearheaded efforts to bring the World Beach Games to San Diego in October 2019. The multi-day athletics event is organized by the Association of National Olympic Committees for beach-oriented competitions and a global contingent of Olympic-level athletes and will bring new development and tens of thousands of people to the region in 2019. Mudd has also worked on past bids to bring the Olympic Games to Southern California. We spoke with him about the potential impact of the World Beach Games on San Diego and the official Olympics US training facility just outside of San Diego, the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center.