The official dedication and public open house will be held Saturday, Dec. 18, with the arrival on Wednesday, Dec. 22 of the first cruise ship, Holland America's 1,900-passenger Oosterdam.
The public open house on Saturday will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. followed by the dedication from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The open house will include amusement rides, a travel show, maritime exhibits and an opportunity to win prizes. Some of the activities will continue the following day, Sunday, Dec. 19, with the carnival rides operating from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
At 5 p.m., grandstand seating will be available for the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights – the annual procession of boats festooned with Christmas lights -- that is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
On Saturday at 3:15 p.m., a blessing ceremony by the Viejas band of Kumeyaay Indians will be held on the pier from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will include music by jazz guitarist Elliott Lawrence and vocal performances.
"We have been waiting a long time for this moment," said Robert "Dukie" Valderrama, chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners. "The new pavilion will serve as a welcome center for the many cruise passengers sailing into or leaving this beautiful city, and locals and visitors alike who may be attending one of the special events or festivals that we envision for the pier and event center."
The modern, two-story event center and cruise terminal will be the Port of San Diego's first "green" building. Its state-of-the art design is expected to win silver LEED certification after undergoing several months of review by the U.S. Green Building Council. The group provides certification for buildings incorporating environmental features, such as solar power, that reduce a building's energy and water consumption.
The $28-million Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier was designed and built to reduce water and energy usage. In addition, cruise ships that will berth at the pavilion and the Port's main cruise terminal on the B Street Pier will use shore-side electrical power resulting in less pollution from a ship's diesel-burning engines while at berth.
The pavilion will serve as an auxiliary to the Port's main B Street Cruise Ship Terminal.
Distinguishing features of the new event center and cruise terminal is its look, a saw-tooth roof design and its glass rollup doors that reflect the water's hues.
The environmental components include the infrastructure to provide shore-side electrical power to cruise ships, a photovoltaic system that will provide up to 12 percent of the building's energy, a white roof that will help conserve energy and low-flow toilets, urinals and faucets.