San Diego
A coalition that supports naming the San Diego Convention Center for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. urged the San Diego City Council on Thursday not to retreat from its Jan. 10 decision in favor of the tribute to the slain civil rights leader.
In a news conference at the convention center, the Martin Luther King Tribute Coalition called on the council to send its proposal to name the convention center for King back to the San Diego Board of Port Commissioners.
The council decided Jan. 10 to name the $160-million bayside convention center for King, but the port commissioners on Feb. 21 refused to vote on the proposal, choosing instead to turn the convention center’s bayside terrace into an “Avenue of Honors” whose first inductee would be King. Concurrence of both panels is required to take action on the convention center.
That Port District vote sent the issue back to the council, where action is pending.
A second group opposed to naming the convention center for King has promised to launch a referendum on the issue if the center is named for him.
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