Marina City Council to hear economic development plan

MARINA – The Marina City Council will be hearing a special presentation Tuesday from Cal State Monterey Bay’s Sustainability Hospitality and Tourism Management program on a plan they recommend to increase the city’s economic development and capture a tourism market they value at up to $20 million annually.

The full study's objective, which numbers at over 100 pages, is to “Formulate an overall economic development strategy, centered on eco-tourism, edu-tourism, blue economy and eco-recreation assets,” and capitalize on Marina’s unique “cultural, historical and agricultural” assets as well as access and proximity to existing tourism destinations like Monterey and Carmel and cultural events like Classic Car Week, the AT&T Pro-Am golf tournament and the Monterey Jazz Festival.

The study was commissioned by Shyam Kamath, founding dean and professor emeritus of the college of business. Kamath used his money to fund the project after the City of Marina expressed interest in such a study, but were unable to fund it. He and one of the eight students who worked on the project, Giovanni Costello, will be the ones presenting the project to Marina City Council after being invited by the Mayor and City Manager.

According to Kamath, "everything in the study is practical and implementable."

Part of their plan is building Marina's brand identity as a “gateway" to Monterey Bay and California’s Central Coast, a market they value at $3.1 billion. The operational market for the city of Marina would be between $82 million to $143 million if they capture just 50% of their potential serviceable market, with a more conservative estimate of between $12 to $20 million annually that they claim is easily achievable, should their plan be implemented.

The study is in line with previous explorations done by Stanford and the Department of Economic Development in Monterey County, although Kamath says this one is far more in depth.

The presentation lays out a seven-year plan for short, medium and long term growth in Marina. In years one to two, the plan calls for building brand identity as the “Gateway to Monterey,” emphasizing the area’s unique access to outdoor activities and wellness opportunities, such as spas.

They draw special attention to the role of "Regenerative Tourism," targeting eco-conscious tourists seeking sustainability and respectful immersion, through existing assets like miles of hiking trails.

In years three to four they recommend heavy investment in a tourist-friendly walkable downtown as well as investment in existing economic assets, “creating safer pathways, improving signage and store-front facades, walking corridors and maps, shade and shelter, public seating, human-scale lighting, wayfinding and public art, pocket parks and plazas, and more gathering spaces that connect downtown with beaches and local attraction.”

They also recommend investing in existing economic assets such as the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway, the Equestrian Center, and Fort Ord Dunes park to build Marina’s brand as a tourist destination.

In five to seven years they recommend Marina capitalize on that brand identity and sustain growth by capturing specialty market segments like culinary seekers through local agricultural connections and adventure tourists through opportunities like kayaking and paragliding.

Marina City Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m in City Council Chambers, 211 Hillcrest Ave. Meetings are broadcast on Access Media Productions or Community Television Cable 25 and on the City of Marina Channel, or can be livestreamed at www.cityofmarina.org at "Access & View Meetings."

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 2:55 PM.