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Over two days, participants will engage with business, civic, military, academic and community leaders through candid discussions and behind-the-scenes experiences focused on:
What makes InterCity unique?
The goal of InterCity is not to replicate another city, but to better understand Oklahoma City's opportunities and challenges and explore the decisions that will shape our future growth and success.
Participation is limited. Participants should book return flights after the program concludes on Friday, as the final session and Oklahoma City debrief are important components of the experience.
For questions, please contact register@okcchamber.com.
See the exciting agenda below. We hope you’ll join us in San Diego!
Welcome and Opening Remarks
12:00 p.m. | 10 min. | University Club | Remarks
The San Diego Story
12:10 p.m. | 35 min. | University Club | Single speaker
San Diego is often viewed through the lens of beaches, climate, tourism and military presence. This opening conversation will look beyond the postcard version of the region to examine the history, culture, geography and civic forces that shaped modern San Diego. Delegates will explore how the region's military presence, border location, research institutions, environmental assets, growth pressures and civic networks influence how San Diego thinks, collaborates and competes today.
Mayors Conversation: Leading Through Growth
12:45 p.m. | 45 min. | University Club | Conversation
Like Oklahoma City, San Diego is experiencing significant growth and investment while balancing increasing demands on housing, infrastructure, public services and quality of life. In this candid discussion, Mayor Todd Gloria and Mayor David Holt will explore how growth is reshaping their communities, the challenges local governments face in responding to changing resident expectations and the leadership decisions required to position cities for long-term success.
Housing Growth, Affordability and the Future of the Region
1:30 p.m. | 45 min. | University Club | Panel
San Diego's housing market illustrates both the opportunities and challenges that accompany sustained economic growth. As population and employment have expanded, housing production has struggled to keep pace with demand, creating affordability pressures that affect residents, employers and the region's long-term competitiveness. This session will examine how public policy, housing finance, public-private partnerships and private-sector development strategies are being used to increase supply, support affordability and create housing opportunities for residents at a range of income levels.
Depart University Club
2:15 p.m. | 30 min. | Travel
Travel to Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter
Addressing Homelessness in a High-Cost Region
2:45 p.m. | 45 min. | Gaslamp Room - Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter | Panel
Homelessness remains one of the most visible and complex issues facing communities across the country, particularly in high-cost regions where housing supply and affordability pressures are acute. San Diego has pursued strategies that combine city implementation, regional coordination, Housing First approaches, outreach, shelter, supportive services and provider partnerships. This discussion will explore lessons from recent efforts and the opportunities and limitations communities face in addressing homelessness at scale.
Downtown San Diego: Housing Growth and the Future of the Gaslamp
3:30 p.m. | 120 min. | Gaslamp Room - Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter | Panel
Downtown San Diego has evolved from a primarily commercial center into one of the region's most important mixed-use residential neighborhoods. That transformation has depended not only on new housing, but also on the amenities, public spaces, visitor activity and entertainment districts that make urban living attractive. This session will examine downtown housing growth, with particular attention to the Gaslamp Quarter as a historic dining, entertainment, hospitality and tourism district that now serves residents, workers, visitors and convention audiences. Speakers will discuss how planning, private development, district management and business leadership are working to keep downtown vibrant, safe, competitive and relevant as expectations for urban neighborhoods change.
Delegate Dinner
5:30 p.m. | Coasterra | Meal/Reception
Delegates will gather for an evening overlooking San Diego Bay at one of the region's premier waterfront dining destinations. With sweeping views of the downtown skyline and harbor, the dinner provides an opportunity to continue conversations from the day, strengthen relationships among participants and experience one of the settings that helps define San Diego's quality of life and sense of place.
Defense as a Regional Asset
8:00 a.m. | 60 min. | Stone Brewing Bistro & World Garden | Panel
San Diego's military presence extends far beyond its installations, serving as a cornerstone of the regional economy and a catalyst for innovation, workforce development and civic collaboration. This session will explore how installation leaders, city officials, civic organizations and community partners work together to support military missions and take care of the force, including service members, civilian employees, families, veterans and transitioning talent. Delegates will examine how a region organizes itself around major defense assets while supporting the people and infrastructure that make readiness possible.
Defense Innovation and the Future Workforce
9:00 a.m. | 75 min. | Stone Brewing Bistro & World Garden | Fireside chat
San Diego's defense ecosystem is increasingly driven by collaboration among universities, industry and government partners. This fireside conversation will examine how the region is aligning research, talent development and innovation around defense priorities, including the role of San Diego State University and its defense innovation roadmap. The discussion will focus on how higher education can support defense innovation, workforce development, industry partnership and long-term regional competitiveness.
Depart for Mission Valley
10:15 a.m. | 30 min. | Travel
Mission Valley Reimagined: From Stadium Site to Mixed-Use District
10:45 a.m. | 60 min. | Snapdragon Stadium | Short visual overview + panel
Mission Valley is undergoing one of the most significant redevelopment efforts in Southern California. Anchored by San Diego State University's acquisition of the former stadium site and the development of Snapdragon Stadium, the district is being transformed into a mixed-use environment that integrates housing, retail, recreation, innovation, education and entertainment. This session will examine the long-term vision for Mission Valley, the stadium's role as a district anchor, and how residential, commercial and innovation district components are intended to work together to create a new urban destination.
Lunch
11:45 a.m. | 45 min. | Snapdragon Stadium | Meal/Reception
Snapdragon Stadium and Mission Valley Tour
12:30 p.m. | 60 min. | Tour
Delegates will tour Snapdragon Stadium and surrounding development areas while learning how the project supports broader goals related to placemaking, housing, university expansion, innovation, entertainment and community development.
Depart for La Jolla
1:30 p.m. | 30 min. | Travel
Life Sciences and Regional Competitiveness
2:00 p.m. | 60 min. | TBD | Panel
San Diego has emerged as one of the world's leading centers for life science research, biotechnology and health innovation. This panel discussion will examine how a mature life sciences ecosystem works through the alignment of research institutions, industry organizations, anchor companies, venture capital, specialized talent and commercialization networks. Delegates will explore how these assets reinforce one another and what lessons a growing region can draw from an ecosystem sustained by market, institutional and industry dynamics.
Mobility and Regional Connectivity: Building Support for Transportation Investment
3:00 p.m. | 60 min. | TBD | Panel
Mobility plays a critical role in economic competitiveness, quality of life and regional growth. This session will focus on surface transportation, including rail, transit, roadway investments and the governance structures that shape regional mobility decisions. Speakers will explore how regional planning and funding intersect with multiple transit operators, differing geographic needs and the challenge of building public support for major transportation investments in a low-trust, anti-tax and politically divided environment.
Depart for Torrey Pines
4:00 p.m. | 30 min. | Torrey Pines Golf Course | Travel
Reception
4:30 p.m. | 90 min. | The Lodge at Torrey Pines | Meal/Reception
Delegate Dinner
6:00 p.m. | Torrey Pines Golf Course | Meal/Reception
Delegates will gather overlooking the Pacific Ocean and one of the nation's most iconic public golf courses while continuing discussions from the day's program.
Breakfast
7:30 a.m. | 45 min. | The Prado at Balboa Park | Meal/Reception
Why San Diego?
8:15 a.m. | 60 min. | The Prado at Balboa Park | Curated conversation
Business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators and community builders who have chosen San Diego will share candid perspectives on the region's appeal, challenges and talent dynamics. The conversation will explore relocation, hospitality and hiring, military-to-civilian transition, new-wave entrepreneurship and how local civic leaders see growth changing the community.
Mexico, Trade and the Binational Economy: Diversity as Economic Development
9:15 a.m. | 60 min. | The Prado at Balboa Park | Panel
This session will explore San Diego's connection to Mexico as both a strategic economic advantage and a lesson in diversity as economic development. Speakers will examine how binational identity, cultural fluency, immigrant entrepreneurship, trade relationships, nearshoring, workforce connections and cross-border business networks become economic assets, with transferable lessons for Oklahoma City.
Bringing It Home: Implications for Oklahoma City
10:15 a.m. | 75 min. | The Prado at Balboa Park | Internal facilitated discussion
Facilitated by Oklahoma City leadership, delegates will evaluate observations from the trip through four lenses: Continue, Explore, Adapt and Reject. The objective is not to replicate San Diego, but to identify actionable insights that can inform Oklahoma City's continued growth and competitiveness.
Closing Remarks
11:30 a.m. | 15 min. | Remarks
Summary observations, acknowledgments and next steps.
Lunch
11:45 a.m. | 30 min. | The Prado at Balboa Park | Meal/Reception
Departures
12:15 p.m. | Travel
Airport transfers begin.
Presenting Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
