Attachment B – Letter of Interest Details
The City of Santa Monica received 69 Letters of Interest (LOIs) for the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project, representing a wide range of ideas and ambitions for transforming the site into a thriving civic destination. These proposals reflect a diversity of sectors, including:
• Recreation and athletics (such as surf parks, aquatics facilities, multi-sport complexes, racquet sports, and playgrounds),
• Arts and culture (including amphitheaters, artist villages, museums, and immersive storytelling experiences),
• Housing and mixed-use development,
• Environmental sustainability and ecological restoration (ranging from native plant centers and regenerative agriculture to biomimicry-based design), • Education and youth programming (including STEM hubs, adventure learning, and community schools), and
• Mobility and innovation (e.g., electric aviation, car-free urbanism, and VR pilot training).
Proposals also reflect a wide range of financial models, from privately financed initiatives and philanthropic ventures to hybrid public-private partnerships designed to generate long-term revenue for park operations and community benefit. Some submissions offer immediate activation and interim uses (e.g., events, temporary venues, or modular structures), while others envision permanent developments supported by long-term lease agreements, land trusts, or mission-driven operators. Many proposals that were focused on adaptive reuse noted being able to recommend a more well-defined financial model upon review of available sites, their corresponding condition, and available infrastructure.
In terms of physical scale, proposals range from small modular or mobile installations (e.g., artistic benches or bike gardens) to projects spanning 1–5 acres (e.g., surf parks, wellness centers, sports hubs), medium-scale facilities of 10–20 acres (e.g., native plant nurseries, agriculture centers, school campuses), and large-scale redevelopment visions covering 50–75 acres (e.g., youth sports tournament complexes, mixed-use villages, or ecological parks). This broad spectrum of size, scope, and funding potential provides the city with a flexible foundation for shaping an inclusive, resilient, and visionary future for the Airport site.
A brief summary of each LOI is as follows:
Group Name Big Idea:
1 AAM Vertiports, LLC Proposes a sustainable, electric-powered Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) hub—a vertiport—integrated into Santa
Monica’s multimodal transportation future, supporting
zero-emission air taxis and regional mobility via electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
2 Ann Bowman Advocates for a new regional-scale skatepark at the Great Park to honor Santa Monica’s skateboarding
legacy, promote inclusivity and accessibility, and
generate revenue through events, retail, and youthoriented programming 3 Aresis Ensemble Inc. Expresses interest in having a new location for City Garage theater, presently at Bergamot Station, of
approximately 7,500 – 10,000sf to ensure this company
can continue its almost 40-year history in the Santa
Monica community.
4 Atomic Venus Media Envisions a cultural green space anchored by an outdoor amphitheater, blending arts, entertainment,
flexible green infrastructure, and civic engagement to
create a year-round, revenue-generating cultural
destination.
5 Aventuur Proposes a 15-acre surf park and wellness district featuring a Wavegarden surf lagoon, community
recreation, adaptive reuse of hangars, and inclusive
programming that merges Santa Monica’s surf heritage
with health, equity, and environmental leadership.
6 Back Bay Barrels,
LLC
Contemplates a world-class urban mountain biking
destination that also serves as a regional hub for
outdoor recreation, youth engagement, and
environmental stewardship. Includes a bike park
integrated into the natural topography, featuring flow
trails, jump lines, skills zones, and adaptive cycling
infrastructure.
7 BETA Technologies,
Inc.
Suggests retaining airport operations by modernizing
the site into an electric aviation hub, integrating AAM technologies for sustainable package delivery,
emergency response, and passenger mobility, while
reducing noise and emissions.
8 Biomimicry Group,
Inc.
Proposes a regenerative ecological transformation of
the site using biomimicry, remediating toxic soils in
place and turning the airport into a living system that models nature’s resilience, sustainability, and
educational potential.
9 Black Pearl
Investments LLC
Offers a broad redevelopment vision that includes an
outdoor amphitheater, green spaces, mixed-income
housing, cultural venues, and civic amenities—delivered through a public-private partnership focused on equity
and economic development.
10 Boulevard Partners –
Residential
Proposes sustainable, community-driven housing on
the site, integrating a range of affordable to market-rate units, designed through public-private partnership with a focus on walkability, resilience, and inclusive urban living. 11 Boulevard Partners –
Sports Park
Envisions a premier outdoor sports and recreation
campus with fields, courts, a golf driving range, and
family-oriented amenities, creating a self-sustaining hub for health, play, and community gathering via private
investment and public benefit.
12 Boys and Girls Club
of Santa Monica
Proposes a public-private partnership to deliver
youth-focused recreation and education programs
within the Great Park, using flexible park spaces or a
potential new 12,000-sq-ft facility to expand affordable, inclusive afterschool and summer services.
13 California State Parks Proposes converting part or all of the site into a State Park managed by California State Parks, bringing
long-term stewardship, habitat restoration, cultural
programming, and public recreation aligned with the
state’s climate and equity goals.
14 Community
Corporation of Santa
Monica
Discusses some affordable housing at the airport to
balance skyrocketing costs of housing Santa Monica has
experienced over the past decade, financial details
dependent on amount of land possible.
15 Corporate Realty
Group, Inc.
Offers real estate advisory services and a plan to
repurpose existing hangars and infrastructure for
short- and long-term revenue, including arts, events,
EV hubs, gardens, and potential land leases or sales to fund park development.
16 Crow Comedy Inc. Envisions a new artist colony and performance district at the site featuring comedy, storytelling, music, and inclusive live arts experiences—anchored by
subsidized artist venues, education programs, and a
shared outdoor amphitheater.
17 Curious Creative Proposes a story-driven, immersive public destination blending nature, art, and interactive
experiences—leveraging design expertise from theme
parks and museums to create a dynamic civic space that
evolves with community input.
18 Design Build Labs Proposes a bold, fully integrated affordable housing, events, sports, and renewable energy campus,
including the “Santa Monica Bowl,” 12 soccer fields, artist venues, and housing supported by land trusts and a
community-owned microgrid.
19 Eduardo Ostrogovich
/ La Ola Group /
Surf’s Up Santa
Monica
Proposes a 5-acre surf park powered by advanced
wave technology, surrounded by a 20-acre mixed-use,
sustainable residential village, delivering recreation, wellness, tourism, and economic development rooted in
Santa Monica’s surf culture.
20 Electra Suggests a modular, low-noise, hybrid-electric aviation node occupying ≤15% of the site, offering
regional air mobility via Electra’s EL9 aircraft while
preserving the rest of the land for parks and public uses— positioning Santa Monica as a model for sustainable
post-airport mobility.
21 Flags Unlimited LTD Proposes a Flag Heritage Park with a central U.S. flagpole, educational pavilion, and community
celebration space honoring American heritage, powered
by solar lighting and sustainable design.
22 Frieze Envisions a permanent cultural venue or flexible event infrastructure to host Frieze LA and other major
art and design events, positioning Santa Monica as an
international arts hub while generating significant cultural and economic value.
23 GoCarFree.org Proposes making the entire airport site car-free, serving as a national model for sustainable mobility and civic design by eliminating parking infrastructure and
integrating zero-car transportation from the ground up. 24 Good Body Pilates
Studio, Inc.
Suggests a modular, inclusive Pilates and wellness
hub with outdoor classes, a converted hangar for
movement arts, and a mobile studio to promote public
health and joy through accessible fitness.
25 Great Park Coalition –
Culture & Arts
Working Group
Envisions a network of pavilions and a landmark
ziggurat integrating performance, visual arts, cultural exchange, and ecological design — including
partnerships with UCLA and local arts organizations.
26 Great Park Coalition –
Sustainability Working
Group
Advocates for a 192-acre ecological park with
regenerative agriculture, native habitat restoration,
and a land trust model, transforming the site into a hub of sustainability, equity, and nature-based education.
27 Greystar
Development West,
LLC
Proposes scalable residential development (marketrate, mixed-income, student, senior housing) to generate long-term revenue for park operations through a publicprivate partnership, leveraging Greystar’s national P3 experience.
28 Griffith Company Proposes a construction materials recycling and processing yard on-site to repurpose concrete and
asphalt from airport demolition, reducing emissions, truck traffic, and costs while generating royalty revenue for the City.
29 Ground Review, LLC Proposes a mixed-use village integrating an artist colony, culinary collective, wellness campus,
adaptive reuse, housing, and trails—blending cultural,
recreational, and residential uses within a lush, natureoriented park environment. 30 Hollywood Balloon,
LLC
Proposes a tethered helium balloon ride offering scenic aerial views and an educational aviation exhibit—
providing an immediate, low-impact tourist attraction with revenue potential and a connection to the site’s flight legacy.
31 Hyperquake Offers to lead the creative vision, storytelling, and experience design for the entire site—creating a unified, participatory narrative architecture that integrates culture, ecology, and identity into every aspect of the park’s
development.
32 Individual Contributor Advocates for zoning and establishing a communityserving equestrian facility to support public recreation, therapeutic riding, and equitable access to horse
programs for youth and families, especially after regional barn losses.
33 Joby Aviation Proposes preserving a portion of the site as an eVTOL (electric aircraft) innovation and operations hub,
enabling sustainable urban air mobility and STEM
workforce training, while supporting clean transportation and resilience goals.
34 Linc Housing Proposes to develop affordable, supportive, and mixed-use housing with community-serving
infrastructure based on proven public-private models,
addressing housing needs while fostering health,
education, and economic mobility.
35 Live Nation Proposes an amphitheater or live performance venue integrated into the park’s design—offering a flexible,
community-benefiting cultural space for music, comedy,
graduations, and civic events while boosting economic
and social vitality.
36 Loft Dynamics Proposes a VR aviation training and innovation campus focused on electric flight, pilot simulation, and aerial firefighting preparedness—positioning Santa
Monica as a global center for green aviation and hightech workforce development. 37 Los Angeles Bulls
Soccer Club
Proposes a multi-sport athletic complex with 10+
lighted fields, a stadium soccer venue, and rec courts to serve youth sports, grow economic activity through
tournaments, and position Santa Monica as a regional
hub for active recreation.
38 Los Angeles
Pétanque club
Proposes repurposing a hangar for indoor/outdoor
pétanque courts, offering a low-cost, inclusive,
intergenerational sport rooted in cultural heritage, with potential for year-round events and regional leagues.
39 Love thy Nature LLC Proposes a weekly nature immersion experience using “forest bathing” techniques to reduce stress and
foster human-nature connection, led by a trained
mindfulness and eco-therapy facilitator with ties to UCLA and Esalen.
40 MAQ Real Estate
Solutions
Proposes a 10-acre, turnkey active sports district with a surf park, skatepark, climbing wall, and pump track—
privately financed and operated with a public-private
revenue-sharing model to support community access
and economic vitality.
41 Individual Contributor A 7th-grade student proposes a teen-designed space for ages 12–16 focused on creativity, connection,
entrepreneurship, and mentorship—a rare youthauthored vision advocating inclusion of teen voices in planning.
42 New Roads School Proposes relocating their K-12 campus to the airport site through a land swap or lease, offering shared-use
facilities like a theater, gardens, and recreational areas while freeing up their current Olympic Blvd site for
housing or civic use.
43 PCN3, Inc Proposes a modular cultural and recreational village blending art, fitness, food, learning gardens, and
potential affordable housing—developed in phases and
grounded in sustainability, reuse, and public-private
partnership.
44 PongFit, Inc. Proposes a citywide table tennis initiative with outdoor and indoor ping pong tables as a fun, inclusive, low-cost way to build fitness and community—filling a gap in LA’s recreational infrastructure.
45 ReDiscover Center
Inc
Proposes a 1.5-acre hands-on adventure playground
where kids build, tinker, and create from reclaimed
materials—merging play with environmental education,
art, and youth workforce development in a rotating
sculpture park.
46 Roots & Soulchild //
Cloverfield Commons
Proposes a 10-year, phased development of 3,000
below-market housing units interwoven with a great
park, featuring a mix of low, moderate, and middleincome homes across 60–90 acres, supported by layered public and private financing strategies—including equitylimited co-ops, federal/state affordable housing funds, and park revenue cross-subsidies. The plan aims to
address historic displacement, affordability gaps for
workers and families, and generate sustained funding for park infrastructure and operations
47 Santa Monica AYSO,
FSAC, Rectangular
Fields
Proposes building a 10–12 field multi-sport complex at
the Great Park through a public-private partnership to
address severe field shortages for youth soccer,
lacrosse, and rugby, while generating revenue via
tournaments and rentals.
48 Santa Monica College Proposes creating customized park exploration maps and an interactive interface tailored to diverse user
groups (e.g., parents, seniors, educators, fitness users) to promote inclusive, accessible engagement with the
Great Park.
49 Santa Monica
Community Gardens
Proposes a 20-acre Regenerative Urban Agriculture
Center including community gardens, orchards, herb
gardens, and a working farm—designed for food justice,
education, climate resilience, and community connection. 50 Santa Monica
Conservancy
Proposes a place-based outdoor interpretive
exhibition celebrating Santa Monica’s cultural, natural, and aviation history through digital storytelling,
monuments, and art—developed in partnership with
museums, artists, and local institutions.
51 Santa Monica High
School Aerospace
Engineering Club
Proposes a STEM and Robotics Innovation Hub in
reused hangars, providing hands-on learning,
internships, and green-tech development space for high
school and college students, particularly those from
underrepresented communities.
52 Santa Monica
Pickleball Club
Proposes building at least 24 dedicated pickleball
courts to meet surging demand, promote health and
social connection, and enable revenue-generating
tournaments and programming through a low-barrier,
inclusive sport.
53 Santa Monica Rugby
Club
Proposes building or adaptively reusing a facility to
create a shared-use athletic fieldhouse that supports
rugby and other sports with training, meeting, and
recovery spaces—funded through private donations and
partnerships.
54 Santa Monica Spoke Proposes a Traffic Safety Learning Garden: a modular, bike/pedestrian education campus for all ages to learn
active mobility and street safety skills, supported by
existing materials, civic partnerships, and private
funders.
55 Seedlings Co-Living A 12-acre creative mixed-use district centered on a 250,000-square-foot Los Angeles Artist Series Hub with
2,000 rental units (500 reserved for middle-income
artists), combining cultural production, inclusive housing, and optional convention space.
56 Individual Contributor Proposes a certified competition-level aquatics center with multiple pools to meet overwhelming unmet
demand, improve swim safety and equity, and generate
revenue via events and rentals.
57 ShareWell dba
Cayton Children’s
Museum
Envisions a landmark children’s museum (75,000–
95,000 sq ft) rooted in play, nature, and communitybuilding—offering STEAM learning, cultural programming, and intergenerational engagement to
serve 1M visitors annually.
58 Simi Arts
Conservatory
Proposes a flexible, self-sufficient community arts
center offering year-round visual and performing arts
education, workshops, and performances with a focus on
adaptive reuse and wide community access.
59 Sports Facilities
Management, LLC
Offers a national-caliber public-private partnership
strategy to anchor the site with a revenue-generating
sports, recreation, and entertainment destination
backed by feasibility analysis and long-term operational modeling.
60 Snug Harbor and
Related
A surf lagoon-centered mixed-use destination called
“Santa Monica Landing,” blending recreation, housing,
culture, hospitality, and sustainability into an iconic, revenue-generating coastal hub.
61 Swimming Patrons of
Santa Monica
Proposes building and managing a new world-class
aquatics facility in the Great Park, backed by 70 years of local programming, to expand community access,
competitive sports, and swim safety ahead of LA 2028.
62 Teapot Gardens
501c3
A large-scale, climate-adaptive botanical tea garden
inspired by ancient “paradise gardens” that blends
ecology, wellness, cultural expression, and community
gathering, with earth domes, herbal tea cafes, artist
spaces, and regenerative landscape design.
63 The 5, LLC A world-class, privately funded youth baseball and softball complex spanning 50–75 acres with 13 turf
fields, a “Player’s Village,” training facilities, and
community events—addressing regional demand while
generating economic benefits.
64 Children’s Lifesaving
Foundation
Adaptive reuse of 5,000 sq ft in an airport hangar into a community hub offering youth education, family
services, and nature-based programming rooted in equity and sustainability, led by a long-established nonprofit serving BIPOC and homeless families.
65 The Milky Way
Foundation
Install handcrafted, artist-adorned benches designed
for public breastfeeding and family rest throughout the Great Park to normalize nurturing, enhance inclusivity, and promote maternal and child well-being.
66 Theodore Payne
Foundation
Establish a Nature Center featuring native plant
demonstration gardens, an education center, and
retail nursery to restore biodiversity, improve climate resilience, and inspire regional ecological stewardship through education and plant sales.
67 Van Denburgh
Consulting Group
A multi-sport racquet facility (tennis, pickleball, paddle tennis, and padel) with community amenities like the
“Racquet Ramada” and “El Cobertizo,” designed for
inclusivity, fitness, and social interaction through active recreation and flexible programming.
68 Vanilla Fire, LLC Describes a unique destination venue that is a vibrant community gathering space available for reservationbased rentals and celebrations. 69 VIP Rallies Temporarily convert the runway and hangars into a motorsports and entertainment venue featuring drag
races, car shows, and filming, activating the site postairport closure while preserving flexibility for future redevelopment.
At this time, there are no further steps associated with the LOIs. This list is provided to City Council for consideration on how the Preferred Scenario of Phase 3b should move forward and if any of these ideas are intriguing enough to instruct staff to continue exploring any of these ideas in the future.