Belmont Park is a historic amusement park located on Ocean Front at Surfrider Square in the Mission Bay area of San Diego, California. The park was developed by sugar magnate John D. Spreckels and opened on July 4, 1925 as the Mission Beach Amusement Center. In addition to providing recreation and amusement, it also was intended as a way to help Spreckels sell land in Mission Beach. Located on the beach, it attracts millions of people each year. The park's most iconic attraction is the historic Giant Dipper roller coaster, which is considered a local landmark. History The attractions and rides that remain from the original 1925 park include the Giant Dipper, a wooden roller coaster that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Another historic facility is The Plunge, an indoor swimming pool. The Plunge was originally a salt water pool called the Natatorium and was the largest salt-water pool in the world; it now contains fresh water. In 2013 the California Coastal Commission approved plans to remove a portion of a large mural by artist Wyland during planned renovations. The plunge was closed in 2014 due to disrepair. Plans to demolish and rebuild the Plunge were approved in January 2016. It reopened in 2019 over the Fourth of July weekend after a $12 million renovation. In 2002, businessman/surfer Tom Lochtefeld bought the master lease for the property and started development of the Wave House. In November 2012, Pacifica Enterprises LLC. acquired the park leasehold in a bankruptcy trustee sale. Pacifica Enterprises, along with Eat.Drink.Sleep, assumed operations of the park and started a restoration and revitalization of the park. Eat.Drink.Sleep's team of Brett Miller, Steve Smith and Justin Lopez developed and led the opening of new restaurants, Cannonball, South Mission Draft, Belmonty's Burgers and Hot Dog on a Stick and a remodel of Beach House Grill. Controversies In the early 1980s, the San Diego City Council led by then-Councilman Mike Gotch called for proposals to redevelop Belmont Park and clean up the area, which had fallen into disrepair and developed a seedy reputation. The city received five redevelopment bids but eventually decided not to take action at that time. Later the matter was reopened and the City's Real Estate Development Department was authorized to contact architect Paul Thoryk and developer Graham MacHutchin regarding their proposal since it was the only development that restored the Plunge, the city's