The San Diego Rodeo is an annual cultural celebration that sits at the intersection of culture, community and downtown San Diego’s visitor economy.
Now in its third year at Petco Park, the rodeo is no longer a new or untested event. It has emerged as a nationally recognized draw, bringing visitors from across the region, the Southwest, and beyond into downtown San Diego, the heart of our city.
Held in the winter, this three-day celebration of local tradition and heritage brings tens of thousands of people together at a time when hotels, restaurants, retailers and hospitality workers need this activity most.
That is why the rodeo is not only an important cultural experience, but exactly the kind of event that helps San Diego thrive.
At its inception, this potential is why the San Diego Tourism Marketing District provided funding to support marketing of the event. The TMD funds were specifically designed to boost hotel occupancy and tourism for the city of San Diego, using a 2% assessment paid by hotels with 70 or more rooms. Those hotel-funded dollars are reinvested into destination marketing, major events and sports tourism to increase visitor demand, generate jobs and help maintain San Diego’s competitive edge as a top-tier destination.
In 2025, the rodeo produced more than 12,500 hotel room nights and generated more than $3 million in tourism-related revenue, representing a 20:1 return on the TMD’s investment.
Now in its third year and taking place January 16-18, the San Diego Rodeo did not apply for TMD funding this year. Building on the foundation established in its first two years, the event has reached a level of momentum and recognition that allows it to move forward independently for this cycle.
The now nationally recognized event has found its audience and continues to grow in popularity, with sponsorships having doubled since 2025. Strong attendance, repeat visitation and expanded programming, including chart-topping musical acts, are testaments to that success.
The return on TMD’s investment demonstrates firsthand how events like the rodeo activate downtown. Guests do not simply attend the main event; they dine at local restaurants, visit nearby attractions, shop at small businesses and extend their stays. That activity supports workers across hospitality, transportation, retail and entertainment, and sustains families whose livelihoods depend on a healthy visitor economy.
These ripple effects matter, particularly in winter, when every occupied room and filled table helps stabilize jobs and local businesses.
Tourism remains one of San Diego’s most important job engines. Visitor spending supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the region and generates billions of dollars in local economic impact each year.
But like many cities, San Diego is navigating a more competitive travel landscape. Rising costs and evolving travel patterns mean visitation cannot be taken for granted. To remain competitive, we must continue offering experiences that are distinctive, authentic and deeply rooted in who we are as a region.
The San Diego Rodeo delivers exactly that.
For more than 100 years, rodeos have provided a stage for Native Americans to connect with their culture, heritage and animals.
For our communities, rodeo is not simply an event. It is a living cultural tradition with deep Indigenous, Mexican/Charro, Black and Western roots. These traditions predate modern San Diego and reflect the skills, values and histories that have shaped this region for generations. Hosting the San Diego Rodeo at a major civic venue like Petco Park provides meaningful visibility for participants and cultures that have too often been overlooked or misunderstood.
That visibility matters as much as the regional benefits. A city that celebrates its diverse heritage is stronger, more inclusive and more resilient. When visitors experience San Diego through its history and traditions, they leave with a deeper understanding of, and connection to, the region.
A thriving downtown supports families, workers and small businesses. It generates revenue that helps fund public services and reduces pressure on residents during times of city budget constraints. Rising costs of living and fiscal challenges are not solved by shrinking economic opportunity but by growing it, supporting more jobs and more stability for local families.
The San Diego Rodeo is a clear example of how cultural celebration and economic vitality reinforce one another. It brings people together across communities, activates downtown during a critical season, and contributes meaningfully to the health of the broader region.
San Diego deserves events that do all of this.
The rodeo is one of them.
Josh Muse is vice chair of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and chairman of the San Diego Rodeo Alliance.
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