Fountain of traffic

A May announcement in U-T San Diego by Charley Marchesano, project management chief of the county’s Department of General Services, that Qualcomm would be staging an exclusive party for 5000 at the county’s new bayside park has turned out to be a bit premature. Famous for its private soirees staged on closed San Diego city streets, arranged by Katherine Stuart (wife of mayor Kevin Faulconer), the cell-phone chip-making giant has decided to relocate its latest lavish bash to another famous downtown venue.

“I just called my client for the 10th time to get them to commit and they told me they are now going to move the event to Petco Park,” says a June 19 email from Blake Richards, senior event coordinator for Picnic People, to the county’s Christine Lafontant. “I am sorry for holding the park so long without good results. I am hoping to bring more business your way soon.”

Besides a calendar entry, the email was the only document released by the county in response to a public records act query regarding arrangements for the prospective party, which presumably would have required sizable expenditures for law enforcement and traffic management. Asked what the county’s policy was for corporate closure and private use of the popular new park, a spokesman said he would look into the matter and report back soon.