A record crowd of more than 500 local dignitaries and community members came to the 43rd Newport Beach Mayor’s Dinner on Thursday, February 6 at VEA Newport Beach Resort to hear new mayor Joe Stapleton give a State of the City address.
The evening was presented by Speak Up Newport, the community forum of Newport Beach. Master of Ceremonies was Tom Johnson, a local publisher and Newport Beach Citizen of the Year in 2011.
The evening began with a reception before attendees entered the dining room. Reverend Cindy Voorhes of St. James Episcopal Church performed the invocation. Marie Case, the 2024 Newport Beach Citizen of the Year, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Ed Selich, President of Speak Up Newport and a former Mayor of Newport Beach, greeted the audience and thanked multiple sponsors for their support.
During dinner, past Newport Beach Mayors were honored before current mayor Stapleton was introduced to a standing ovation with the song “California” (the soundtrack to the TV series “The OC,” which was set in Newport Beach) performed by Phantom Planet playing in the background.
Stapleton’s presentation was unlike any previous Mayor’s Dinner speeches. Stapleton, who wore a microphone instead of standing at a podium, used still photos and video footage to enhance his speech as he roamed the stage talking to the audience.
Stapleton started by thanking sponsors and recognizing the first responders from Newport Beach who helped fight the Palisades fire.
He then told the audience about running in the Boston Marathon in 2013. He was four minutes from the finish line when bombs went off. He said that up until that time his life had been about ambition, but after that he wanted to focus on how to make things better.
“My theme is simple but profound: Celebrate Newport,” he said. “I ran on a campaign of keeping Newport, Newport. I want to celebrate the city’s story—the past, the present and the future. I want to focus on the people and places that make us Newport, and cements the legacy of those that came before.”
While he said the state of the city is stronger than ever, he mentioned some of his goals for the year, which included public safety and community infrastructure.
“I want to give the police the resources they need to fight crime,” he said. “We installed 69 license plate readers in Newport Beach. This is game changing technology.”
Stapleton talked about current projects, which included the water wheel trash collector that he said becomes operational next month, and the upcoming combined fire station and library building on the peninsula.
He showed a photo of the old Red Car trolley that used to come to Newport Beach when the city was formed, and then stated that the city was buying five trolleys to use by next summer, and by 2027 will have trolleys running the entire length of Newport Beach.
Harbor dredging is another process getting ready to start, which is something Stapleton noted has not been done since 2012. Almost half of the $23 million cost will be paid by the Army Corps of Engineers, he said.
Another project promoted by Stapleton is the reimagining of McFadden Square, which he said should be a destination in the city. He mentioned removing the parking lot, renovating the pier, and making it a destination again.
And then there’s the historic Lower Castaways, which has been a construction storage site. Stapleton envisions it as a place where the community can go and enjoy a pool, swim lessons, a two-story event center, and other amenities. That is a private-public partnership with a $45 million price tag.
He also talked about the Witte lecture hall, which should be ready to open by January 2026, and the new Junior Guard facility.
After giving a salute to history with the reopening of the Lido Theater, he surprised the audience with an announcement about the Balboa Fun Zone, which is owned by the Pyle family, longtime Newport Beach residents.
“That is another legacy project—the Pyle family is making a $100 million investment” in revitalizing the Fun Zone, he said. “I am so excited for this. If you see members of the Pyle family, thank them for what they are doing.”
After mentioning several other recent projects, including Uptown Newport, he told the audience “We are a world class city because of the contributions from people like you.”
He closed his presentation by stating “I am so proud to be your mayor.”
