I’ve been here a long time and I don’t think San Diego is notably different in 10 (or 20) years than many other places in the country. Specifically, what I mean is that plenty of cities in the country have changed a lot in the last decade or two as well.
Plenty of cities have revitalized downtown areas, new stadiums, more urbanization, and a perceived upswing in cultural activies (I say perceived because I believe the upswing is really the desire to participate rather than availability). I could go on and on, but I don’t think San Diego is unique in this regard (and don’t get me wrong, I love it here).