Ernie Hahn, the local entertainment impresario behind the Wonderfront Music Festival and Del Mar Wine & Food Festival, has shifted his focus to residential real estate. According to a news release, the longtime general manager of the San Diego Sports Arena recently joined the Del Mar-based Rande Turner Collective, part of Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty,
The Rande Turner Collective specializes in North County and coastal San Diego real estate. The top-producing boutique team closed over $60 million in business so far this year. Hahn brings his passion for sports, entertainment expertise and a network of relationships that embody his lifelong enthusiasm for San Diego to the team, according to a news release.
“Community is an essential component of what we do, and Ernie is part of San Diego’s fabric when it comes to our business, sports and real estate legacy,” said Turner, who participates in Hahn’s annual CaddyHack Golf Festival, a fundraiser that has raised over $1.8 million for Boys to Men Mentoring since it was founded nine years ago. “His diverse experience and strategic insight aligns with our core values, and I am excited to welcome him as a partner to our team.”
Hahn, who was raised in Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe, is president and co-founder of the Blacks Beach Foundation, and with the eponymous Hahn Entertainment, he is a founding partner of the Wonderfront Music Festival, the three-day music festival in downtown San Diego, and is also founding partner and principal of the Del Mar Wine and Food Festival.
According to the news release, his namesake grandfather, Ernest W. Hahn, was the son of German immigrants who pioneered the suburban shopping mall in 1967. His portfolio included 53 shopping malls totaling 40 million square feet of retail space. In San Diego, projects included Fashion Valley, UTC, North County Fair and Horton Plaza.
Hahn Property Management was a multi-generational endeavor. Ernies father, Ron Hahn, expanded the business, managing over 40 malls and 40 million square feet of retail space. Later, in 1992, the family would go on to make music and sports history when Ron acquired the lease of the San Diego Sports Arena.
At the Sports Arena, the father and son duo created a legacy. Here, Ernie worked his way up from events coordinator in 1991 to the general manager role, which he held until 2020.
“I grew up in a real estate family. My first job out of college was at the Land Grant Development office,” said Hahn in the news release. “Joining Rande Turner is an opportunity to serve the community I love with the support of a blue chip brand like Sotheby’s.“