SAN ANTONIO — After the City Council approved a term sheet for the highly divisive Project Marvel sports and entertainment district last month, the San Antonio Spurs are working to mobilize support for the project ahead of a November vote.
According to an ad obtained by the San Antonio Current, the franchise is kicking off its “WinTogether” campaign on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Idle Beer Hall & Brewery from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will feature the Coyote Hype Squad plus some “special guests,” and those who RSVP will receive free parking and food.
The flyer also urges residents to vote yes on Propositions A and B, which will be featured on the upcoming November ballot. Through Prop A, Bexar County voters will choose whether to fund $191.8 million in upgrades to the Frost Bank Center and Freeman Coliseum facilities. Prop B asks voters if they want to raise the county’s visitor tax to 2% to help fund the project.
Project Marvel would involve building a new Spurs arena, an entertainment district, a redesigned Alamodome, an expanded convention center, a new hotel and a land bridge over Interstate 37 to connect the East Side to downtown. The total cost is estimated between $3-4 billion.
San Antonio City Council in late August approved a term sheet with Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) in a 7-4 vote, which pledges $489 million in city funding to go towards the team’s new arena.
The controversial project has split residents, including San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, who had been a staunch advocate for an independent study on the costs and benefits of the multi-million dollar project.