{"id":163445,"date":"2025-08-21T09:29:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T09:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/163445\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T09:29:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T09:29:09","slug":"a-look-at-san-antonio-city-councils-rocky-negotiations-for-new-spurs-arena-leads-ahead-of-thursdays-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/163445\/","title":{"rendered":"A look at San Antonio City Council\u2019s rocky negotiations for new Spurs arena leads ahead of Thursday\u2019s vote"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN ANTONIO<\/strong> \u2013 Pause or push ahead.<\/p>\n

Two different paths forward on a funding deal for a new Spurs arena are up for a vote at a 9 a.m. San Antonio City Council meeting on Thursday. <\/p>\n

The NBA arena, planned for the southeast corner of Hemisfair on the site of the former Institute of Texan Cultures building, is a key piece of the city\u2019s larger plans for a sports and entertainment district, Project Marvel.<\/p>\n

KSAT will livestream the city council meeting in this article and on KSAT Plus. Delays are possible; if there is not a livestream available, please check back at a later time.<\/b><\/p>\n

Discussions between city officials and the Spurs have been ongoing for years. Project Marvel was formally unveiled last November. <\/p>\n

However, the arena talks have picked up steam since the new council has taken their seats. <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a recent timeline of the Spurs arena talks:<\/p>\n

New city council sworn in<\/p>\n

June 18:<\/b> The final members of the 2025-2029 San Antonio City Council were sworn in<\/a> following the June 7 runoff election. The council includes five new members: Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, Councilman Edward Mungia (D4), Councilman Ric Galvan (D6), Councilwoman Ivalis Meza Gonzalez (D8) and Councilwoman Misty Spears (D9). <\/p>\n

Mungia, who won his May 3 election outright, had his first council meetings two weeks earlier at which the outgoing council was briefed on Project Marvel.<\/p>\n

Spurs commit to $500M of arena cost<\/p>\n

July 24:<\/b> Ahead of the council\u2019s July 25 meeting, Spurs Sports & Entertainment Chairman Peter J. Holt sent a letter<\/a> to City Manager Erik Walsh, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, and the city council, offering to spend $500 million, plus cost overruns on the arena\u2019s construction. <\/p>\n

The offer also included a guaranteed $500 million in adjacent development and $60 million in additional community incentives.<\/p>\n

New council receives first briefing<\/p>\n

July 25:<\/b> The new city council was briefed publicly<\/a> for the first time on a potential Spurs arena deal, including the first public look at funding details. Council staff said the city could contribute between $350 million and $500 million, paid for with a combination of lease revenue and tax capture zones.<\/p>\n

CSL report posted<\/p>\n

July 30:<\/b> An economic impact analysis<\/a> on several portions of Project Marvel by CSL International was posted on the city\u2019s website. The city-commissioned report looked at expanding the Henry B. Gonz\u00e1lez Convention Center, improving the Alamodome, turning the former John H. Wood Jr. federal courthouse into a concert venue and various mixed-use developments. <\/p>\n

CSL did not directly look study the possible effects of a new Spurs arena. Instead, it summarized the summary findings from a report by a different consultant hired by the Spurs called Stone Planning.<\/p>\n

Experts who reviewed the CSL report called it \u201cuseless<\/a>\u201c and said reports like these are often used to justify projects someone already wants to pursue.<\/p>\n

D2 interim councilman begins<\/p>\n

Aug. 1:<\/b> Leo Castillo-Anguiano<\/a> began his temporary term filling in as District 2 councilman for Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, while the latter is on parental leave. Castillo-Anguiano became the sixth new member of the 11-member city council.<\/p>\n

Stone Planning report posted<\/p>\n

Aug. 4-6:<\/b> Shortly before a city council briefing, the economic impact analysis of a new arena<\/a> is posted on the city\u2019s website<\/a>, performed by a consultant for Spurs Sports & Entertainment, Stone Planning. Though the report is dated January 2025, Mayor Jones later said council members had only received it on Aug. 5. An SS&E spokeswoman later told KSAT they had been sharing highlights of the report with city staff since May.<\/p>\n

County puts arena funding on Nov. 4 ballot<\/p>\n

Aug. 5:<\/b> Bexar County Commissioners voted<\/a> 4-1 to put the county\u2019s share of funding for a new arena onto the Nov. 4 ballot. Voters would be asked to use the county venue tax \u2014 a combination of tax on short-term car rentals and hotel stays \u2014 to help pay up to $311 million or 25% of the arena\u2019s cost, whichever is cheaper. Voters will also be asked about raising the hotel portion of the venue tax. <\/p>\n

Nine-hour Spurs arena meeting<\/p>\n

Aug. 6: <\/b>Council members were briefed<\/a> on economic impact analyses by CSL and Stone Planning as well as Able City, which conducted community engagement meetings in each district.<\/p>\n

Jones and Councilwoman Teri Castillo (D5) highlighted the relationship between CSL and the Spurs. CSL is a subsidiary of Legends, whose majority owner Sixth Street Investments, is an investor<\/a> in the Spurs. <\/p>\n

City staff said there was an \u201cethical wall\u201d between Sixth Street and CSL.<\/p>\n

Though the mayor tries to push for a \u201cstrategic pause\u201d on negotiations with the Spurs and the larger Project Marvel until a new, \u201cindependent\u201d report is done, a majority of council members indicated they want negotiations to continue. City Manager Erik Walsh told Jones he will look into what another report would entail, but negotiations would continue.<\/p>\n

Mayor news conference <\/p>\n

Aug. 11:<\/b> Jones reiterated<\/a> her call for a \u201cstrategic pause\u201d and points to another report CSL did to examine the potential impact of a new arena for the Philadelphia 76ers.<\/p>\n

Funding vote tentatively set<\/p>\n

Aug. 15:<\/b> In an email to council members, Walsh said the city was close to finalizing a term sheet with the Spurs. He also said city staff planned to present it to council members on Thursday, Aug. 21 in a closed-door, executive session.<\/p>\n

Based on council discussion, he said, council consideration could happen as early as Aug. 27. <\/p>\n

Mayor and council move up dueling votes<\/p>\n

Aug. 17:<\/b> Jones asked Walsh to add a resolution<\/a> stating that the city council will not move forward on a proposed term sheet with the Spurs until the city receives an independent economic impact study.<\/p>\n

The resolution also requires each council member to host at least two in-person meetings with constituents to discuss the findings before moving forward.<\/p>\n

A few hours later, Walsh told Jones and the council that five council members had asked to have a vote on the term sheet.<\/p>\n

Mayor Jones later named Councilwoman Sukh Kaur (D1), Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran (D3) Councilman Edward Mungia (D4), Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito (D7) and Councilman Marc Whyte (D10) as the five members, which the council members or their staff have all since confirmed.<\/p>\n

Draft term sheet made public; Mayor Jones holds news conference<\/p>\n

Aug. 18:<\/b> The draft of the non-binding term sheet was made public<\/a>. The draft estimated the total cost to be approximately $1.3 billion and completion by the 2032-2033 NBA season. <\/p>\n

The term sheet estimates at least $500 million contributed by the Spurs, up to $489 million by the City of San Antonio and up to $311 million from Bexar County.<\/p>\n

The term sheet also details additional surrounding developments, community benefits, wages and leases. The term sheet can be read in full here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Two items were added to the City Council\u2019s Aug. 21 agenda including:<\/p>\n