{"id":317968,"date":"2025-10-20T07:05:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T07:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/317968\/"},"modified":"2025-10-20T07:05:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T07:05:11","slug":"bexar-county-voters-to-decide-fate-of-freeman-coliseum-frost-bank-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/317968\/","title":{"rendered":"Bexar County voters to decide fate of Freeman Coliseum, Frost Bank Center"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\tWith early voting beginning Oct. 20, Bexar County residents will vote on whether or not to raise the hotel occupancy tax, HOT, from 1.75% to 2%. This tax, along with the 5% rental car fee, will be used to fund two propositions, which are designed to transform the city\u2019s major venues and establish a permanent home for the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The overview<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jim Lefko, director of communications for Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai, said that Proposition A is called the Coliseum Complex Venue Project<\/a> and focuses on upgrading existing county properties on the east side. He noted that these upgrades can only be funded through a venue tax.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe county is allowed one way to finance things such as this, and it’s through the venue tax,\u201d Lefko said. \u201c… Basically, the voters are being asked to approve the 2% venue tax. Right now, it’s at 1.75% so they’re only going up by .25%,\u201d Lefko said.<\/p>\n

Proposition A is divided into two parts, with an estimated $44 million going to fund repairs and upgrades to the Frost Bank Center and the Freeman Coliseum, and $197 million for the improvement of the Freeman Coliseum and the surrounding grounds.<\/p>\n

Lefko also emphasized that the majority of the costs will be paid by tourists who stay at hotels within Bexar County, and that the increase will appear as a small increase at the end of a hotel bill.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have a $200 hotel room, which is kind of average for San Antonio right now, at 1.75% you’re paying $3.50,\u201d Lefko said. \u201cBut the .25% increase would mean you’d be paying $4, [so] it’s going to go up $0.50. …That’s another point we’re really trying to make is that this is the amount\u2014$0.50 a night on a $200 hotel room\u2014 and it’s for visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pointed out that there has been some confusion with how the funds generated through the venue tax can be used.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s so much misinformation out there that people are saying our taxes are going to go up, our sales tax are going to go up, [or] our property tax,\u201d Lefko said. \u201cThis is a venue tax that the state has allowed counties to use to build venues. This tax can’t be used [to fix streets or invest in flood infrastructure]. It can only be used for venues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additionally, Lefko said that many people have conflated the county\u2019s Coliseum Venue Complex project and venue tax vote with San Antonio\u2019s Project Marvel.<\/p>\n

\u201cProject Marvel started a couple years ago, [and consists of] seven different projects. [There is] one project the county is involved in,\u201d Lefko said. \u201cThat’s about a quarter of the funding for the Spurs arena.\u201d<\/p>\n

He noted that the venue tax’s Proposition B would fund 25% or $311 million, whichever is lower, of the new downtown Spurs arena, and that the county\u2019s investment is an investment in San Antonio\u2019s identity because there is a chance that the Spurs may leave if the vote doesn\u2019t pass.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur identity, both nationally and probably internationally, is somewhat shaped by the Alamo, the river walk and the Spurs,\u201d Lefko said. \u201cThose are the three things we’re known for. It’s not changing unless one of them leaves.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the ballot<\/strong><\/p>\n

The venue tax is broken into two propositions, which can pass or fail separately.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next<\/strong><\/p>\n

If Proposition A fails, Lefko said the county and the rodeo would regroup and most likely push for another rodeo vote next year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think certainly for the rodeo, we’d come back in a year and do it again, [but] I’d really be surprised if the rodeo thing doesn’t pass,\u201d Lefko said.<\/p>\n

For Proposition B, and the Spurs arena, Lefko said that the city and Spurs would need to cover the remaining 25% that the county agreed to cover if the vote passed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it gets voted down, it just means that Spurs, the city, has to pay the whole 1.3 billion,\u201d Lefko said. \u201c<\/p>\n

Bexar County voters will be able to cast their ballots during early voting from Oct. 20-31 or on the Nov. 4 Election Day.<\/p>\n

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