{"id":379115,"date":"2025-11-14T20:33:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T20:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/379115\/"},"modified":"2025-11-14T20:33:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T20:33:15","slug":"san-antonios-mayor-jones-will-continue-fighting-for-revenue-sharing-agreement-with-spurs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/379115\/","title":{"rendered":"San Antonio’s Mayor Jones will continue fighting for revenue-sharing agreement with Spurs"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Left to right: Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai, San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro participate in a panel at the 2025 Texas Tribune Festival in Austin. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n

AUSTIN \u2014\u00a0San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones during a Friday appearance said she will continue asking tough questions about the new Spurs arena project and isn\u2019t done fighting for a revenue-sharing agreement between the city and the team.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThat revenue sharing that I\u2019m asking for with the arena, that\u2019s not going in my 401(k),\u201d Jones said during a panel discussion at this year\u2019s Texas Tribune Festival. \u201cThat\u2019s going to the general fund, that\u2019s going to things that we need to invest in, because we\u2019re seeing it cut at the federal level. We need to ask for what we deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones said a revenue-sharing agreement with the Spurs is more critical now than ever to help fund city initiatives, including affordable childcare access, incentives for affordable housing downtown and job training programs, including Ready for Work. The city is struggling to cover those resources amid federal budget cuts by the Trump administration, she added.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we think about a revitalized downtown, we\u2019ve got to prioritize infrastructure like childcare that will allow that type of downtown to be realized and make sure we are supporting our working families in many ways,\u201d Jones said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, also expressed skepticism about the new Spurs arena plan and the minor league baseball stadium project approved last year. Castro, who was on the same panel with Jones and Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai, said that if San Antonio is to become a modern metropolis, it must invest in its people.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201c[When I say] I\u2019m from San Antonio, they say \u2018Oh, I really want to visit Austin,’\u201d Castro said. \u201cThey remember [Austin] because it was driven by an intense focus on education and research and became an economic powerhouse and helped lift its people up. I think San Antonio has the ability to do the same thing, but we have to invest in people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Castro also noted that Austin achieved economic prosperity and global recognition despite its lack of professional sports teams.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Although Bexar County voters narrowly approved more than $800 million in public financing for the Spurs\u2019 new $1.3 billion arena, it\u2019s not yet a done deal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The city is still expected to ask voters to approve an infrastructure bond for improvements at Hemisfair along with the possible expansion or relocation of a SAWS chiller plant as part of the broader vision for the Project Marvel sports-and-entertainment district.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, City Council is in the early phase of figuring out how to divvy up $75 million in community benefits from the Spurs as part of the recently approved public-financing deal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Jones said she will continue to seek an independent economic study and due diligence on the project to ensure San Antonio\u2019s working class, which mostly voted against the new arena, doesn\u2019t get left behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there is an underappreciation for these questions, because, frankly, they haven\u2019t been asked,\u201d Jones said. \u201cThey should have been asked a while ago. I\u2019m proud to ask them and will continue to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Expert:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tAlthough voters narrowly approved a new Spurs arena, many were unaware they also could be asked to cough up another $500 million for the development. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Project\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe news comes as Bexar County residents head to the polls to decide whether to approve a new Spurs arena. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Leading\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tEconomist J.C. Bradbury warns that taxpayers will likely be on the hook for the pricy facility. It\u2019s already happened in similar deals across the nation, he said. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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