{"id":965784,"date":"2026-07-29T01:48:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T01:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/965784\/"},"modified":"2026-07-29T01:48:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T01:48:17","slug":"spurs-to-pay-city-of-san-antonio-2-5m-after-failed-mls-attempt-mayor-gina-ortiz-jones-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/965784\/","title":{"rendered":"Spurs to pay City of San Antonio $2.5M after failed MLS attempt, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones says"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN ANTONIO<\/strong> \u2013 Spurs Sports & Entertainment agreed to pay back the City of San Antonio $2.6 million after a failed attempt to bring home a Major League Soccer team, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said during a KSAT Q&A during the 6 O\u2019Clock news.<\/p>\n

The mayor has been waiting<\/a> at least seven months for the money, but she said it should\u2019ve been resolved a long time ago.<\/p>\n

Jones repeatedly called for the Spurs organization to make reimbursement payments owed under a 2015 deal<\/a> meant to bring a MLS franchise to town.<\/p>\n

San Antonio and Bexar County paid $9 million each to acquire Toyota Field, which it owns through a Public Facility Corporation and leases to San Antonio FC, a soccer club owned by SS&E which plays in the lower-tier USL Championship.<\/p>\n

Under the lease, SAFC agreed to pay up to $5 million over several years if it wasn\u2019t awarded an MLS franchise, which local officials hoped would happen during a league expansion.<\/p>\n

But after Austin secured an MLS team instead of San Antonio, Bexar County officials acted in December 2022<\/a> to give the Spurs a pass on the reimbursement payments.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, the Public Facility Corporation is expected to vote on the settlement. Jones noted the total owed was $5 million, an even split between the city and county, but the county chose to forgo its $2.5 million share. <\/p>\n

Although SS&E are paying back the city, most of funds are projected to go towards renovating SAFC\u2019s Toyota Field, according to the mayor. She disagrees with that decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always wanted the money to come back into the general fund,\u201d Jones said. \u201cThen we determine… how best to spend that money in light of the $158 million budget gap.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones said she was the only person who wanted the $2.5 million to come back into the general fund. However, she said she\u2019s glad citizens of San Antonio got back the money they were owed.<\/p>\n

Addressing the $158M budget gap<\/p>\n

Discussing the $158 million budget gap, Jones said she sent open letters to major San Antonio business and philanthropic leaders \u2014 including the CEOs of H-E-B, Whataburger, USAA and Valero, to ask for help fundraising for nonprofits and community programs currently supported by city taxpayers. <\/p>\n

Jones also talked about redirecting roughly $100 million in remaining Ready to Work funds toward programs currently drawing from the general fund. With voter approval, she said could free up money for core services without raising property taxes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re talking about raising property taxes for the first time in 30 years,\u201d Jones said. \u201cWe really have to go through the intellectual exercise and understand where there\u2019s some resources and a higher return on investment for the people\u2019s money.\u201d<\/p>\n

*Watch the full interview in the video player above.*<\/p>\n

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