The funding process has started.
It has been said by many in the past that the election season begins the day after Labor Day. In Bexar County, Texas the question of whether county residents should pitch in to help fund a proposed San Antonio Spurs franchise ownership arena-village plan will be on the ballot on November 4th. If all goes according to plan, Spurs owners, San Antonio taxpayers and Bexar County taxpayers’ would split up the tab to pay for a project that will cost billions of dollars. Bexar County taxpayers would be on the hook for $311 million of that cost. Asking taxpayers for money for a sports venue is generally a risky way to get public funding. But it is the first step in getting the money needed for the San Antonio arena-village.
The Project Marvel plan includes the construction of a San Antonio Spurs’ arena along with renovations to the 31-year-old Alamodome. The plan also calls for the adding of 150,000 square feet to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center as well as building a 20,000-square-foot University of Texas at San Antonio School of Hospitality. Additionally, if all goes according to the plan, the empty John H. Wood Federal Courthouse would be turned into a 5,000-seat concert venue. A convention center hotel would be part of Project Marvel. The price tag of Project Marvel is estimated to be around $4 billion. In the late 1990s, Spurs’ management pushed for a new arena and local voters said yes to building a new venue that opened in 2002. San Antonio officials are also worried that Spurs’ ownership may fall in love with nearby Austin and move operations to the Texas capital. Spurs’ games have been played in Austin in an attempt to expand the business’ fanbase. The arena game continues in San Antonio with a referendum on tap.
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