SAN ANTONIO — As the city of San Antonio inches closer to coronavirus numbers during the July surge, the city on Saturday hosted a boxing match at the Alamodome.
Days after the event, local leaders sent an emergency alert to people within Bexar County urging them to avoid gathering for the holidays. The conflicting moves drew the ire of KENS 5 viewers, as well as former councilman Greg Brockhouse, who lost the mayoral race in 2019 in a runoff.
"You can't, for instance, yesterday send out a text to the entire city saying, ‘We have over 1,7000 cases, stay home, be safe, slow the spread,' while you just authorized — and the mayor defended — a gathering of 12,000 plus people at the Alamodome,” Brockhouse said of the Canelo Alvarez and Callum Smith boxing match.
In a statement released Wednesday, Patricia Muzquiz Cantor, the city’s Executive Director of Convention and Sports Facilities, said the match followed a “stringent health and safety plan,” which has been in place at all six of the University of Texas at San Antonio’s football games, along with other events.
Though, Brockhouse noted the distinct differences between UTSA football and Saturday’s match, which the city said drew just over 11,400 people. In addition to the attendance nearly doubling that of an average UTSA football game, Brockhouse said the event brought many from beyond the Alamo City.
“People are flying in from all cities and nations to watch the fight,” Brockhouse said. "Canelo Alvarez is a big draw. I mean, he's internationally renowned. So people are coming in from everywhere.”
Cantor said in a prepared statement that officials conducted temperature and symptom screening of spectators, and socially distanced the seating arrangements. Additionally, the fighters, medical personnel, staff, and trainers were sectioned away from others on the day of the event.
Brockhouse said while the city may have implemented a number of safety measures, once people leave the venue, there’s little to no control over their actions.
“That's not to say we don't want them out in our community, but it goes back to the consistency argument and thinking through the decision,” Brockhouse said. "If they flew in and we kept them all in the Alamodome, all 12,00, and all 12,000 shipped out and left — from that point, it makes sense, I guess. But that's not at all what occurred.”
One KENS 5 viewer remarked, “seems like the city only tries to limit families but lets the money-making events occur.” Another joked, "Chill everyone, COVID took a break during the Canelo fight this weekend.”
Asked about the fight Friday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said those who did not wear masks would have to leave. The city on Wednesday said between a brawl toward the end of the match and a “few isolated instances” of individuals not wearing masks, police had to escort only one person out of the match for refusing to comply with the mask order. Though, social media images associated with the Alamodome’s geolocation show multiple people in photos without masks.
Cantor said the city billed the event promoters $120,000 but stands to make more off of food and beverages, as well as parking.
Brockhouse said he doesn’t think the city should cancel upcoming events, such as the Alamo Bowl, but said local officials should give restaurants, bars, and other local businesses the trust to operate safely, referencing the local curfew implemented ahead of Thanksgiving, along with the decision to shut down bars.
During a Coronavirus briefing Wednesday, Nirenberg said health authorities, so far, have not recommended a curfew for the Christmas holiday and that the Alamo Bowl will still go on while observing the same health precautions in place for the boxing match.