SAN ANTONIO — On Thursday morning, plans and renderings were unveiled for a downtown expansion and renovation under the codename "Project Marvel." Most city leaders were in support, but some remain hesitant on this potential multibillion-dollar project.
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the project to create a sports and entertainment district is a cohesive concept that will require teamwork between the city, county and Spurs.
“We’re no longer looking at downtown, which has many different things happening, as a collection of individual projects," the mayor said. "This is one cohesive vision to bring together a sports and entertainment district."
The multifaceted project includes "anchor" projects like modernizing the Alamodome and a potential new Spurs arena across a roughly 15-yera project timeline. Among the upgrades are an expansion to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and a brand-new convention center hotel.
Assistant City Manager Lori Houston says the convention center has lost out on many opportunities over the past several years to bigger Texas markets, emphasizing the need.
"We have lost about 90 opportunities over the past five years for such large conventions that we could not pursue mainly because we don’t have enough exhibit hall space,” Houston said.
Another venture City Council was presented with is reconnecting downtown to the east side via a land bridge that would be built over Interstate 37.
When it comes to establishing the Spurs arena, City Manager Erik Walsh says a memorandum of understanding between the city, county and Spurs is the first rule of order.
“You heard clearly from a number of council members that taxpayer-funded dollars is not something they want us to look at," Walsh said. "But based on today’s conversation, we’ll be working on that funding strategy.”
Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, who represents District 2on the east side, was in opposition to what was presented Thursday.
"We're talking about billions of dollars stacked against thousands of residents who are experiencing poverty," McKee-Rodriguez said. "I'm reserving my support for now and it will take a lot of effort to get it, starting with a new master plan for the existing arena in the surrounding community."
With many questions still up in the air, Houston, who presented the scope of the vision to City Council, says community engagement will have to be a factor throughout this downtown expansion project.
“The community has to be very engaged, because one of the slides talked about infrastructure and we’ve said this could meet or kill the project," Houston said. “Traffic and permits that can accommodate the traffic flow that would from some large improvements like this. We also need to make sure we have parking that is easy to get to, easy to access and affordable.”
Houston anticipates the majority of the projects, including the Spurs arena, to be completed by 2030. But it all depends on funding sources, which also have yet to be determined.