SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs got a (4-1) final vote of Bexar County Commissioners after the team guaranteed its four ‘home’ games mean the team is not leaving San Antonio.
Now with that out of the way, there are still looming issues surrounding the Spurs and the AT&T Center.
In particular, if the Spurs will seek a new arena and what will be the new arena name?
Recall that AT&T will no longer be the sponsor of the Spurs home moving forward.
To provide an update on naming rights and if the Spurs have asked for a new arena, Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert joined San Antonio Sports Star's "The Blitz with Jason Minnix and Joe Reinagel" to discuss the matters.
"No they haven't," Calvert said regarding if the Spurs have asked for a new arena. "Whether the Spurs go in the La Cantera property that the city and county invested a lot of funding in or whether they go in the AT&T, Coliseum grounds... I'm a Bexar County nationalist and I want to make sure it [new arena] doesn't go to Austin or San Marcos. I want it right here in San Antonio."
The Spurs have broken ground on the construction of "The Rock" human performance facility in the La Cantera area which could be a sign that a future Spurs arena could make its way there.
However, as Calvert said, there's been no official talks with the Spurs so it seems they'll continue to play on the city's East Side for the time being.
As for new arena naming rights, there's been no official notice of what it'll be.
"It won't be the 'Fred Fish Fry Center'," Calvert joked. "I think we're all looking to what the naming rights are going to be. I haven't inquired as to what it'll be but it is something that is very important."
However, Calvert says if it does become the "Dell Center" (due to Michael Dell's ownership in the team) then that will spark a much-needed conversation.
"We all have to have a conversation if it becomes the 'Dell Center' and there's not that Dell influence here [San Antonio]," he said.
The AT&T Center did have some renovations recently but how much longer can it be located in an area of San Antonio that is not developed is an open question.
A new arena will likely spark big debate in San Antonio if it comes up just as it did when the team left the Alamodome.
In a statement, Commissioner Calvert says since the lease on the AT&T Center grounds is up in ten years, he wants to offer the Spurs the ”first opportunity to have equity in new housing, restaurants, office space retail, and entertainment” and provide the team additional revenue.
His vision is for the Spurs to have grounds similar to Victory Park, the plaza outside the American Airlines Arena in Dallas.
What do you have to say, Spurs fans about a possible new arena and its naming rights? Let us know on Twitter at @KENS5 and at @JeffGSpursKENS5.
(KENS 5's Troy Kless contributed to this post)