Today was the first time residents in District 2 got the chance to speak with city leaders about Project Marvel plans in the Sports and Entertainment District.
The Alamodome and the Frost Bank Center are both in District 2. Two separate workshops were held today at the Wheatley Heights Sports Complex.
During the first meeting District 2 community members voiced concerns about who would fund the new Spurs arena, transportation, parking, and excessive traffic caused by events at the Alamodome.
City of San Antonio employees said the city is hosting workshops to get feedback from the community about what is important.
During workshop the assistant city manager Lori Houston explained how the new Spurs arena will be funded.
“The people that are going to be paying for the San Antonio Sports Entertainment District are going to be tourists,” Houston said. “When tourists come to San Antonio, they pay a hotel occupants tax that will be used to support the projects within the district. It’s going to be developers. There are going to be no tax exemptions or tax abatements for this project. Developers will have to pay taxes to the city. Those taxes will go into what we refer to as tax increment reinvestment zone. The spurs they are also going to pay for this.
At tonight’s District 2 workshop the city asked residents to highlight things they would like to see improved. Melek Alexander of the spurs gave his input.
“The first thing I have on my paper right now is People vs. Community,” Alexander said. “A big part of the entertainment district is a lot about connecting the space of the entertainment district and getting people there. For us it’s just connecting our community.”
Alexander says building a new Spurs arena will bring the community together.
“For us it’s just connecting our community closer at the end of the day,” Alexander said. “Building the entertainment center will not only bring the community because what is downtown. I think it will make it more lively and give it the energy it needs.”
This is the first of multiple workshops the city will host to get feedback from the community.