SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County commissioners take a very small step towards potentially helping to fund a new arena for the San Antonio Spurs.
This November, voters could have some big decisions on their hands.
By the end of June, County officials will need to send language to the Texas Comptroller for what they want to have on the ballot in November.
In all likelihood, voters will have the final say whether to increase the county venue tax, which is also called the tourism tax because it is funded by a tax on the county’s hotels, motels, and rental cars, and which projects should be funded by the venue tax at all.
Over the next couple of decades, the venue tax, which currently is 1.75% will bring in about $390 million to the county. If voters choose to raise that tax to 2%, so one quarter of one percent, it will bring in a total of close to $450 million.
County judge Peter Sakai has repeatedly said that before any money goes to the San Antonio Spurs and helping fund a new arena, the county will do what is best for it first.
“As part of the county, we are going to make sure we protect the east side county facilities first,” Sakai said.
That means taking care of the Freeman Coliseum, the Frost Bank Center, and the surrounding areas.
On Tuesday, representatives from the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo and the Coliseum gave a presentation for how they can keep that east side land occupied and thriving year-round.
“We have the potential and opportunity to take those grounds down there and really make them vibrant on a year-round basis,” Cody Davenport, CEO of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, said.
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“As we are planning for the future and the potential and a facility that has one less tenant, how do you continue to make it viable and how do you continue to make it operable,” said Derrick Howard, the Executive Director of the Freeman Coliseum Advisory Board.
Howard and Davenport presented their plan to county commissioners Tuesday. They say would make Freeman land viable and sustainable long term.
The plan involves building new venues, expo halls, and green spaces on the land to redevelop and repurpose it — so it can be used year-round for rodeo activities, concerts, conventions, and more.
“A lot of those areas are old and they are becoming dilapidated and they really shouldn’t be used,” Howard said. “So, part of it is that you have got to clean out and be ready for the new.”
This plan would come at a cost of $197 million – and that does not include renovations to the Frost Bank Center that will be needed over the next 20 years.
All of that money will come out of the county venue tax, leaving only a small amount to help with the Spurs’ downtown plans. That is, if residents vote to allow money to be used for an arena.
“It’s up to the voters, it’s up to the constituents, it’s up to the Bexar County residents to say ‘yes, we are going to use these visitor tax dollars,’” Precinct one commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores said. “We are not raising taxes for our constituents — but these tax dollars will go for these specific venues.”
“[Voters] are going to have final say on this no matter what position the county takes,” Sakai said.
The commissioners will meet again on June 10th and will likely take another step towards agreeing on language to send to the Comptroller. When the comptroller approves it, then it will go to the ballot for vote in November.
And with that vote, citizens will likely decide whether the county helps the Spurs build a new arena or not.