SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio City Council voted Monday against putting the city’s $489 million contribution to a new Spurs arena before voters in the Nov. 3 midterm election, leaving last year’s Bexar County vote as the only public vote on more than $800 million in planned public funding for the project.
The council voted 5-6 on Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ proposal to place the measure on the ballot. Jones argued that the size of the city’s investment warranted a separate public hearing and vote, particularly as the city faces a growing budget deficit.
Council members who opposed the proposal said state and local law does not require voter approval for the funding sources involved and warned that another election could create uncertainty for a major economic development project.
“We should be very careful about establishing a precedent that every significant revenue bond decision requires another election simply because the dollar amount is large,” Councilwoman Misty Spears said.
Jones, Councilmembers Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, Teri Castillo, Ric Galvan and Edward Mungia voted in favor of the proposed election. Mungia was the only member who changed his position from last year.
The six opposing votes came from Spears, Sukh Kaur, Phyllis Viagran, Marina Alderete Gavito, Ivalis Meza Gonzalez and Marc Whyte.
Bexar County voters approved Proposition B last November, with about 51.7% supporting the use of $311 million in county venue tax revenue for the arena.
The city’s $489 million contribution would come from state business taxes captured through a Project Finance Zone, property taxes captured through a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone and ground leases on city-owned property. Those funding sources do not require voter approval.
During Monday’s public comment, residents split over whether another election would give voters a voice or improperly reopen a decision already made through Proposition B.
Supporters of a second vote argued that last year’s campaign did not fully explain the sources of the public investment. Opponents said voters had already approved the county’s portion of the project and that another election could delay development.
The proposed $1.3 billion arena forms part of a larger downtown sports and entertainment district known as Project Marvel.
Spurs Sports & Entertainment CEO R.C. Buford said the council’s vote reaffirmed its support for the project.
“We can now turn our full attention to delivering on that shared vision and the transformational opportunity ahead for our city,” Buford said.
The project faces additional financial and political questions as the city prepares its next budget and plans for future infrastructure spending.
City officials estimate the arena will require $220 million to $250 million in surrounding infrastructure, which could become part of the city’s 2027 bond program. Because bond proposals require voter approval, some council members want the arena-related infrastructure presented as a separate ballot item.
Jones has warned that Project Marvel could consume a large share of the city’s bond capacity, potentially limiting funding for other needs such as drainage, parks and libraries.
Despite Monday’s vote, voters could therefore still have an opportunity to weigh in on public spending connected to the Spurs arena through the city’s 2027 bond election.
