SAN ANTONIO — Gina Ortiz-Jones is seeking full payment of a $5 million obligation from Spurs Sports and Entertainment tied to a failed effort to bring a Major League Soccer team to San Antonio, reviving a long-standing agreement between the city, Bexar County, and the Spurs’ parent company.
The agreement required Spurs Sports and Entertainment to reimburse public funds used to acquire a city- and county-owned soccer stadium if it did not secure an MLS franchise. The company agreed to pay the amount in installments from 2021 to 2028 under a lease signed in 2015.
City officials said the organization has paid $250,000 toward the obligation in 2021 and has not made additional payments since.
Spurs Sports and Entertainment previously asked Bexar County officials in 2022 to remove the repayment requirement. The organization argued it did not have a realistic opportunity to secure an MLS expansion team, citing a prior agreement involving Anthony Precourt that led to the relocation of the Columbus Crew to Austin. The Austin FC franchise began play after the city of Austin approved a stadium deal.
The Spurs organization withdrew its MLS bid in 2017 after determining that the league would not support multiple teams in the Austin–San Antonio corridor.
Ortiz-Jones, who took office in June, has questioned public spending on sports facilities and has called for enforcement of existing agreements. Her position has drawn both support and criticism from local stakeholders.
The soccer stadium in San Antonio has fewer than 10,000 seats, below the typical capacity requirement of about 20,000 seats for MLS venues, which local officials and observers have cited as a barrier to securing a franchise.
City and county officials have not announced a final decision on enforcing the repayment but are continuing discussions with Spurs Sports and Entertainment regarding the agreement.