San Antonio City Council rejects public vote on Spurs arena funding

The San Antonio City Council voted 6-5 to reject a proposal by Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones to put the city’s $489 million contribution toward a new San Antonio Spurs arena on the November 3 midterm ballot. While the Mayor argued a public vote would allow citizens to be “clearly informed” about the costs and benefits, dissenting council members argued against picking and choosing which deals are subject to voter approval.

Under Texas law, the city’s $489 million contribution does not require voter approval. The funding is structured through a project finance zone and a tax increment reinvestment zone. This follows a previous Bexar County vote that approved Proposition B, which allocates approximately $311 million for the arena by increasing hotel and vehicle rental taxes.

The arena project is expected to cost $1.3 billion, with the Spurs committing $500 million toward construction. Following the council's decision, Spurs Sports & Entertainment CEO R. C. Buford stated the organization would focus on “delivering on that shared vision.”

Political observers are now questioning whether the Spurs might cover more than $200 million in necessary infrastructure upgrades around the Hemisfair area to avoid the political risk of a public bond measure, especially as the city faces a $158 million budget deficit.