[Photo Credit: Sam Owens, San Antonio Express-News]
Last year, at a City-wide Action with over 1,100 members, COPS/Metro came out as the first organized opposition to the use of any public funds for a new downtown stadium for the Spurs, or for the creation of a sports and entertainment district surrounding the area, known as Project Marvel. The project has been negotiated largely behind closed doors and is expected to cost between $3-4 billion with a majority of funding likely from public tax dollars.
Leaders turned up the heat this year, publishing an op-ed, and testifying at an Eastside town hall and again before the Bexar County Commissioners Court. “Our tax money is better spent on what the East Side needs — more green spaces, workforce development and opportunities, and affordable housing and access to healthcare facilities and quality health care,” said Stewart Blanton, speaking on behalf of COPS/Metro.
This month, Bexar County Republican Party precinct chairs passed a resolution denouncing the project, similarly opposing the use of public funding. The resolution states: “Be it resolved, we object to any attempt to relocate the San Antonio Spurs to a new arena developed or renovated by public funds,” it continues. “Be it further resolved, that we object to the wasting of public funds to expand the city’s sports and entertainment industry.”
[Excerpt from Op-Ed by COPS/Metro Leaders]
The whole effort has been largely shielded from the public, with meetings behind closed doors. Now that San Antonio and Bexar County have entered into an agreement to continue these conversations, the lack of transparency will likely continue.
That's why we're calling for a transparent, aboveboard, meaningful decision-making process that includes community input. We have no doubt that the push for Project Marvel will persist, but the public needs to be involved.
A lot of questions don't have answers. For instance, who stands to benefit from another new Spurs arena? How much are the Spurs invested in this community?
While San Antonio's Holt family remains the largest shareholder of Spurs Sports and Entertainment LLC, ownership now includes private equity groups.
Outside investment groups like 6th Street Partners from San Francisco, Earnest Partners from Atlanta, Austin billionaire Michael Dell and Joe Gebbia, Airbnb co-founder, billionaire and Tesla board member, would profit from the new arena.
We’re told taxpayers won't fund the latest Spurs endeavor, but if the city chooses to tap into tax increment reinvestment zone, or TIRZ, funds, that's still our tax dollars.
To date, every proposed funding stream the city has put forward requires taxpayer dollars, which is simply too risky for those of us living in the third-poorest large city in the country.
Spurs Ownership Has Failed to Make the Case for a New Publicly Funded Stadium, San Antonio Express-News [pdf]
‘More Important Issues’: Bexar County Republican Party Opposes Public Funding for New Spurs Arena, Express News [pdf]
What Happens to the Frost Bank Center if the Spurs move? Town Hall Participants Voice Ideas, Concerns, San Antonio Report [pdf]
Leaders Testimony Before Bexar County Commissioners [video - start at 03:05:49]
COPS/Metro Says it Will Fight Public Funding for Project Marvel, Spurs Arena, San Antonio Express News [pdf]
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