Current, non-operational stage and lighting equipment has been around since 1990 at the venue, city officials said.
SAN ANTONIO — Arneson Theatre, the La Villita venue that hosts everything from local cultural celebrations to the the Final Four Championship Parade, will soon receive major production upgrades so it can continue being a major gathering spot in the heart of the city.
San Antonio City Council approved a $1.34 million contract with local design firm Amstar to replace sound and lighting equipment, add public Wi-Fi, and complete electrical improvements at Arneson. According to city officials, because the current production equipment originally installed in 1990 doesn’t work, those putting on events at the river theatre have had to rent and haul in sound and lighting equipment.
The changes will make it easier for the downtown, open-air theatre to continue hosting major parties like the Day of the Dead and Ford Holiday River parades, the city says.
“With these improvements, significantly less equipment will need to be rented and installed to hold larger-scale productions,” said Kelly Saunders, a spokesperson with the Center City Development & Operations Department. “This will reduce the cost of holding larger productions and encourage use of the theater.”
Amstar is expected to begin the construction and renovation work in July, with a “substantial” amount of the project finished by the end of the year. Public Wi-Fi will be available come December.
“These aren’t necessarily all the upgrades that the Arneson Theatre needs, and we’re working with CCDO to make sure those get prioritized in the coming year as well,” said Councilwoman Sukh Kaur, who represents the downtown area. “But it’s excited to see that that space is getting a lot of love right now.”
Major events already on the calendar for Arneson are expected to go on as scheduled, officials say. But the department is holding off on scheduling smaller events like weddings during construction.
The upgrades are being funded through the Inner City Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), meaning the money will come from redirected property tax revenue. La Villita, built in the 1700s and regarded as San Antonio’s first neighborhood, was designated as a TIRZ funds recipient in the aftermath of the city’s 2022 bond process—including for renovations to Arneson Threatre.