Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai said he welcomes engaging with all parties involved to ensure everyone’s best interests. But he doesn’t want to rush the process.
SAN ANTONIO — Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai stressed he’s not immediately supportive of a venue tax election for this May as he still has unanswered questions surrounding the prospect of a brand new San Antonio Spurs arena that could be established downtown, including consequences for the east side and the roles of all parties involved in funding the project.
“If you asked me today if I will call for a special meeting to consider a special venue tax election in May, my answer today is no,” Sakai said during a press conference on Tuesday.
Bexar County commissioners met behind closed doors in executive session regarding the topic of a new Spurs arena, talks for which, as Sakai mentioned after the meeting, had been ongoing for at least over a year between city officials and Spurs executives before he became judge in early 2023. No action was taken during the closed session in relation to the Spurs.
While no official costs have been determined, it’s been floated that such a venture could linger around at least a billion dollars, the price tag applied to build some of the NBA’s newest arenas.
The Spurs would relocate from the Frost Bank Center on the east side to downtown as part of a comprehensive plan known by the City of San Antonio as Project Marvel, which also looks to expand the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, renovate the Alamodome, bring a new hotel, and creates additional mixed and commercial use development.
Sakai and Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Calvert emphasized the need for public input and a plan for ensuring economic stability if the Spurs were to vacate the Frost Bank Center, which opened in the fall of 2002. On the issue of funding, Sakai noted the Spurs should invest a significant amount for the new arena without burdening homeowners with higher taxes.
“If the Spurs are committed to moving downtown, all parties must work together to one, gather substantial public input, develop a sustainable future for the Frost Bank Center and the coliseum grounds, establish a proposal for economic proposal on the east side,” Sakai said.
“There is nothing that should be off the table for the public to discuss,” Calvert added. “It’s their tax dollars and so we believe that we can make better public policy by including the public about who have brilliant ideas about their community and where they live.”
Sakai said he welcomes engaging with the City of San Antonio, the Spurs and the Bexar County to do what’s best for everyone’s interests.