“The mayor’s call for delay is really misguided,” said District 10 councilmember Marc Whyte with 94.1 San Antonio Sports Star.
SAN ANTONIO — There has been considerable misunderstanding regarding the proposed sports and entertainment district, known as Project Marvel, before moving forward with the plan.
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones says she wants more data about the proposed sports and entertainment district and called for an independent economic analysis.
She urged the city to make a “strategic pause” in its negotiations with the San Antonio Spurs, who are looking to build their new arena downtown before the team’s lease at the Frost Bank Center expires in 2032; however, in reality, she cannot compel staff to cease negotiations with the Spurs.
To clarify the state of Project Marvel, District 10 councilmember Marc Whyte discussed this topic and more with “The Blitz with Jason Minnix and Joe Reinagel” on 94.1 San Antonio Sports Star, starting with how the project is still moving forward.
“There is no holdup. The plan, as we heard last week from the City Council, is that the majority of the City Council says we need to move forward now with negotiations with the Spurs,” he said. “And I can tell you that over the last couple of days, the negotiations have been ongoing because we are working towards a term sheet that the city council will vote on.”
As for the Mayor’s call for a “pause,” Whyte stated that there is no need for it and that it is “misguided.” He also mentioned that the project can proceed even if the mayor requests an independent economic analysis (and if the council wants it) in addition to the Spurs analysis provided by CSL.
“We do not need the pause. The mayor’s call for delay is really misguided. We need to get the term sheet in place, which we will. And if council wants another economic impact analysis, we can still get the additional economic impact analysis, and it’ll be done.”
Said Whyte: “If the mayor and a majority of council want additional economic impact analysis, we can certainly do that, but that should not slow up negotiations and the vote on the term sheet.”
Whyte went on to discuss the sources of funding, reiterated that it would not be taxpayer-funded, and clarified the voting process involved.
“In order for the new arena to proceed, there are going to have to be two yes votes by the public,” he said. “Number one, the citizens in November are going to have to say yes to the raise in the venue tax that the county is proposing. And then number two, next May, when that’s the likely time for the vote, the citizens are going to have to say yes to the infrastructure bond to have that infrastructure go in around the new stadium. We’re going to need yes votes to both of those for the stadium to go forward.”
Whyte reassured that the Spurs have not made any relocation threats, highlighted the positive impact the project will have on the city, and noted that currently, a majority of council members are in favor of the project.
“That’s what was so interesting about last week, because the mayor thought that she could direct city staff to stop negotiations. But as you know, we are in a council-manager form of government,” he said. “So the city manager does not report or take executive orders from the mayor. He has to follow the will of the council.”
Project Marvel will be a topic of hot debate and discussion in the coming months.
Make sure to hear the complete Whyte interview with San Antonio Sports Star, and let us know your thoughts on this topic.
Let us know your thoughts, Spurs fans, on X at KENS 5 and JeffGSpursKENS5.