SAN ANTONIO — Few issues in San Antonio are as likely to spark a debate as public funding for a new Spurs arena.
Now, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones wants to put the issue back before voters this November, raising some basic questions about what exactly voters could be asked to decide — and why another vote may be needed less than a year after Bexar County voters approved two propositions tied to the proposed downtown arena and surrounding development.
Among the biggest questions: What exactly does the mayor want on the ballot? Why is another vote necessary? And does she have enough support on City Council to make it happen?
Max Sports spoke with Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones earlier this week and asked those very questions to the Mayor in the attached video clip.
The discussion comes as Spurs Sports & Entertainment continues to emphasize the results of last November’s election.
Earlier this week, Spurs Sports & Entertainment CEO R.C. Buford released a statement pointing to the previous vote and calling for the project to move forward.
“Last November, the people of Bexar County made their voices heard,” Buford said in the statement.
He said voters approved a vision that includes a new downtown home for the Spurs, investment in the East Side and new opportunities across the community.
“We committed to respecting that vote and we will,” Buford said. “Now is the time to move forward together. This project is about strengthening San Antonio for the next generation.”
The debate over the arena — including how much public funding should be involved and what voters should be asked to approve — is likely to remain a major issue as city leaders consider their next steps ahead of the November election.
You can read more of Buford’s statement on our social media accounts and at foxsanantonio.com.