The future of downtown sports and civic development is taking center stage in both Dallas and San Antonio as leaders weigh major redevelopment projects tied to professional basketball franchises and aging public infrastructure.
In Dallas, debate continues over the future of City Hall after officials learned last October that repairs to the nearly 50-year-old building, designed by architect I. M. Pei, could cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Initial estimates to repair the building were pegged at $345 million, but that figure has since climbed to roughly $1 billion, forcing city leaders to consider whether to renovate the structure or relocate city operations elsewhere.
“Exploring does nothing other than get us more information,” Dallas City Council member Chad West said in an April interview.
The uncertainty surrounding the future of Dallas City Hall comes as the Dallas Mavericks search for a future arena site ahead of their lease expiration at the American Airlines Center in 2031.
The team is expected to submit redevelopment ideas for the City Hall property as part of the city’s public feedback process. Dallas officials recently closed a call for community proposals regarding the future of the site and received 418 responses.
Some residents voiced frustration at the possibility of losing the landmark building, which opened in 1978.
“I find it cold and empty; however, it’s our building,” one resident said in a March City Council meeting.
“Distraught and perhaps, most of all, distrustful,” another resident added in that same meeting.
Others support keeping the Mavericks in the downtown core while preserving City Hall.
“I’m supportive of the Mavs making downtown Dallas their home. In an ideal world, I’d like to see them do that without tearing down City Hall,” said Dykema attorney Chris Kratovil, who works downtown.
While Dallas leaders debate the future of City Hall and the possibility of a new arena development, San Antonio officials are moving forward with what is known as “Project Marvel,” a multibillion-dollar downtown entertainment district proposal tied to a new arena for the San Antonio Spurs.
On Thursday, the San Antonio City Council approved a pair of contracts tied to advancing the project.
“And there is much opposition to this entertainment district, in case you didn’t know,” one speaker said during public comments.
“So, here we are, and I’m excited about these steps,” said San Antonio City Council member Phyllis Viagran.
Unlike Dallas, where officials are trying to secure the Mavericks’ long-term future downtown, San Antonio leaders are working to keep the Spurs anchored in the city’s urban core through new development plans.
Dallas officials say public submissions regarding the future of City Hall are expected to be released for public viewing by May 14. City leaders are hoping to make a decision on the future of the site by July.