SAN ANTONIO – The City of San Antonio has given councilmembers complimentary tickets to at least 40 events at the Alamodome since 2023, records obtained by KSAT Investigates reveal.
Earlier this year, KSAT Investigates found that the city spent $20,000 on VIP tickets for councilmembers and their guests to attend the Final Four.
KSAT Investigates spent weeks examining thousands of pages of documents to see how many times councilmembers accepted free tickets to Alamodome events.
In June, thousands left the stadium in disappointment after Shakira postponed her show due to structural issues with her stage.
Among the fans who had to revise their plans were Councilmembers Sukh Kaur (D1), Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (D2), Phyllis Viagran (D3) and Teri Castillo (D5).
Records show they took the city’s offer of complimentary seats and parking passes. It’s not clear if the councilmembers attended the pop star’s rescheduled show later in the summer.
KSAT Investigates found that since 2023, the city offered councilmembers two complimentary box seats for them and a guest to at least 40 concerts and sporting events at the Alamodome, including highly anticipated shows from Billy Joel and Sting, Guns ‘n’ Roses, and Karol G.
Records show the city allows councilmembers to ask for extra tickets and requires them to attend if they accept them.
“It looks bad, it smells bad, and it leaves a bad taste in everyone’s mouth,” said James Quintero, the policy director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
The perk raises questions, he said.
“Anytime a city official receives anything of substantive value, it ought to be reported and disclosed to the public, right?” Quintero said.
KSAT Investigates checked every current and former councilmember’s conflict disclosure form filed since 2023 and found that nobody mentioned the tickets.
We asked city spokesperson Brian Chasnoff why councilmembers were not listing or disclosing the suite tickets and how the city was ensuring their attendance at events for which they received tickets.
“As a reminder, the City of San Antonio owns the Alamodome, and its governing body, the City Council, is responsible for stewardship of this City asset,” Chasnoff said in an emailed statement. “In Fiscal Year 2025, the Alamodome hosted 117 events at an operating expense of about $23 million, and capital expenses totaled about $20 million for items such as structural repairs and control room equipment, among other costs. Tickets provided to the Mayor and City Council for events at the Alamodome are part of the complimentary allotment that event organizers provide to the facility. Because these tickets are made available to the venue—not to individuals—they are not considered gifts and do not require disclosure under the City’s Ethics Code.”
“What benefit do constituents get when their council member goes to a big concert, a sporting event, and gets to sit in the city suite?” KSAT Investigates reporter Daniela Ibarra asked Quintero.
“I don’t think that the average person receives any benefit from their local elected officials being treated in this way, but really is left only with questions,” Quintero responded.
Who took up the offer?
KSAT Investigates reached out to every current and former councilmember who accepted Alamodome tickets since 2023 to ask how their attendance benefited their constituents.
Take a look at the acceptances by event below:
A spokesperson for Kaur, who records show attended 11 events, declined KSAT’s request for an interview, adding that she is not available for comment.
McKee-Rodriguez attended three events at the Alamodome. A spokesperson asked KSAT for details about the three events, which we provided, but did not respond.
Viagran accepted tickets to 13 events, the second most of any councilmember, records show. A spokesperson told KSAT in an email that Viagran had “no comment on this topic.”
Former District 4 Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia accepted 10 tickets to events. Rocha Garcia did not respond to KSAT’s request for an interview.
Castillo accepted complimentary tickets to 11 events. Castillo and her spokesperson did not respond to KSAT’s request for an interview.
Melissa Cabello Havrda, former councilwoman for District 6, accepted tickets to 23 events — the most of any councilmember. She did not make herself available for an interview, but provided the following statement:
“I had the great privilege to attend many sporting events and concerts at the municipality-owned Alamodome,” Cabello Havrda wrote. “I was able to bring attention to these cultural events through social media, invited constituents and small business owners to showcase our facility, and support our local teams, like UTSA and the Brahmas. Attending these events or giving the tickets to community members who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity was a great way to feature the dome and spread goodwill in our community.”
District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito accepted tickets to three events. A spokesperson referred KSAT to the city’s statement.
Former District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez asked for tickets to five events.
“When I attended events, I would invite constituents who had gone above and beyond in service of their neighborhoods,” Pelaez told KSAT. “I used the tickets to recognize their contribution to making District 8 better. Sometimes I attended with them. Other times I would gift the tickets so that they could take a member of their family or other neighbors.”
Former District 9 Councilman John Courage accepted tickets for 12 events.
“My only remark on this matter is that it is and should be expected that elected officials should attend as many events around the city as possible to show their support for programs, services and projects be they public, private or non profit,” Courage wrote. “My experiences enabled me to share more about what was occurring throughout the city with my constituents.”
Former Mayor Ron Nirenberg accepted tickets to 22 events. KSAT reached out to Nirenberg late Sunday and will update this story once we hear back.
Records show District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte, as well as newly elected councilmembers Edward Mungia, Ric Galvan, Ivalis Meza Gonzalez, and Misty Spears, as well as Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, have not accepted any tickets to Alamodome events as of June 12.
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