{"id":287033,"date":"2026-05-10T17:27:20","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T17:27:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/287033\/"},"modified":"2026-05-10T17:27:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T17:27:20","slug":"san-antonio-city-council-approves-first-two-contracts-for-4-billion-project-marvel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/287033\/","title":{"rendered":"San Antonio City Council approves first two contracts for $4 billion Project Marvel"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"437\" data-attachment-id=\"22105\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/san-antonio-spurs-may-not-need-to-wait-for-bexar-county-to-help-fund-new-arena-36764935\/attachment\/screenshot_2024-11-21_at_11-25-38___am\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/screenshot_2024-11-21_at_11.25.38___am.png?fit=1000%2C560&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"screenshot_2024-11-21_at_11.25.38___am\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;A rendering provided by the city shows what Project Marvel could look like.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A rendering provided by the city shows what Project Marvel could look like.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/screenshot_2024-11-21_at_11.25.38___am.png?fit=780%2C437&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/screenshot_2024-11-21_at_11.25.38___am.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22105\"  \/>A rendering provided by the city shows what Project Marvel could look like. Credit: Courtesy Image \/ City of San Antonio<\/p>\n<p>During a Thursday meeting marked by more tension between Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and others on City Council, the body approved the first two contracts to begin construction and development for the $4 billion Project Marvel development. <\/p>\n<p>Council approved the city pacts, 10-1, with Jones casting the sole \u201cno\u201d vote. <\/p>\n<p>The deliberations come as the city prepares to create a massive sports-and-entertainment district downtown that will include a new NBA arena for the Spurs, a convention center expansion and more. The project is expected to involve years of construction in the city center. <\/p>\n<p>After tussling with Jones over the need for more transparency, council approved a $6 million contract with Accenture Infrastructure and Capital Projects to serve as executive program manager for Project Marvel. It that role, the company would oversee all projects involved in the design and construction phase. <\/p>\n<p>Council also gave a green light to a $350,000 pact with Maryland-based consultant MuniCap Inc. to undertake a cost-of-services assessment on Project Marvel, which also would include revenue projections and identifying ways to build revenues from the development. <\/p>\n<p>During Thursday\u2019s meeting, Jones and other members of council butted heads over whether to undertake a full briefing on Project Marvel from city staff or push it back until June. The mayor said an immediate briefing was needed to ensure transparency, but she was again outvoted, although Councilman Ric Galvan sided with her in asking for the briefing. <\/p>\n<p>Since being elected last summer, Jones has made repeated attempts to pump the brakes on Project Marvel, arguing the city hasn\u2019t conducted a thorough enough study before rushing ahead on a project that has enormous implications for the city\u2019s future and finances.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/sanantonio\/NewsletterSignup\/Page\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sign Up for SA Current newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Follow us:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apple.news\/TiFMu3wPkRj6PC4xS5L36bg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Apple News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKAgKIiJDQklTRXdnTWFnOEtEWE5oWTNWeWNtVnVkQzVqYjIwb0FBUAE?hl=en-US&amp;gl=US&amp;ceid=US%3Aen\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsbreak.com\/@c\/1599768?s=01\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/SanAntonio_Current\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/sacurrent\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sacurrent\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook\u00a0<\/a>| <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SAcurrent\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a>\u00a0| Or sign up for our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/feed\/?partner-feed=all\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RSS Feed<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Related Stories<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/san-antonio-news\/spurs-owe-city-of-san-antonio-5-million-over-failed-mls-experiment\/\" rel=\"bookmark nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/tf-scaled-e1776106757502.webp.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"Spurs owe City of San Antonio $5 million over failed MLS experiment\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\"   data-attachment-id=\"352110\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/major-league-soccer-commissioner-san-antonio-is-fifth-in-line-for-mls-2522096\/attachment\/tf\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/tf-scaled-e1776106757502.webp?fit=1250%2C833&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1250,833\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"ToyotaField\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;SS&amp;E agreed to pay the city and county $5 million if it failed to bring a MLS team to San Antonio as part of a public financing deal. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;SS&amp;E agreed to pay the city and county $5 million if it failed to bring a MLS team to San Antonio as part of a public financing deal. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/tf-scaled-e1776106757502.webp?fit=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tWith city coffers running dry, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones wants SS&amp;E and other corporate entities to start paying-up. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/texas-news\/da-drops-charges-against-man-who-threatened-san-antonio-mayor-over-project-marvel\/\" rel=\"bookmark nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-02-23-at-1.37.02-PM.jpg\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"DA drops charges against man who threatened San Antonio mayor over Project Marvel\u00a0\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\"   data-attachment-id=\"397319\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/san-antonio-news\/san-antonio-council-will-vote-friday-whether-to-censure-mayor-gina-ortiz-jones\/attachment\/screenshot-94\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-23-at-1.37.02-PM.jpg?fit=1150%2C873&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1150,873\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Screenshot&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Screenshot&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"GinaUpset\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones strikes a pose while conversing with constituents during a recent town hall. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones strikes a pose while conversing with constituents during a recent town hall. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-23-at-1.37.02-PM.jpg?fit=780%2C592&amp;ssl=1\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tSan Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has received two death threats since taking office in June. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/san-antonio-news\/is-downtown-going-dark-san-antonios-hotel-occupancy-has-plunged-raising-economic-risks\/\" rel=\"bookmark nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Shutterstock-NYCKellyWilliams01.jpg\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Is downtown going dark? San Antonio\u2019s hotel occupancy has plunged, raising economic risks\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\"   data-attachment-id=\"401894\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/news\/san-antonio-news\/is-downtown-going-dark-san-antonios-hotel-occupancy-has-plunged-raising-economic-risks\/attachment\/sanantoniotexasusa-august192025viewdown\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shutterstock-NYCKellyWilliams01.jpg?fit=1000%2C667&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,667\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Shutterstock&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;San Antonio, Texas, USA - August 19, 2025 View down St. Mary\\u2019s Street in downtown San Antonio, Texas at night&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1755993600&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Copyright (c) 2025 NYCKellyWilliams\/Shutterstock.  No use without permission.&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;San,Antonio,,Texas,,Usa,-,August,19,,2025,View,Down&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"San,Antonio,,Texas,,Usa,-,August,19,,2025,View,Down\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;The number of hotel room nights in San Antonio has plunged 12.1% since the city hit its 2019 tourism peak, according to data from consultancy Source Strategies. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The number of hotel room nights in San Antonio has plunged 12.1% since the city hit its 2019 tourism peak, according to data from consultancy Source Strategies. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Shutterstock-NYCKellyWilliams01.jpg?fit=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tOccupancy in the tourism-dependent Alamo City is down 14% from 2019, and the situation doesn\u2019t seem to be improving. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A rendering provided by the city shows what Project Marvel could look like. Credit: Courtesy Image \/ City&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":85789,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[7652,2112,3083,82,3240,84,83,33708,1066],"class_list":["post-287033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-antonio","tag-downtown-san-antonio","tag-gina-ortiz-jones","tag-project-marvel","tag-san-antonio","tag-san-antonio-city-council","tag-san-antonio-headlines","tag-san-antonio-news","tag-san-antonio-politics","tag-san-antonio-spurs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=287033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287033\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/85789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=287033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=287033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=287033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}