{"id":37036,"date":"2025-11-05T21:40:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T21:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/37036\/"},"modified":"2025-11-05T21:40:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T21:40:09","slug":"after-arena-vote-san-antonio-officials-look-for-cooperation-on-spurs-community-benefits-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/37036\/","title":{"rendered":"After arena vote, San Antonio officials look for cooperation on Spurs’ community benefits agreement"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, center, speaks during a post-election press conference at City Hall. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n

Although Bexar County voters narrowly approved tentative plans<\/a> for a new downtown Spurs arena, there\u2019s still plenty of uncertainty surrounding the $75 million community benefits agreement offered by the team, city officials said Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, a vocal critic of the $1.3 billion publicly financed arena deal, said she looks forward to working with the NBA franchise and Managing Partner Peter J. Holt on bringing equitable and accessible development along with revitalization to the center city. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to be bold in our vision and think about what it\u2019s going to take to have a revitalized downtown that we all want and deserve,\u201d Jones said at a Wednesday press conference. \u201cThat includes affordable housing. That includes commitment to labor \u2026 as well as making sure we have those good-paying jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones also said that she\u2019ll work to transparently communicate a timeline, allow for \u201creal public engagement\u201d and due diligence on the project to \u201censure this is reflective of the people\u2019s resources.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a wonderful opportunity,\u201d Jones continued. \u201cI think us moving forward together is the best way in which we can keep our commitment for a win-win opportunity for our city and for the Spurs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones made her comments during a press conference organized by District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito. Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai and District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur were also in attendance, along with Holt and Spurs General Counsel Bobby Perez.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Indeed, Kaur, one of the arena plan\u2019s most vocal supporters, said she wants to create a joint city-county task force to analyze how to best use the community benefits cash offered by the Spurs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat community benefits agreement of $75 million could really impact some big priorities our community has already laid out,\u201d Kaur said. \u201cHowever, those have not been prescribed. There is still, like the mayor mentioned, a lot of room for real public engagement around how we want to see those benefits take place.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kaur said the money could be used to support affordable housing at Hemisfair along with neighborhoods surrounding the urban core. \u00a0<\/p>\n

After a close, hard-fought and occasionally ugly election, Holt said he looks forward to working with the mayor and other city and county officials on how best to serve the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think what today really shows is unity, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re going to focus on going forward \u2014 is doing big things via partnership,\u201d Holt said. \u201cPartnerships have always enabled the Spurs to be successful, and doing big things and bold things is what we\u2019re all about. But that\u2019s going to take a tremendous amount of collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\tProp B\u2019s 6% victory margin at press time was far narrower than the 61%-39% by which county voters approved the team\u2019s last arena in 1999. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"San\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe jerseys go on sale Nov. 11.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Project\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe news comes as Bexar County residents head to the polls to decide whether to approve a new Spurs arena. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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