Jones released a memo<\/a> saying San Antonio voters should decide whether the city contributes to what would be the district\u2019s crown jewel: a $1.3 billion arena for the Spurs.<\/p>\nArticle continues below this ad<\/p>\n
A majority of the 10-member council opposes the idea, which was apparent during a spat between Jones and Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran over whether a draft financing plan outlining the city\u2019s contribution had been \u201cexecuted.\u201d<\/p>\n
The council approved the plan a year ago in a 7-4 vote, with Jones in opposition.<\/p>\n
The non-binding plan lays out how much of the arena\u2019s construction costs the city, county and Spurs organization will pay. The city has agreed to put up $489 million, the county $311 million and Spurs Sports & Entertainment $500 million.<\/p>\n
The plan also outlines agreements that still have to be negotiated and finalized by a council vote, such as lease and non-relocation agreements with the Spurs and design and construction contracts.<\/p>\n
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Viagran accused Jones of \u201cmisrepresenting the facts\u201d and uttering a “lie”\u00a0by saying that the council still had to vote on the \u201cfinal version\u201d of the plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one\u2019s lying,\u201d Jones responded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are being more than inaccurate,\u201d Viagran shot back.<\/p>\n
Despite the strife, the mayor sided with nine council members\u00a0to pass a resolution creating a 33-member committee that will meet monthly, seek public input on the district and report back to council. The committee will also recommend ways the city should spend the $75 million that SS&E agreed to give the city over its 30-year lease of the arena.<\/p>\n
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City officials want the district\u00a0\u2014 better known as Project Marvel\u00a0\u2014 to include an expanded Convention Center, a renovated Alamodome and the former John\u00a0H. Wood Jr. Federal Courthouse revamped as a performance venue. The initial plan for a second Convention Center hotel has been scraped.<\/p>\n
Thursday\u2019s vote was 10-1.<\/p>\n
District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez cast the sole vote against forming the advisory committee. He wanted to require the committee\u2019s three chairs be residents of Council Districts 1, 2 and 5, which he said will be most affected by the project, but he couldn\u2019t garner enough council support.<\/p>\n
McKee-Rodriguez also took issue with how Thursday\u2019s vote came about\u00a0\u2014 by Council members\u00a0Sukh Kaur, Teri Castillo and Marina Alderete Gavito maneuvering to force it onto the agenda without first having a council briefing on the proposal. That would have given members an opportunity to weigh in on a draft resolution, McKee-Rodriguez said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cEveryone right now is governing by memo, and it is frustrating to everyone else involved,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Sending a memo to her colleagues has been Jones\u2019 preferred way of governing since she took office in June 2025. Council members have also taken to filing \u201cthree-signature memos\u201d to force special meetings.<\/p>\n
The flow of memos ramped up in July and recently has approached flood stage.<\/p>\n
First, Jones issued a memo saying the council should hold a November election asking San Antonio voters to redirect sales tax dollars previously allocated for job training to other related programs. She sent a second memo defending the idea after the city attorney offered his opinion on the legal limitations of a such move.<\/p>\n
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McKee-Rodriguez and three others subsequently released their own memo calling for a council vote to put a funding measure for the city\u2019s sales tax-funded pre-K program on the November ballot.\u00a0The deadline to finalize that ballot is Aug. 17, and the council will discuss the proposal at its Aug. 13 meeting.<\/p>\n
Jones then suggested in an July 31 memo that the council should call for a citywide vote on the city\u2019s contribution to the Spurs arena \u2014 which most council members oppose.<\/p>\n
Soon after Thursday\u2019s meeting ended, Jones emailed City Clerk Debbie\u00a0Racca-Sittre to schedule a special meeting on Aug. 13 so the council can decide whether to place measures on the Nov. 3 ballot about the city\u2019s $489 million arena payment and the reallocation of Ready to Work dollars.<\/p>\n
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