Spurs CEO defends arena deal after mayor says voters should decide<\/a><\/p>\nEarlier Thursday, Jones asked the city clerk to schedule a special meeting for Aug. 13 to order a November election for arena funding.<\/p>\n
Jones told reporters after the listening session that she\u2019s \u201cnot counting votes.\u201d Still, she needs five council members to side with her to make the ballot measure a reality.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think this is really where the community comes in,\u201d she said. \u201cIf the city voters want this, they have to reach out to their council member and let them know where they stand on this.\u201d<\/p>\n
If that seems like d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu, you\u2019re not wrong. Jones similarly called on residents a year ago to pressure their council members to delay approving a draft financing plan with Spurs Sports & Entertainment outlining the city\u2019s contribution to the arena.<\/p>\n
It was apparent that Jones didn\u2019t have the votes in the days ahead of the Aug. 21, 2025, council meeting. Instead of trying to persuade her 10 council colleagues, she launched a public pressure campaign to influence them.<\/p>\n
Days before that vote, she went off-script during her introductory remarks at a town hall Councilman Marc\u00a0Whyte organized in his Northeast Side district, urging his constituents to call him out on his pro-arena stance. She infamously crashed a news conference that business leaders held in front of City Hall in support of the deal. And she got dozens of people to testify before the council in support of pushing back consideration of the financing agreement.<\/p>\n
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The council voted 7-4 to approve the draft financing plan, with Jones and just three council members in opposition.<\/p>\n
Under that plan, SS&E will contribute $500 million and cover any cost overruns. Additionally, it will give the city $2.5 million each year of its 30-year arena lease, for a total of $75 million that can be spent on projects of the council\u2019s choosing.<\/p>\n
Most of the listening-session attendees supported a public vote and were inclined to reject the financing plan.<\/p>\n
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John Neal said the mayor\u2019s stance on the deal\u00a0\u2014 and her push for more public input\u00a0\u2014 changed his opinion of her for the better.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t your biggest fan to start with, if I\u2019m being honest, but seriously\u00a0\u2014 you\u2019ve done a great job in this department for sure,\u201d Neal said. The crowd applauded.<\/p>\n
Neal told the San Antonio Express-News that he voted against last year\u2019s measure on county funding for the arena. He thinks the Spurs should pay for a greater share of its cost.<\/p>\n
Eloy Tijerina was one of the few arena supporters at the event. He came dressed in a black fishing shirt with the team\u2019s logo embroidered over one of the chest pockets.<\/p>\n
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He told the newspaper that he voted for the county funding measure and would do the same if the city contribution goes on this November\u2019s ballot.<\/p>\n
But he\u2019s skeptical there will be such an election and questioned the purpose of the mayor’s listening session.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s trying to look good for her supporters,\u201d Tijerina said. \u201cIf I were a politician, I\u2019d do the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
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