San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has said she thinks San Antonio could get a better deal out of the Spurs when it comes to a new arena. Public Domain / Andy Morataya" class="uk-display-block uk-position-relative uk-visible-toggle"> click to enlarge San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has said she thinks San Antonio could get a better deal out of the Spurs when it comes to a new arena. - Public Domain / Andy Morataya
Public Domain / Andy Morataya
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has said she thinks San Antonio could get a better deal out of the Spurs when it comes to a new arena.
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said during a Monday press conference that she doesn't need support from the rest of City Council to order up an independent economic-impact analysis for Project Marvel, the city's proposed downtown sports-and-entertainment development.
Jones also told journalists the majority of council supports collecting more data on the project.
"I think that folks are on board with getting the information that is necessary," Jones said.
District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur, District 3's Phyllis Viagran, District 7's Marina Alderete Gavito, District 9's Misty Spears and District 10's Marc Whyte have all said in recent written statements or op-eds that they oppose any pause in negotiations with the San Antonio Spurs. A new Spurs arena would be the centerpiece of the $4 billion Project Marvel plan.
During Jones' half-hour presser, she reiterated concerns that Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) hasn't disclosed the full estimated cost of the arena, which could leave the city on the hook for anywhere between $400 million and $600 million.
She also brought up new concerns about an economic analysis completed by CSL International.
When Philadelphia contracted the consulting firm to conduct an economic analysis on a new arena for its NBA team, the 76ers, CSL International's 100-plus-page report included local market conditions along with economic and fiscal impacts to the city, school district and state, Jones said.
The 29-page report for the city of San Antonio by CSL International was devoid of many of those metrics.
"The product that they gave to Philadelphia, the sixth largest city in the country, is much, much different in rigor, analysis and data than what we received," Jones said.
According to Jones, City Manager Erik Walsh is in the process of collecting data on the scope of what an independent analysis would look like. The mayor said she's already recommended Chicago-based consultant Civic Economics for the study.
Although Jones told reporters she can place a strategic pause on Project Marvel without the support of council, others are urging the mayor not to pause negotiations with the Spurs.
Visit San Antonio, which promotes tourism for the city, released a Monday statement saying "it is important to keep this process moving forward" so that a "agreement may be publicly reviewed and discussed in the near future."
The Express-News Editorial Board shared similar sentiments in a Monday opinion piece.
"Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has said she wants to hit pause on negotiations with the Spurs," the newspaper wrote. "Fortunately, the majority of City Council members, each with a vote equal to Jones, appear to recognize the cost of letting this opportunity pass. We urge Jones and the other recalcitrant council members to do the same."
Neither at the press conference, nor at any other point, has Jones explicitly said she's against Project Marvel or a new downtown Spurs arena. Instead, she's raised concerns about SA's ability to foot the bill when other high-priority projects — including $400 million on flood-preventing projects and a $200 million-plus infrastructure bond — also are important to the city.
"This is a generational investment," Jones said Monday. "We have an opportunity to use it to address our generational inequities, but we have to take advantage of that opportunity. I think we do that best by doing our due diligence."
City Council will reconvene Aug. 18 to vote on a $200 million bond package for infrastructure improvements around Hemisfair. However, Jones said Monday that the vote should be moved to February so the city has a better idea of the economic conditions as fears of a possible recession continue to mount.
Meanwhile, Walsh is set to provide a non-binding term sheet with SS&E to council on Aug. 21.
Stay tuned.
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