SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio’s city council voted 6-5 on Monday to reject a proposal to hold a public vote on the city’s $489 million contribution for a new Spurs downtown arena.
The city council’s latest move means a public vote on the city’s contribution for the arena won’t be included on the Nov. 3 midterm ballot.
“Today’s decision allows San Antonio to move forward on a path that was established through years of work, public discussion, city and county action and last year’s vote,” Spurs CEO R.C. Buford said in a statement. “We can now turn our full attention to delivering on that shared vision and the transformational opportunity ahead for our city.”
Bexar County, where San Antonio is located, voted last November to approve $311 million in county venue tax dollars for the team’s new arena in what was known as “Proposition B.” The proposal received 52.1% of the county’s vote, and authorized Bexar County venue taxes (fees on hotels occupancy and short-term car rental taxes) to be increased as part of the ballot proposition for arena funding.
The rest of the funding ($489 million) for the proposed $1.3 billion arena would come from the city of San Antonio.
San Antonio mayor Gina Ortiz Jones had pushed for a citywide vote in a July 31 memo for the city’s portion of the funding, despite the county’s vote last November to approve its portion of the financing for the arena. The city of San Antonio was not legally required to secure voter approval for its contribution to the new arena, which would be achieved through revenue bonds paid using a variety of sources that include rent from the Spurs, leases on surrounding city-owned land and designated tax revenue.
In her memo, Jones had argued that the city’s financial outlook, which includes a $158 million deficit in 2027, had changed since the Bexar County vote that approved its portion of the arena’s financing. But it’s important to note that the city’s $489 million in proposed arena bonds couldn’t be used to fund shortfalls in San Antonio’s operating budget.
The Spurs are committed to contributing at least $500 million to construction of the new arena, including all construction overruns.
“We are grateful to the community, business and civic leaders, Spurs fans and residents who have taken the time to learn the facts and make their voices heard,” Buford said. “There is still a great deal of work ahead, and we are ready for it. We remain committed to working alongside our public and community partners to deliver a downtown arena and district that strengthens San Antonio for generations to come.”