Overview
- Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones pressed Friday for a Nov. 3 city ballot asking voters to approve up to $489 million in bonds for a $1.3 billion Spurs arena and asked the clerk to schedule a special Aug. 13 meeting to order the election.
- A majority of City Council members, local business leaders and community groups oppose reopening the question, saying Bexar County voters already approved $311 million for the project last November and another city vote is unnecessary.
- Spurs CEO R.C. Buford sent a letter on Aug. 4 arguing voters have already weighed in and that development work is moving forward, signaling team leadership’s public opposition to a new city referendum.
- Under the draft financing plan the city would contribute up to $489 million, the county up to $311 million from Proposition B, and Spurs Sports & Entertainment would pledge $500 million, cover overruns, and pay $2.5 million a year to the city for 30 years.
- The city must act by an Aug. 17 cutoff to put measures on the November ballot, and the council’s choice will affect how officials close a $158 million budget shortfall and whether Ready to Work’s roughly $124 million balance can be reauthorized for other qualifying programs.