[SA] $415 Million Dollar Venue Tax Plan Set

[Schertz1]

The public schools in San Antonio are no worse then any other major city. Look at Houston and Dallas. Austin doesn't have an established urban core large enough to have experienced significant flight and decay issues but their P. schools are not great either.

[NBTX11]

For those saying there are other funding mechanisms available for pro teams other than the venue tax. I remember when they were trying to bring in the Marlins, and many shortsighted people said they would never vote for an extension to venue tax to build stadium, even though not one cent would have come out of their pockets. That's how set many people are against "taxes", even if it doesn't affect them one b it. So, no I do not believe there is another funding mechanism available.

Also, why did all 415M have to be spent now. I'm all for making improvements. But why couldn't they spend 150-200M now, and either set aside some for later (like to lure a pro team), or even spend it later down the road if needed. To not set aside some funds and using up every dollar now does not seem to be thinking long term.

[sirkingwilliam]

Originally Posted by NBTX11

For those saying there are other funding mechanisms available for pro teams other than the venue tax. I remember when they were trying to bring in the Marlins, and many shortsighted people said they would never vote for an extension to venue tax to build stadium, even though not one cent would have come out of their pockets. That's how set many people are against "taxes", even if it doesn't affect them one b it. So, no I do not believe there is another funding mechanism available.

Also, why did all 415M have to be spent now. I'm all for making improvements. But why couldn't they spend 150-200M now, and either set aside some for later (like to lure a pro team), or even spend it later down the road if needed. To not set aside some funds and using up every dollar now does not seem to be thinking long term.

Sorry but that entire post is a contradiction. You chastise people for being short sighted then ask why less was spent (improving the quality of life in SA) and some saved for the future for a pro team. That's short sighted my friend. But besides that, to answer your question, spending 150-200 would have still meant 10-15 years without being able to use the venue tax, so your time frame only changes by 5-10 years. Second, I doubt you can speak for everyone when a few people say they're not going to vote for a tax. Do you know how many people I knew who were not going to vote for Bush in 2004? I had Kerry winning that thing from the sheer conclusion I got from public opinion around me. Kerry Lost. That point aside, you always hear from the people that hate something, that don't want something, that will vote no for something. When was the last time a radio talk host had an hour long conversation discussing what they liked about so and so bond/tax/toll and had call after call of people with the same sentiment. Hardly if ever, it's crazy.

[alexjon]

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

I agree, take care of your city and its quality of life before you bend over backwards for professional sports. I think the city and county finally figured that out.
]


Why does that sound so bitter and why is that directed at me as if I wouldn't want better schools for SA (basically the SAISD) but like I said, the city nor the county can do anything about that. Blaming the city on the schools is pointing the finger at the wrong person.

Education and education advocacy should not be limited to the walls of a school; I remember in the 80's and early 90's, city officials were highly invested in reaching out to schools and making appearances, but at some point in the 90's, it just petered out.

I doubt I went to the school they most highly valued, so I don't imagine the visibility of city officials and their related initiatives like reading advocacy and awards for educational excellence were just a fluke or lip service being paid to a school that isn't doing poorly.

But anyway, my main thing is just saying that people are very keen these past few years to try and get major league sports into the city, but there just isn't a similar push for better education even though the more conservative news outlets harp on and on about how horrible the schools are. Didn't they just shut down another high school?

[Chicago3rd]

Has anyone done a study to show how much San Antonio has done to keep the Spurs in S.A.? I voted for the Alamo Dome because the Spurs threaten to leave then they threaten to leave after that and they had the public build the AT&T Stadium....then they say they want more money.

[kornbread]

Originally Posted by Chicago3rd

Has anyone done a study to show how much San Antonio has done to keep the Spurs in S.A.? I voted for the Alamo Dome because the Spurs threaten to leave then they threaten to leave after that and they had the public build the AT&T Stadium....then they say they want more money.

The Dome was not built for the Spurs. It was built to attract an NFL team. The team moved to the dome after Red McCombs decided he could make more money with the basketball configuration, suites and concession contracts that he managed to get. The city welcomed this after it became apparent that no NFL team was coming and they needed someone to use the facility. The city then promptly tore down the Hemisfair Arena and built a parking garage for the convention center (another short-sighted move; they took away a venue for parking).

As far as the city spending tax money for the team, there were probably two occasions: raising the roof of the Hemisfair Arena (mutually beneficial to the team and city; although the structural support for the upper level created the famous "obstructed views") and the at&t center. You could counter that spending with the advertising benefits the city gets from name recognition and national television coverage of the team. Besides the city totally embraces this team, it's all they have.

I think the city made a big mistake by not working harder to locate the arena downtown. That's when going to a game was a real night out. People would go downtown to eat, go to the game, then stop at a bar afterwards. This was locals going downtown at least 41 times a year (Fall, Winter, Spring). Since then, downtown businesses mostly cater to tourists. The current location by the Freeman is horrible; there is no reason to stay. In fact there is every reason to leave.

[Chicago3rd]

Originally Posted by kornbread

The Dome was not built for the Spurs. It was built to attract an NFL team.

Dude it was voted specifically for the Spurs and to attact football and be used by the convention center. I voted on it and was employed at the old Central Library on St. Marys. So get your facts straight.

plus a google and a wikipedia search would have produced the following:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alamodome
Along with placating the San Antonio Spurs ownership's demands for a larger basketball venue, the multi-purpose facility was intended to increase the city's convention traffic and attract a professional football franchise. The Spurs played basketball in the Alamodome for a decade, but became disenchanted with the facility and convinced Bexar County to construct them and the San Antonio Livestock Exposition Inc. a new arena now called the AT&T Center

You are correct about the new stadium being located in the wrong area of the city.

[BSofA04]

Well this is great news, especially for UTSA getting help to fund a brand new sports complex. Hopefully it'll pass in May.

[NBTX11]

Anyone can edit wikipedia, so I don't always trust what is on there, although that does sound accurate from what I have heard.

I have only been here 4-5 years, does anyone know why McCombs hasn't tried to buy/bring in and NFL team. He certainly has the $$. I know he owned the Vikings. He needs to buy another team that is having problems and move it here.

We need an NFL team asap.

[kornbread]

Originally Posted by Chicago3rd

Dude it was voted specifically for the Spurs and to attact football and be used by the convention center. I voted on it and was employed at the old Central Library on St. Marys. So get your facts straight.

I disagree. I remember the vote specifically promoted attracting football and to be available for convention purposes.

Wikipedia is mostly a good source, but it is edited by the online community. Here is another article by wikipedia that makes no mention of the dome being built for the Spurs:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Antonio,_Texas

The Spurs have been playing in San Antonio since 1973 and have won four NBA Championships (1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007). Previously, the Spurs played at the Alamodome, which was built for football, and before that the HemisFair Arena, but the Spurs built and moved into the SBC Center in 2002, since renamed the AT&T Center, following the merger of SBC and AT&T.

Also here is an article about the vote on the Alamodome in the NY Times that makes no mention of the Spurs:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...52C0A96F948260

Some of the initial conflict was also caused by early confusion about the purpose of the dome. Last year, Mr. Cisneros was predicting that the dome would lure a National Football League team. When N.F.L. officials said that was unlikely, he began to de-emphasize the dome as a sports site and began to present it as a place for large conventions and entertainment events.

''They don't even know what they want to use the place for,'' said Helen Dutmer, a city councilwoman.

Here's one more to mull over:
http://www.allbusiness.com/services/...4587496-1.html

"It was never intended that the Alamodome would be the end all for the Spurs,'' said Brewer, whose group, a contingent of about 150 downtown business representatives, is pushing hard for a new facility. "And somewhere along the line many citizens of San Antonio came to regard it as the home of the Spurs. So the sentiment is, 'Hey, you just built a home for the Spurs five years ago, and now they want a new home?'''

I will correct one thing in my original post. The Hemisfair Arena was demolished as part of the expansion of the Convention Center. The parking garage was not part of that and was not built on the site of the arena.

[Chicago3rd]

http://everythingon-basketball.info/...nt-san-antonio

Thought I was the only one in here old enough to vote in 1989.