District 3 Councilmember Phyllis Viagran said the city needed to move forward so that it could begin more in-depth contract negotiations.
“You either trust this team sitting in front of me," she said, referring to the city staff and Spurs members, "or you don’t. I trust the Spurs.”
In response to a question from Viagran about the Spurs' commitment to engaging the neighborhoods around the arena site, Spurs Sports & Entertainment Chief Legal Officer Bobby Perez said they would immediately begin coordinating stakeholder and neighborhood association meetings after this afternoon's vote to "campaign" for the project.
Interim District 2 Councilmember Leo Castillo-Anguiano said he would not be supporting a terms sheet with the Spurs. He was one of four members who voted for a pause to get an independent economic impact report.“Our District 2 residents don’t want this," Castillo-Anguiano said.
In response to a question from District 9 Councilmember Misty Spears, who voted against a pause, City Attorney Andy Segovia said if substantial new information about the arena arises, the terms sheet can be changed.
District 10 Councilmember Marc Whyte, who also voted against the pause, said approving the terms sheet was essential to help voters make their decision on the county venue tax election.
“There’s really one decision that we have to make today," Whtye said. "And it’s do we want to send the voters to the polls in November with or without all of the terms of this deal.”
Whyte called for unity on the city council ahead of the terms sheet approval vote.
"After today, we've gotta come back together," Whyte said.
Tempers have run high on council in the past few weeks over Spurs arena debates and policymaking disagreements, and conflict has been particularly sharp between Whyte and Jones, who have gone back and forth on the dais and at his recent budget town hall meeting on Monday.
The terms sheet is non-binding for all parties.