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The San Antonio Philharmonic has filed counterclaims in its legal dispute with the San Antonio Scottish Rite Library and Museum, accusing the organization of breaching an agreement tied to shared ownership of the historic Scottish Rite Hall.
In its March 16 filing in Bexar County district court, the Philharmonic denies allegations made by the Scottish Rite and seeks more than $1 million in damages.
In January, the Scottish Rite asked the court to intervene in a broader case involving the Philharmonic and former board members, seeking a ruling on whether its agreement with the orchestra remains valid and requesting sole authority to sell the downtown auditorium.
The dispute centers on a 2024 agreement that outlined a plan for the two groups to jointly own and redevelop the building. Under that agreement, both parties would hold a 50% stake in a nonprofit entity created to manage the property.
The Scottish Rite Library and Museum alleges the Philharmonic failed to meet key terms of the agreement, including funding commitments tied to redevelopment, and argues the agreement is no longer in effect.
The Philharmonic disputes those claims, arguing it met its obligations, including raising at least $750,000 and investing in improvements with the expectation the building would become its long-term home. The filing also states the Scottish Rite acknowledged in April of 2025 that the fundraising threshold had been met.
The Philharmonic alleges the Scottish Rite failed to follow through on its responsibilities, including transferring the property into the jointly controlled entity, providing financial account information, and moving forward with required appraisals.
The filing also argues the agreement did not expire and that both parties continued operating under its terms into late 2025.
The Philharmonic says it spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on improvements, including temporary HVAC systems, repairs and accessibility planning, in reliance on the agreement.
The San Antonio Philharmonic was formed in 2022 after the San Antonio Symphony, a longtime resident company at the Tobin Center, declared bankruptcy and ceased operations following a labor dispute that halted performances.
The Philharmonic was created by the orchestra’s musicians to continue professional symphonic music in San Antonio, but has since faced challenges securing stable funding. It then operated without a permanent venue, performing at First Baptist Church before pursuing a long-term home at the Scottish Rite. That agreement later broke down, and the Scottish Rite moved to evict the orchestra in November of last year.
The organization has faced ongoing instability in recent years, including venue challenges and litigation involving former board members over who has legal authority to govern it, as well as disputes related to loans and financial contributions.
The Philharmonic lost its music director, Jeffrey Kahane, who stepped down earlier this year, and has faced performance cancellations. The instability has also affected audiences in San Antonio, which is among the largest U.S. cities without consistent access to a full-time professional orchestra.
For its part, the orchestra says a long-term home is critical to its financial stability.
The San Antonio Philharmonic declined to comment beyond its legal filings. The Scottish Rite Library and Museum did not respond to a request for comment. The case is ongoing in Bexar County district court.
