Downtown San Antonio has long been a place many locals have steered clear of, thinking much of what there is to see, do, eat and drink is priced for tourists.
But two proposed new stadiums as well as new residential spaces and businesses catering to them may be starting to change that long-held perception.
Jeff Webster, president and CEO of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, hopes San Antonians will think "synergy" when they envision what the future of downtown could look like.
The "Cambridge Dictionary" defines "synergy" as the combined power of a group of things when they are working together that is greater than the total power achieved by each working separately.
Webster said that has been opposite of what has been going on to help the city's center.
"We've had divergence," he said. "We've had the Missions down on the far South and West Side, we had the Spurs on the East Side, we had UTSA out of the far North Side, A&M now on the South Side with collegiate athletics."
He said UTSA's recent downtown expansion projects, and the two sports developments could feed off each other to revitalize downtown.
"This is getting some synergy between the Spurs, UTSA, the Missions Baseball," he said.
First is the potential multibillion-dollar Project Marvel, which at its heart would include a new arena for the Spurs on what is now the grounds of the Institute of Texan Cultures.
But the footprint of the Sports and Entertainment District, straddling I-37, is also proposed to include a land bridge over the freeway, expansions of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and Alamodome, a new convention center hotel, and a new live entertainment venue in what is now the remains of the John Wood Federal Courthouse.
San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh has said a variety of funding mechanisms for Project Marvel include private equity, private development, tax credits, and others. Funding from other sources, such as the rental car tax and county venue tax would need voter approval.
Voter approval would also be needed for the city to issue general obligation bonds, which have been labeled "make it or break it" by city officials for Project Marvel to be a success.
Then there is the proposed $160 million Missions ballpark, in northwest downtown, bounded on three sides by North Flores, Camaron, and Kingsbury Streets.
The city, county, and developers have worked to ease the jitters of average, local property taxpayers that they will not have to foot the bill for either project.
The Missions owners, Designated Bidders, have already pledged $34 million towards their own stadium, and a billion dollars in taxes on new proposed development around the site would pay for the lion's share of the rest. A proposed development authority that would own the stadium could issue bonds too, to pay for the facility.
The city, county, and developers have also worked to ease the fears of potential displaced residents, affordable housing advocates, and leaders of the San Antonio Independent School District, who have turned into tough negotiators over their property eyed as part of the proposed ballpark.
There is still much to sort out with these two major sports projects and taxpayers are watching.
