San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said using Public financing for a downtown minor league baseball stadium is not in the interest of San Antonio. The mayor made the statements at a luncheon hosted by the Hispanic Chamber and Rivard Report. There may be a bigger push instead for a major league soccer team.
Mayor Nirenberg says he’s unsure what the plan is for AAA baseball in San Antonio.
“As I’ve said before, I will listen to any deal and I will judge it on its merits. For me, I don’t think the public needs to be investing in minor league sports; we are a big league city,” the mayor added.
In 2016, a plan was announced by former Mayor Ivy Taylor to build a multi-million dollar AAA baseball stadium downtown. That plan seemed less likely by last September due to a lack of funding commitments. Nirenberg says there have been no talks about the proposal since he became mayor this summer.
“I have had no conversations about stadium development with anyone associated with the Missions,” Nirenberg said.
In late June, the Elmore Sports Group announced it would be moving San Antonio’s AA baseball team, the Missions to Amarillo. In exchange, the group’s AAA team – the Colorado Springs Sky Sox would move to San Antonio to play in Wolff Stadium but keep the name Missions by 2019.
An Elmore press release states the team would play at Wolff " while a new ballpark is completed."
AAA baseball is the division below major league. A call to the Elmore Sports Group was not immediately returned.
Nirenberg says he’ll proudly support a local minor baseball team but his priority for sports franchises is securing a major league soccer team.
“We have a soccer fandom and a media market that rivals any in the southern United States,” Nirenberg added.
San Antonio is one of 12 cities being eyed by Major League Soccer for a potential new team. The city currently has a minor league soccer team that plays at Toyota Field.
