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The San Antonio restaurant industry is cheering voter approval of the expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars from a venue tax on a new Spurs arena downtown.
It's hoped the new arena, and a proposed entertainment district around it dubbed Project Marvel, will create an economic boom for the industry, which could use some good news.
Several restaurants across San Antonio have closed this year, including Pat O'Briens at Alamo Plaza, after two decades in business.
Dawn Ann Larios, the executive director of the San Antonio Chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association, said local restaurants suffered during the COVID pandemic only to be hit by mounting problems in the last couple of years.
"Restaurant operators have seen new challenges with tariffs and immigration enforcement," she said. "We've seen it a lot here in San Antonio and that has hurt a lot of our restaurants."
But she said the challenges don't stop there.
"And consumers are dining less because of inflation," she said. Larios said that same inflation has led to increased food costs for restaurants.
The immigration enforcement she speaks of involves the apprehension of restaurant workers by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has led to some labor shortages.
That's why voter passage of the venue tax to help build a new home for the Spurs in the heart of the city is being cheered by restaurants near the proposed site, including those on the River Walk.
"Our new arena will not be here for a few years," she said. It is going to create this entirely, wonderful economic boost for our city and for our county and it's going to bring new businesses to San Antonio."
Larios said locals can support their favorite local restaurants by buying restaurant gift cards or taking friends and family out to eat for the holidays this year.
The Texas Restaurant Association released third quarter statistics from this year that show 88% of restaurants reporting increased food costs, 66% reporting higher labor costs, and 52% seeing a drop in customer traffic, all compared to the same quarter last year.
