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Another milestone was reached on Friday in the half-billion-dollar makeover of Alamo Plaza.
Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick was joined by San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and Alamo Trust President and CEO Hope Andrade to cut the ribbon on the Alamo Promenade.
The shaded Promenade connects Commerce Street to the Alamo. Along the way, locals and tourists will see statues of the heroes of the Texas Revolution, such as Sam Houston, who was general and then president of the Republic of Texas. They'll also see statues in the likeness of Texas Declaration of Independence signer Juan Navarro, and Alamo couriers Juan Seguin and John W. Smith.
"Step by step, building by building, we are preserving, restoring, and enhancing these hallowed grounds of the Alamo,"
"The Alamo was the first place I visited when I came to Texas in 1979," said Lt. Governor Patrick. "The Alamo means so much to me, as it does to millions of Texans, Americans, and people worldwide. Today’s ribbon-cutting for the Alamo Promenade is yet another vital step in making sure the Alamo is one of the finest historic sites in the world."
Patrick has been a key figure in winning state funding for the Alamo Plaza project, which paid for most of the work. The City of San Antonio and Bexar County were also funding partners.
"As Lt. Governor, I will never stop fighting to preserve and protect the Alamo, and the principles of freedom, liberty, and patriotism that its defenders laid down their lives to uphold in 1836."
While the Alamo defenders were defeated by Mexican forces, historians believe it delayed their march across Texas and gave Houston more time to raise an army large enough to win Texas independence.
The Alamo in recent years has added a new collections building, a pavilion and open lawn space, and a recreation of the Alamo's main gate. A visitor center and museum, including a 4D theater with simulated battle effects, will open in 2027.
The improvements are intended to make a visit to the Alamo a bigger and more educational experience, on par with national historic parks.
