The Brackenridge Park Conservancy is seeking $5 million from the city's upcoming bond program to help revive the Sunken Garden Theater in historic Brackenridge Park.
The $62 million Sunken Garden renovation plan was announced in September, and would increase its capacity to 7,000, with 5,900 fixed seats and 1,100 seats on the lawn.
The originally recommended $25 million in city funding was lowered to $10 million, then cut again by a citizen bond committee to the current $5 million. The final amount will be decided Feb. 10.
According to the conservancy, the proposed renovations aim to make the Sunken Garden Theater “a more functional event venue for all the citizens of San Antonio.”
What are the specifics of the plans? What renovations are proposed? What kind of economic impact could its revitalization have?
What considerations are being made for sound attenuation and traffic? How would these changes impact the community’s park access and existing preservation plans?
Why is there pushback? What about the makeover do critics oppose? Will families really “lose access to the park”? How are the concerns of neighborhood residents being taken into consideration?
San Antonio voters will decide whether to approve the city’s bond package propositions in May 2022.
Guest: Nicholas Hollis, chairman of the Brackenridge Park Conservancy
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*This interview was recorded on Monday, January 24.