Morgan’s, a nonprofit organization benefiting people with special needs in the San Antonio area, is looking to expand its facilities with multiple projects that include a future hotel, restaurant and park entry monument to the organization’s theme park Morgan’s Wonderland. Funding for some of these items was granted at an Aug. 8 San Antonio City Council meeting totaling $3.7 million.
What you need to know
Morgan’s has almost 20 years of experience in providing assistance and opportunities to individuals with special needs. The nonprofit has five entities in San Antonio that are supported through fundraising efforts by Morgan’s, including Morgan’s Wonderland theme park and Morgan’s Sports center.
The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation, an entity associated with Morgan’s, applied to San Antonio’s City Tax Increment Funding Program in May for three projects, according to agenda documents. On June 27, the Northeast Corridor Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Board of Directors approved the foundation’s $3.7 million request for three projects related to Morgan’s, which include public improvements and infrastructure for:
- Entry monuments for highly visible public wayfinding
- A parking lot located on Buzzi Way at Wurzbach Parkway to support a future Morgan’s hotel and restaurant
- Enclosure of the gymnasium at Morgan’s Sports and resurfacing the outdoor courts to allow for more pickleball and tennis courts located at 5025 David Edwards Drive
What else?
In San Antonio’s 2023-24 fiscal year budget, $950,000 was approved as a budget amendment, which will be used by Morgan’s to purchase 3.7 acres for the development of Morgan’s future accommodating and inclusive hotel, according to a presentation by Razi Hosseini, San Antonio’s Public Works Department director and city engineer.
Morgan’s is planning on every hotel room being ADA-accessible and welcoming for hearing and visually-impaired people. The hotel will aim to provide lodging to visitors of Morgan’s Wonderland, Morgan’s Inspiration Island, Morgan’s Wonderland Camp and Morgan’s Multi-Assistance Center, or MAC.
Construction for Morgan’s future hotel will be overseen by Morgan’s, a branch originally created in 2021 to coordinate Morgan’s Wonderland-associated projects. It rebranded from Morgan’s Inclusion Initiative to Morgan’s in 2023, Morgan’s Chief Marketing Officer Mary Martinez Worth said. The hotel must begin operating within one year of construction completion, according to agenda documents.
In case you missed it
The MAC offers health and living services to people of all ages with disabilities and special needs, according to its website. The 165,000-square-foot facility is located next to Morgan’s Wonderland, among Morgan’s four other entities including Morgan’s Inspiration Island and Morgan’s Camp.
Morgan Hartman is the daughter of San Antonian Gordon Hartman, who established The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation in 2005 after being inspired by Morgan, who was born with cognitive and physical special needs.
Quote of note
District 10 council member Marc Whyte said the money was going toward “much-needed” improvements the city is doing in partnership with The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation.
“Specifically item 54, which is money that’s going to go towards the first fully-ADA accessible hotel in the state I believe, and potentially the nation,” Whyte said, “And so that’s going to be coming soon to district 10, and [I’m] happy to be able to partner with Mr. Hartman and his foundation to make these things happen for San Antonio.”
