The gist
A major topic of discussion was the proposed Spurs arena within Project Marvel's new sports and entertainment district.
Sakai said that though the county maintains the importance of keeping the Spurs in San Antonio, his priority is to maintain the economic viability of county properties, such as the Freeman Coliseum and the Frost Bank Center.
“My number one stipulation was [that] we're going to have to take care of the Frost Bank Center, we're going to have to take care of the Joe Freeman Coliseum, which is right next to it, and we're going to have to take care of the coliseum grounds, [which] is all owned by the county,” Sakai said.
He said the funding mechanism for the county to maintain these properties and to invest in a new Spurs arena is a proposed county venue tax, which can raise approximately $450 million if utilized. He noted these funds would be earmarked for the maintenance of county properties before any funds would be used for a new stadium.
Sakai also said an agreement concerning the proposed Spurs arena is still in the works and that the county’s commitment revolves around the city’s decisions regarding funding sources, how many elements of Project Marvel will move forward, the level of the Spurs ownership’s financial commitment and investment into county owned facilities.
Additionally, Sakai expressed the county’s continued desire for the transfer of the Willow Springs Golf Course from city ownership to county ownership as part of the agreement.
Another issue the county seeks to address is keeping these facilities in operation, and Sakai said the county is in discussion with the San Antonio Rodeo for year-round events to be held in the coliseum.
He also said that though an MOU has already been agreed upon between the county, the Spurs and the city, nothing is set in stone and the availability of county funds is dependent on the November election, where a county venue tax could be placed on the ballot.
“If we don't ultimately have all the facts and figures, if we don't have an agreement, the fall election may have to be on to the next election cycle. It's not an all or nothing for November. We'll just move the election to the next election cycle,” Sakai said. “So the main thing is, we've got to make sure that the public understands the need. I think they're entitled to that, and that's what as county judge, that's what I will do to the best of my ability is for them to understand what this deal is all about and why it's in their best interest.”
What else?
Another major topic of discussion was a railway line connecting San Antonio and Austin.
Sakai said a major impediment for a high speed rail line connecting the cities is the lack of ownership of the tracks.
“One of the real impediments of high speed rail is the fact that the current track is all controlled by Union Pacific,” Sakai said. “[And] we're not able to share that track. I told [Travis County] Judge Andy Brown this. I said, ‘I don't know where we're going to get a rail between Austin and San Antonio,’ which I would love to do in order to get people up and back.”
Instead, Sakai said the county is now considering a railway between San Antonio and Laredo, which would give county residents better access to South Texas and Mexico.
Stay tuned
The Bexar County Commissioners Court will make a decision on the proposed county venue tax within the next 30 days.
Sakai said that if they decide to move forward with the tax, the commissioners court would need to finalize facts and figures as well as receive approval from the state comptroller in order to potentially hold a venue tax election in November.
“What [the county is] trying to do is figure out how to make this a win-win [situation for all parties],” Sakai said.
