After a flurry of proposals over the last week, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has taken aim at cutting the City of San Antonio’s $158 million budget gap again.
In a memo Friday, Jones proposed another vote on the public funding for a downtown arena for the San Antonio Spurs in November. She said now that city residents understand the budget shortfall, which could lead to an increase in property taxes, they should vote on the city funding for the arena.
“November would allow city voters to vote clearly informed by what they are paying, what they are receiving in return and whether the latter is good enough,” Jones wrote in a memo to City Council on Friday.
The Spurs’ downtown arena, part of Project Marvel, would cost $1.3 billion and is scheduled to host the team beginning in 2030. Bexar County voters approved using $311 million in hotel tax dollars for the arena in November 2025.
City officials said their $489 million in funding — a combination of sales tax revenue from hotels and hotel-related businesses and funds borrowed against projected future property taxes — did not need a public vote. City council members linked their $489 million contribution to the county vote.
Now, Jones is saying voters who live in the city should have another bite at the apple because they are residents of both Bexar County and San Antonio.
“City voters will pay twice towards the proposed arena, as they will contribute to the county’s $311 million contribution and the city’s $489 million contribution,” Jones said. “Since they pay twice, city voters deserve to vote twice.”
Proponents of using public dollars have argued that visitors are paying for the arena, not locals, because pieces of the funding come from hospitality and hotel taxes. Critics have argued that by borrowing against future tax revenues in the area, the project takes money that could flow into the San Antonio’s general fund.
The city now faces a $158 million budget deficit. Property values have not grown as projected, leaving property tax revenues far below what city officials expected.
In her memo, Jones said that deficit could grow to $264 million by 2031 if it is not addressed. Bond capacity is also projected to be lower than $600 million, Jones said, adding that the city might need between $220 million to $250 million to make additional infrastructure improvements around the new arena.
“This requires we demonstrate a ruthless level of fiscal responsibility and allow our community greater agency to decide how their money is being spent,” Jones said.
She also mentioned a community benefits agreement with the Spurs, which would pay the city $2.5 million every year for 30 years, and brought up revenue sharing with the team. Jones did not explicitly ask for more revenues from the Spurs, but did say voters should be informed about “what they’re receiving in return.”
It’s the latest in a flurry of memos from the mayor, who has proposed finding philanthropists to donate to city-funded nonprofits and ending the Ready to Work program early, this month as council members grapple with a budget gap.
The deadline for additions to the November ballot is Aug. 17.
