Jeff Webster, CEO and president of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, said the state projects that the plan will grow tourism at the Alamo by 56%.
The overview
Known as the Alamo Plan, a series of projects aims to tell the full story of Texas history. The plan includes reestablishing the original four-and-a-half-acre footprint, building the Alamo Visitor Center and Museum, the Texas Cavaliers Education Center and a pedestrian mall.
The roughly 160,000-square-foot Visitor Center and Museum will house over 5,000 artifacts and be divided into eight galleries, including the Indigenous Peoples, Mexican Rule, Texas Revolution and Civil Rights Era Galleries.
Additionally, the center will have a 4D theater and a 700-person event space, with a wraparound terrace overlooking the church building.
“[There are] so many things on the horizon that’ll be a game changer for the shrine of Texas Liberty,” said Jonathan Huhn, director of communications and community outreach for The Alamo Trust.
Zooming in
Brett Finley, Metro SA Chamber president and CEO, said that the Alamo Plan will boost the city’s tourism industry, which saw a decline in 2024, and will create opportunities for North San Antonio businesses.
“It’s going to have a ripple effect across the northern side of San Antonio. Anytime that you can reinvigorate downtown, it will have an effect from an economic development perspective, and really raise the tide for all businesses,” Finley said.
Marc Whyte, District 10 council member, said North San Antonio will see increased tourist occupancy in the upcoming Morgan’s Hotel on Wurzbach Parkway, creating a wide range of business opportunities in the area.
“With that hotel built, more families that require special accommodations will want to stay at Morgan’s Hotel, [and] because they want to visit the Alamo, people will stay here longer. [The local] market will develop around it,” Whyte said.
The outlook
Webster said the Alamo Plan coincides with the other major development projects, such as the Missions Ballpark and the proposed Sports and Entertainment District.
“What kills us here in San Antonio is we always want to think of a puzzle one piece at a time, instead of realizing a puzzle is not one piece, [but] multiple pieces. We are finally talking about a big puzzle,” Webster said.
Mario Bass, president and CEO of Visit San Antonio, said the plan is key to increasing tourism.
“The Alamo Plan plays an integral role in this growth in ensuring not only new amenities and reasons to visit, but a new perspective on this renowned icon,” Bass said.
Currently, Huhn said the Alamo receives 1.6 million visitors a year. Once the renovation is complete in 2027, the annual number is projected to grow to 2.5 million.
Learn more
The Alamo Plan is an ongoing effort with projects already completed, such as the opening of the Ralston Family Collections Center on March 3, 2023, and the opening of the Mission Gate and Lunette on May 10, 2024.
Huhn said the full project is estimated to be completed in 2027.
Project timeline:
- Nov. 2025: Opening of the Alamo Promenade
- March 6, 2026: Opening of the Texas Cavaliers Education Center
- Spring 2027: Church building restoration begins
- TBD: Opening of the Visitor Center and Museum
