San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg has released a letter of intent that backs public financing for a new Missions Baseball stadium downtown.
“Baseball has been a San Antonio pastime since the late 1800s, and we are committed to keeping the Missions as part of our city’s cultural landscape,” Nirenberg wrote.
“The ownership group is heavily invested in this development to ensure we arrive at an agreement that is fair to our community, and we have benefited immensely from the partnership with the Missions’ new local owners,” he added.
The San Antonio City Council would have to formally approve any deal with the Missions.
Bexar County commissioners last month gave County Judge Peter Sakai the approval to join the mayor in a joint letter of intent to the Missions to give to Major League Baseball.
The aging Nelson Wolff Stadium on Highway 90 West in the Far West Side has fallen behind Major League standards, so a new facility is needed to keep the Missions, a Double A farm club of the San Diego Padres, here in San Antonio.
The Missions declined TPR’s request for comment.
In 2022, a new ownership group called “Designated Bidders” agreed to acquire the team for an undisclosed amount from Dave Elmore and the Elmore Group.
Designated Bidders included Graham Weston, Peter J. Holt, David Robinson, Manu Ginobili, Henry Cisneros, Nolan Ryan, and Roger Clemens, among others.
The San Antonio Missions franchise was established in 1888. Over that time, the club has won 13 Texas League Titles — the last one was in 2013.
The Missions have called Nelson Wolff Stadium home since 1994. During this time, they have been affiliated with four major league teams: Dodgers, Mariners, Padres and Brewers. During the 2019 season, they were promoted to Triple-A under the Milwaukee Brewers.
“The Wolff,” named for former county judge, San Antonio mayor and state legislator Nelson Wolff, himself a former minor league player, evokes a nostalgic yesteryear baseball feel with its cozy size and twin towers.
It’s alter ego Flying Chanclas team, Puffy Taco mascot, fireworks, family-friendly side entertainment, and beer and nachos are crowd pleasers.
“The Wolff” opened on April 18, 1994, to a crowd of 9,336 as the Missions took on the El Paso Diablos. The stadium has 6,200 fixed seats and a grass berm in left field that can seat approximately 3,000 fans, according to the Missions website.
The stadium hosted the 1997 Double-A All Star Game and has hosted the Texas League All Star Game three times: in 1994, 2001, and 2011.
