New Spurs arena presented as part of "Project Marvel" downtown makeover

Yesterday at 02:45 PM

A new Spurs arena would be part of a larger overhaul of the Hemisfair area.

There have been rumors in recent years of the Spurs moving out of the aging Frost Bank Center and getting an arena back in the heart of downtown, and today, it was included in today's new proposal to the San Antonio City Council for a larger project to revamp the Hemisfair area of downtown called "Project Marvel".

If approved, the plan would include an expansion and renovation of the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, a new convention center hotel, residential, retail and park space, a massive renovation of the Alamodome, a land bridge over U.S Highway 281 connecting the Alamodome to the rest of downtown, and of course, a new Spurs arena where the recently-shuttered Institute of Texan Cultures currently sits. The old John Wood Courthouse would be transformed into a large theater and live performance venue.

The proposal is being presented by city leaders as a potential boom for the San Antonio economy with the hopes of boosting tourism and making the 7th largest city in the US a destination for large events. The project is predicated to cost up to $4 billion dollars and would likely take up to a decade to complete while being built in two phases. Means of paying will be further discussed if Project Marvel passes the presentation phase.

The Spurs lease with the Frost Bank Center lasts through the 2031-32 season, and they are expected to complete it. Originally the SBC Center and later AT&T, the arena was the first one built specifically for the Spurs in San Antonio after they spent previous decades in Hemisfair Arena and the Alamodome. The Spurs won the the 2003 championship in their inaugural season there, and while it has been a good experience for the team and fans, it has not succeeded in the original goal of bringing more restaurants and businesses to the mostly residential and industrial area about three miles east of downtown San Antonio.

With Project Marvel set to move the Spurs back to the heart of downtown around food and entertainment, games would become more of a destination where fans can visit the Riverwalk and eat out before walking to games. The move would also remove the need for the Rodeo Road Trip, which came about with the SBC Center being built on the same lot as Freeman Colosseum, home of the San Antonio Rodeo. With the arrival of Victor Wembanyama as the next franchise cornerstone and the team on the rise, the timing is perfect for both the Spurs and city of San Antonio to starting thinking big.