SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio voters showed narrow support for a new sports and entertainment district in downtown San Antonio and for helping fund a new NBA arena with a tax aimed at visitors, according to a new poll.
The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Public Opinion Research polled 683 likely San Antonio voters between Feb. 17-20 on several local issues, including the May 3 election. The poll has a 3.8% margin of error.
Respondents were asked whether the City of San Antonio and Bexar County should move forward with the city’s sweeping plan to redevelop the area around Hemisfair, known as “Project Marvel.”
The multi-billion dollar vision includes expanding the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, a land bridge over Interstate 37, fixing up the Alamodome and a new Spurs arena.
While 41% of voters were in favor of moving forward, 36% said they were not. Another 20% of respondents were unsure.
The city is looking at several pots of money — both public and private — to fund the various projects. The UTSA poll gauged voter support for using one of them on a new arena: the Bexar County Venue Tax.
The tax on hotel stays and car rentals was approved by voters in 1999 to build the Spurs' current home, the Frost Bank Center. Now, the team wants to tap into it again to help build a potential new home for the Spurs.
The city estimates the arena could cost up to $1.5 billion to build, not including another $60 million to acquire the property where the former Institute of Texan Cultures building currently stands.
It is still not clear how much the city or the Spurs would contribute toward the arena. Negotiations are underway.
Support for using the venue tax (42%), which would require Bexar County voter approval, was nearly neck-and-neck with opposition (41%).
UTSA associate professor of political science and CPOR director Bryan Gervais described the support for both measures as “tepid.”
The soonest a venue tax election could hit Bexar County voters' ballots is this November. County officials have indicated they will likely have their own plans for the tax.
If the Spurs leave their county-owned home on the East Side, the county still wants to renovate the Frost Bank Center, Freeman Coliseum and redevelop the nearby area.
It is unclear what exactly will eventually be put in front of voters, but any request to fund an arena will likely have county priorities wrapped up in it, as well.
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