Metropolis officers and the San Antonio Missions need to end constructing a brand-new baseball stadium in time for the minor league baseball crew’s season opener in April 2028.
At a San Antonio Metropolis Council assembly on Wednesday, metropolis officers laid out their timeline for securing funding, finalizing agreements and starting development this 12 months to satisfy that deadline for the 7,500-person minor league stadium.
Town and Missions homeowners agreed to construct and fund a brand new, $160 million downtown ballpark again in 2024. The brand new stadium can be managed by the town by way of the newly created San Pedro Creek Improvement Authority.
Funding by way of the town has been delayed from its preliminary November 2025 bond launch schedule — now the town desires to launch the bond this summer season, which would supply $126 million to fund stadium development. A part of the stadium funding may also come from the Missions’ homeowners, who will assist pay lease to make use of the stadium.
The settlement additionally covers growth across the stadium. Weston City, a downtown growth firm and part-owner of the crew, dedicated to development that has $575 million to $1 billion in taxable worth across the enviornment.
That growth was controversial — it entails tearing down the 50-year-old Cleaning soap Manufacturing facility flats — a housing advanced owned by Weston City. Town and Weston City did commit $500,000 to assist relocate residents.
The stadium and the primary section of surrounding, mixed-use growth continues to be being designed, says Ben Gorzell, the town’s chief of monetary and administrative providers.
Early estimates present that the stadium could possibly be costlier than its preliminary $160 million price ticket, he added. The Missions could be on the hook for any prices above that assured most worth.
Regardless of that, Gorzell stated the mission continues to be on observe for its April 2028 opening. The Missions didn’t touch upon the town’s updates.
Subsequent steps to construct ballpark
There’s a sequence of dominoes that also have to fall earlier than development can start on a brand new baseball stadium.
The Missions agreed to place $34 million upfront for development. The opposite $126 million can be borrowed by the San Pedro Creek Improvement Authority by way of a bond, which it would cowl utilizing annual lease from the Missions and cash from the Houston Avenue tax increment reinvestment zone, which captures native tax {dollars} and might spend them on growth.
Town must exit for that $126 million bond, Gorzell stated, nevertheless it has necessities it must get there.
The settlement for funding and setting up the stadium laid out by the town and crew officers final 12 months is just not but binding. Gorzell stated the town plans to barter definitive agreements in time to current to the council in June.
Town additionally received’t difficulty a bond till Weston City begins development on its first section of development — growth with roughly $300 million of taxable worth. The primary two phases of growth would come with a lodge and housing models, he added.
Bonds had initially been scheduled for November 2025. Gorzell stated delays in buying land from San Antonio Unbiased College District for the stadium had pushed again the bond date to 2026.
“There was so much that went into that, however that was about 4 or 5 months that modified (the timeline), after which the remainder of it has been simply persevering with our due diligence,” Gorzell stated. “The final word objective has all the time been to attempt to get to spring of 2028 for opening day. We’re nonetheless on observe to try this.”
Way forward for Nelson Wolff Stadium
The prevailing 32-year-old city-owned stadium is between U.S. Freeway 90 and Levi Strauss Park on San Antonio’s West Facet.
Town plans to redevelop the location, Gorzell stated, and can determine what, precisely, that can seem like later this 12 months. There are county parks northwest of the location and it’s additionally close to Leon Creek.
Gorzell stated the town is planning to rent a marketing consultant in June to create an idea for redevelopment and current a draft report in both September or October.
Councilman Ric Galvan (D6) represents the realm round Nelson Wolff Stadium. He was cautious about hiring a marketing consultant and stated his workplace might take the lead.
“We are able to proceed speaking a few marketing consultant,” Galvan stated. “However when it comes to main the group engagement and having this dialog, it’ll be my workplace that makes certain we’re delivering it, and makes certain we’re constructing belief locally concerning this dialog. I simply need to be clear on that.”
Mayor weighs in for the primary time
The settlement to fund and construct the brand new ballpark predates a number of new metropolis council members in addition to the mayor, who was sworn into workplace in June 2025.
“All of us weren’t round when a few of these issues had been negotiated, however now we’re definitely all going to be accountable and accountable to folks to be sure that these investments replicate the most effective [return on investment] for our group,” Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones stated on Wednesday.
Jones took the chance to ask questions concerning the deliberate growth, resident relocation and the town’s prices.
“I’d welcome some understanding of how what we’re placing in at the least will get us to breaking even contemplating all of the income that they’re getting and what we’re placing in,” she stated, noting that the town would contribute $500,000 yearly to the deliberate ballpark’s upkeep.
She’s taken the same method with proposals for a brand new downtown Spurs enviornment — making an attempt to know the mission and the town’s funding.
“It’s basically the identical assemble,” she stated of the town’s offers for the Spurs’ enviornment and the Missions’ ballpark.
COMMENTARY BY MAYOR JONES: The folks deserve our due diligence
Jones requested about Weston City’s assured growth, noting that the corporate was solely obligated to construct $575 million of growth in its first two phases. Phases three and 4, round $425 million of taxable growth, had been non-obligatory beneath the settlement between the crew and the town.
“Are there any classes discovered when it comes to the incorporation of our suggestions, when it comes to what’s included in section one in every of assured growth right here? Have we offered any suggestions when it comes to what we’d prefer to see aside from the worth?” she requested.
Downtown visitors plans
The San Antonio Missions may also start conducting a feasibility examine to have a look at the projected worth of the brand new growth and the way a lot tax income the town may generate. A remaining report could possibly be produced in June.
Gorzell additionally stated metropolis workers are going to conduct a visitors safety plan for, doubtlessly, hundreds of attendees and a displacement impression evaluation for publication within the spring. The visitors plan would think about using native parking tons and 5,000 parking spots inside strolling distance of the proposed stadium.
Gorzell stated the town has additionally deliberate to make $5 million to $6 million in adjustments to the intersection of Flores and Martin streets, closing part of Pecan avenue, a one-way, and bettering Flores Avenue.
