City council members request special meeting on planned Sports and Entertainment District

SAN ANTONIO – City Council members from Districts 1, 5, and 7 are asking for a special meeting ahead of key end-of-year negotiations tied to the city’s planned new Spurs arena and the broader Sports & Entertainment District.

In a press release dated June 25, 2026, the three districts said they filed a three-signature memo requesting a special City Council meeting to discuss creating a framework and community input process for the $75 million Community Benefits Agreement and other definitive documents for the new Spurs arena. The council members said contractual negotiations are scheduled to be finalized by the end of the year, but they want additional discussion now about the Community Benefits Agreement and broader community benefits before final agreements are signed.

The request cites “ongoing calls from the public for more community involvement” and references a Community Benefits Agreement Oversight Commission Council Consideration Request filed in December 2025 by District 1 Councilmember Dr. Sukh Kaur.

“As the City considers a $489 million investment in the Sports & Entertainment District, San Antonio residents deserve a clear and meaningful role in determining how the community benefits will serve our neighborhoods,” said District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo. “It’s our responsibility to ensure this project delivers on real community benefits for the people who call San Antonio home, in addition to supporting sectors like affordable housing and workforce opportunities.”

“As the Sports & Entertainment District moves forward, San Antonio residents deserve an impactful voice in shaping how community benefits are delivered,” said District 1 Councilmember Dr. Sukh Kaur. “This agreement must ensure tangible outcomes for San Antonio residents. Our neighbors have voiced priorities such as affordable housing, workforce development, and early childcare. By establishing a clear framework and robust public input process now, we can build trust, strengthen accountability, and ensure that community priorities help shape the benefits that will impact generations to come.”

“The priorities of our community are my priority, and right now we have a real chance to deliver on them,” said District 7 Councilmember Marina Alderete-Gavito. “The Spurs committed $75 million to our city, and we owe it to residents to put that money to work. That starts with a clear plan shaped by our neighbors.”

In the three-signature memorandum dated June 25, 2026, and addressed to City Clerk Debbie Racca-Sittre, the council members wrote that while contractual and other legal agreements related to the Sports & Entertainment District continue to progress, public and City Council discussions about the Community Benefits Agreement outlined in the term sheet “and larger community benefits opportunities” have not advanced.

The memo states the City should “swiftly develop and implement a process as part of the definitive document negotiations to guide the future expenditure of the $75 million CBA and any other public benefits opportunities,” and says discussions should be founded on the city’s Ten Principles of Public Participation, including “meaningful, transparent, inclusive, and timely participation.”

Under Article II, Section 11 of the San Antonio City Charter, the council members requested a special City Council meeting to discuss and take action on two items: developing a Community Benefits Agreement framework tied to the proposed commitment of $75 million over 30 years by Spurs Sports & Entertainment, and developing a process to solicit community input from artists, labor representatives, small businesses, and neighborhood and community groups on proposed agreements related to the Sports & Entertainment District and incorporate that feedback into applicable definitive documents.

The council members requested the special meeting be convened no later than Aug. 7, 2026, citing the Texas Open Meetings Act. Copies of the memo were sent to City Manager Erik Walsh and City Attorney Andy Segovia.