San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is “amping up her efforts to delay negotiations” over a downtown Spurs arena and surrounding sports and entertainment district, but a group of City Council colleagues are not “having it,” according to Iszler & Smith of the SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS. Jones said that she wants a “more in-depth analysis of the financial benefits of the arena and the district” as a whole than what was in a report that consulting firm CSL International recently delivered to council members. She told reporters at a news conference yesterday that City Manager Erik Walsh “agreed to come back” to council members with a “new ‘scope of work’ for such a study.” Jones said, “It’s really important that as we’re negotiating on such a major development, we’re doing the due diligence the people of San Antonio have requested.” Iszler & Smith noted the “majority” of Jones’ council colleagues do not “want to put talks with the Spurs and Bexar County on ice.” They are “pushing for a vote as soon as Aug. 21″ if the parties have finalized a term sheet for an agreement. Walsh “did not appear to share Jones’ position” that city negotiators cannot “wrap up the term sheet until there’s a new report.” City staffers “expect the arena alone to cost” $1.3B to $1.5B, but they are still “finalizing a price tag” with Spurs Sports & Entertainment. Some $500M “would come from SS&E, which has also agreed to cover any cost overruns.” The city “could contribute between” $350M and $500M (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 8/11).
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