San Antonio’s elected leaders reached first base in a push to put a professional baseball stadium downtown.
City Council voted 9-2 on September 12 to approve an agreement with three parties to start the first of a four-phase effort and relocate the San Antonio Missions to a new downtown ballpark.
The approved pact involves Bexar County (whose commissioners haven't yet approved the deal), local developer Weston Urban, and ownership for the Double-A Minor League Baseball team, which includes entrepreneur Graham Weston, former San Antonio Spurs greats David Robinson and Manu Ginobili, and baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.
Initial plans call for construction of a 7,500-capacity stadium that can host Missions home games, plus other sports and non-sports events. The Missions currently play at the 6,200-seat Nelson Wolff Stadium in San Antonio’s West Side.
The new stadium will be built along San Pedro Creek Culture Park near Fox Tech High School. Developers plan to open it in time for the 2028 baseball season.
The deal is estimated to cost $160 million, including the land purchase and development; the Missions will chip in $34 million. The remaining funds will come from revenues of bond sales issued by a new San Pedro Creek Development Authority, and from the existing Houston Street Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone.
The project will require demolition of the neighboring Soap Factory Apartments, and relocation of tenants. The developers promise to offer $2,500 to help displaced tenants in their transition. Developers plan to redevelop the apartment property beginning in fall 2025.
Ballpark supporters said the project could spark $1 billion in new economic redevelopment around the new stadium, including a hotel and apartments.
Some backers added a new downtown Minor League Baseball stadium could get Major League Baseball’s attention, and advance efforts to build a new downtown Spurs arena. The Spurs’ lease at their current home, Frost Bank Center on the East Side, expires in 2031.
The Missions’ owners want to show MLB they are committed to a new stadium that meets MLB’s facility requirements.
“As of now the San Antonio Missions’ baseball field is positioned too far away to draw large crowds,” small business owner Heather O'Neill said. “(A new stadium) will draw people from all over the city, bring more economic growth and commerce to existing businesses, and bring new businesses to the downtown and Southtown areas.”
Project opponents said the deal was rushed, that Soap Factory tenants had no chance for input, and that displacement will hurt residents who are already financially struggling.
Still, critics such Stewart Blanton of community group COPS (Communities Organized for Public Service)/Metro are willing to give the project a chance so long as the developers engage neighbors.
“COPS/Metro is not opposed to the stadium or economic growth for San Antonio, but not at the expense of its residents,” Blanton said. “COPS/Metro will continue to watch each phase of this project, and hold the city and developers accountable to the plan.”
A sold-out crowd enjoys a San Antonio Missions game on July 4, 2024, at Wolff Stadium.
