San Antonio's minor league baseball team scores new owners, including Texas sports legends

A hometown home run

San Antonio's very own minor league baseball team is back to being locally owned. Designated Bidders LLC has purchased the San Antonio Missions from longtime franchise owner David Elmore of the Elmore Group.

Designated Bidders LLC consists of a group of of San Antonio business executives, with notable members including David Robinson, Manu Ginobili, and Henry Cisneros, among others. Ryan Sanders Baseball, an organization founded by MLB Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, Reid Ryan (who is Ryan Sanders Baseball CEO), and Don Sanders will also join Designated Bidders as owners/operators of the San Antonio Missions, according to a press release.

Ryan Sanders Baseball has 25 years of experience in the sports industry at the minor and major league levels in baseball. "Our team's dedication to excellence and the fan experience is in great alignment with the Designated Bidders group of investors, their vision and energy. This partnership will ensure the future of professional baseball in San Antonio for generations to come and we couldn't be happier to be on board for the journey," said Reid Ryan in a statement.

Designated Bidders founders Bruce Hill, Randy Smith, Bob Cohen, Peter J. Holt, and Graham Weston all come to the table with a strong track record of investing in past projects with great returns. The San Antonio Spurs, for example, won five championships during Holt's tenure as chairman of Spurs Sports & Entertainment, while Weston's development firm, Weston Urban, has also helped with the development of iconic San Antonio landmarks like Legacy Park and 300 Main.

In other words, the San Antonio Missions are in capable hands moving forward.

The release also notes that the new owners of the San Antonio Missions are well aware that Nelson Wolff Stadium must be renovated in order to meet the MLB's standards for professional development league stadiums. Randy Smith, CEO and co-founder of Weston Urban, has high hopes for the future of Nelson Wolff Stadium.

"We believe our city needs a vibrant stadium where pedestrian-friendly business, recreation, public spaces, art and culture attract the talent of today and tomorrow," Smith said in the release. "An approachable, family-friendly venue is a key component of continuing to build the city our kids will call home."

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San Antonians gather to toast Alamo City's culinary scene during blowout Tastemakers

TOAST THE TASTEMAKERS

We’ve only just recovered. After weeks of honoring the San Antonio bar and restaurant scene through a special editorial series, we finally crowned the winners on May 18 at a hotly anticipated party held at the Briscoe Museum. Guests sipped and savored while patiently waiting for us to reveal the champions.

During the exclusive VIP hour, guests received a first taste of the delicious bites from participating chefs. They also got in the first bids for silent auction items benefiting our nonprofit beneficiary, the Southern Smoke Foundation.

There were plenty of libations courtesy of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, Dripping Springs Vodka, and Epic Western. Hometown brewers Viva, Weathered Souls, and Second Pitch kept guests quenched with plenty of brews, a perfect companion to Twang’s beer salt. Guests could also grab Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water to cool off on a hot day.

Once the doors officially opened, guests were tempted by an array of succulent dishes from the nominees. Ladino, a dual nominee for Best New Restaurant and Restaurant of the Year, wowed with agristada de pishkado — a white fish bite perfect for spring weather. Bar of the Year contender Moon’s Daughter showed their culinary acumen with lamb ragu hummus. And Rebelle spoiled attendees with East Coast oysters.

Finally, the crowd gathered to congratulate this year’s crop of honorees. Cheers filled the Briscoe’s halls as KENS 5 personality Sarah Forganey revealed the winners. Throughout the night, partygoers voted in the Burger Throwdown, presented by Goodstock by Nolan Ryan, giving Southtown's Bar Loretta the ultimate prize.

Robbie Nowlin of Allora and Arrosta was named Chef of the Year, while Sofia Tejeda of Hotel Emma nabbed the Pastry Chef of the Year award. Amor Eterno and Künstler Brewing won Bar of the Year and Best Brewery, respectively.

Then, three diverse restaurants scored in the restaurant categories. East side fave The Magpie got an early boost as Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year, while CultureMap readers selected Reese Bros. BBQ as this year’s Best New Restaurant. Lastly, Pearl showcase Carriqui nabbed the biggest award of the evening — Restaurant of the Year.

It was heartwarming to see San Antonio’s culinary industry greats toasting their peers and the special connections forged between restaurants and their guests. Now that we have gotten some rest, we can’t wait to do it again next year!

Photo by Guillermo Rosas

Aaron Peña (l) and JC Salinas of Amor Eterno show off their Bar of the Year trophy.

Texas unearths new ranking as 2nd best state for urban treasure hunting

HIDDEN GEMS

If you love geocaching, antiquing, and metal detecting, you'll probably love learning that Texas is one of the best states for partaking in the art of modern treasure hunting. And if this is a brand new idea to you, there's no better day to start than May 24 – which just so happens to be National Scavenger Hunt Day.

Texas ranked No. 2 in LawnStarter's 2023 "Best States for Urban Treasure Hunting." The Lone Star State has the most metal detecting sites, pawn shops, flea markets, and geocaching locations (a total of 226!) in the nation. Additionally, our state has the second-highest number of treasure hunting groups and geo-tours, and the third-highest number of storage unit auctions.

For those who are new to the hobby and want to find some new gear, we also have the second-highest number of mining, metal detecting, and hardware supply stores out of all 50 states. Just be aware that you can't metal detect in our state parks without a permit. It's always a good idea to brush up on the rules before you start on your treasure-hunting journey.

The only state to outrank Texas is California, which the report called "a fitting outcome" for the Golden State, considering its history of gold mining in the mid-19th century and popularity in local communities. Washington, also known as "the birthplace of geocaching" ranked No. 4.

The top 10 states for urban treasure hunting include:

No. 1 – California
No. 2 – Texas
No. 3 – Florida
No. 4 – Washington
No. 5 – New York
No. 6 – Pennsylvania
No. 7 – Virginia
No. 8 – Ohio
No. 9 – Missouri
No. 10 – Arizona

At the bottom five of LawnStarter's list are Rhode Island (No. 46), Delaware (No. 47), Montana (No. 48), Wyoming (No. 49), and North Dakota (No. 50).

The full report can be found on lawnstarter.com.

Dream Tomorrow Today exhibition set to debut at San Antonio's DoSeum this June

Productive daydreaming

It's summer and you know what that means — kids are home from school, eager for new entertainment opportunities beyond what's playing on Netflix,

Thankfully, the DoSeum has stepped in just in the nick of time, debuting a new, interactive exhibition specially created by the masterminds at the DoSeum that'll engage kids of all ages in various STEM-related activities that are so fun, nobody will ever realize that they're actually learning important information.

Titled, "Dream Tomorrow Today," the exhibition is set to debut at the DoSeum officially on June 10, remaining at the DoSeum until September 24, before the exhibition goes mobile, traveling across the country in 2024.

So what kind of activities can kids expect at the Dream Tomorrow Today exhibition? Special activations include the chance to harness augmented reality (AR) to build a city, tend a community garden, design a futuristic meal, shop in a futuristic market, and more.

An interesting aspect of the Dream Tomorrow Today exhibition experience is the final part of the participatory process — each kid participating in the exhibition will be assigned a certain specialty within a STEM field based on their results in the activations throughout the exhibition. Each kid will then get transported to a Future World (all digital of course) with a special QR code personalized just for them, based on their experience at the exhibition.

Now we have mentioned kids participating in this exhibition more than once, but the Dream Tomorrow Today exhibition is in fact, open to anyone of any age who dreams of building a better future.

"Dream Tomorrow Today not only inspires individuals to make a positive impact on the future but also serves as a catalyst for change," shared DoSeum CEO Daniel Menelly via release. "We envision this exhibit as a stepping stone toward greater things, through the exhibition's presentation by our peers in other cities nationally in 2024. By igniting the imaginations of visitors and inspiring them to take action, we aim to create a brighter future for all."

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