Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai appeared to develop a serious bout of amnesia during a Friday candidate forum, telling a packed room he was never in favor of Project Marvel, the pricy plan to develop a downtown sports-and-entertainment complex.
“I did not support Project Marvel, it will do nothing for the East Side,” Sakai said during the East Side gathering. “Land Bridge? New hotel downtown? Remove the [SAWS] chiller station? A $4-$5 billion project? Where is the benefit to the equity of the East Side?”
Sakai continued: “I understand, the public has made it very clear that they do not like Project Marvel. I opposed the concepts of Project Marvel because I see no community benefit to the East Side.”
Sakai’s about-face was so wild that his challenger in the Democratic primary, Ron Nirenberg, appeared gobsmacked. For a moment it looked like the former San Antonio mayor had seen a ghost.
“I think we heard breaking news here tonight,” Nirenberg said in response, “because this is the first time I’ve heard Judge Sakai say he is against Project Marvel. He put it on the ballot.”
Not only did Sakai vote in favor of putting both Props A and B on the ballot — which allowed the public to vote for Project Marvel and a creating year-round East Side rodeo grounds — he actively campaigned in favor of both measures. The judge even appeared in an online video posted by the Spurs-aligned Win Together PAC telling Bexar County residents to “vote yes.”
“I get it. Critics will do what critics do,” Sakai says in the clip. “But, come on — name me one other project that will bring in $2 billion in private investment.”
Huh?
It’s also worth mentioning that Sakai appeared onstage alongside Spurs Sports & Entertainment’s CEO RC Buford and San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo CEO Cody Davenport for an Oct. 16 event that was less of a State of the County address than a campaign rally for Project Marvel.
“The county venue tax election is an opportunity for economic revitalization and for the East Side and the downtown arena,” Sakai proclaimed at that time.
Double huh?
It’s one thing for the judge to change his mind and realize that Project Marvel and the year-round-rodeo concepts voters approved likely won’t play out as promised. But, it’s a completely different thing to say he never supported Project Marvel to begin with — especially when there’s plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise.
When it comes to throwing support behind questionable development, Nirenberg’s got baggage of his own. After all, this is the guy who voted to demolish the Soap Factory Apartments, a rare low-cost downtown housing complex, to make way for a new minor-league baseball stadium.
But, at least Nirenberg’s consistent.
Meanwhile, Sakai’s pivot is so abrupt it left heads spinning during Friday night’s forum.
So which one is it, Peter? Do you support Project Marvel? Or, were you always secretly against it, but didn’t have the cojones to stand up to Bexar County’s monied interests?
Sakai will have the chance to clarify his remarks, or perhaps change his mind once again, during a debate Tuesday at Stable Hall.
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