Experts question whether San Antonio mayor can gain political support for pause on Project Marvel

San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is tripling down on her call for a “strategic pause” on negotiations with Spurs Sports & Entertainment for a new downtown basketball arena, outlining her argument during recent media appearance and in a lengthy public statement.

However, political experts said the newly minted mayor may not be able to convince City Council to go along with her plan.

University of Texas at San Antonio political scientist Jon Taylor told the Current that Jones’ call for a pause to better review the deal makes sense given the gravity of the debate around the arena and Project Marvel, the $4 billion proposed sports-and-entertainment of which it would be a part.

However, the council already rejected Jones’ call for a pause on Project Marvel negotiations during a Wednesday meeting. Taylor said that suggests the mayor may not have the political capital or public support to slow down the talks.

“Perhaps there are members of the City Council who think, well, the mayor has already made some political missteps, this might be our opportunity to press our advantage at the moment to do that,” Taylor said.

On Thursday, Jones went on Texas Public Radio talk show The Source to outline her argument to the public.

“I am not a ‘no’ [on Project Marvel], I am a ‘let’s get all the data, lay this flat for people, and let our folks know that we did the due diligence,'” Jones told host David Martin Davies.

During the interview, Jones raised questions about a potential conflict of interest around the Project Marvel economic impact analysis, released last week by consulting firm CSL International.

CSL is owned by Legends Hospitality, which is majority owned by global investment firm Sixth Street Partners. Sixth Street Partners holds a 20% stake in SS&E.

Jones also questioned why the CSL economic report didn’t include sources for its data or the methodology used to come to its conclusions.

“These are all very basic things that you would need to provide to make sure that we have confidence in those [numbers],” Jones said on the program, adding that an independent economic analysis is necessary before the city moves forward.

Jones — who oversaw a $173 billion budget during her tenure as Under Secretary of the U.S. Air Force — also warned that San Antonio may not even be able to afford a new basketball arena when the city has myriad other priorities.

Other than the $489 million the Spurs are seeking from the city plus $200 million-plus in infrastructure bond for improvements around Hemisfair, San Antonio leaders must consider 14 proposed flood-prevention projects, estimated to cost another $411 million, Jones said. She added that the San Antonio Water Systems may also request a rate increase.

Beyond all that, the city is facing a $200 million budget deficit over the next two years.

“We don’t have an endless line of credit, we can’t borrow into infinity,” Jones said.

Even so, San Antonio political strategist Bert Santibañez, who did consulting work for Jones’ mayoral campaign, said she faces strong headwinds convincing council. He told the Current that the mayor’s decision to change how Council Consideration Requests are brought before the dais without first consulting with the rest of council may have burned up some good will.

“At least from my understanding, I think that alienated some of the council members,” Santibañez said. “When you start on such a wrong footing with your own colleagues, it’s hard to get a consensus on the dais.”

UTSA’s Taylor also questioned whether Jones has the political acumen to win support from the business community, which appears to be all in with its support for Project Marvel.

Indeed, business big guns including San Antonio Zoo CEO Tim Morrow, Alamo Trust CEO Kate Rogers and former Frost Bank president Pat Frost all spoke in favor of the development at Wednesday’s meeting.

“Are we going to be seeing her going to the Chambers of Commerce or business groups downtown?” Taylor said. “Are we seeing her meet with various heavyweight business community types, especially activists in the community, where she can get buy-in on this and get something together? I’m not seeing that.”

Santibañez speculated the business community is politically influencing some council members behind the scenes to support Project Marvel rather than Jones.

“I think [a pause is] mostly dead in the water at this point,” Santibañez said. “It’s an uphill battle for Mayor Jones, for sure.”

Indeed, former mayors Ron Nirenberg and Henry Cisneros, in a Thursday interview with News4SA’s Don Harris, rebuked Jones’ call for a pause. Those high-profile leaders’ comments may carry significant weight with council members and the public.

“I worry that as loyal as the Spurs have been to San Antonio and as loyal as San Antonians have been to the Spurs, there are other cities that badly want a basketball team,” Cisernos said.

Jones has until Aug. 21 – the arbitrary deadline set by the Spurs to secure a non-binding agreement with the city – to garner support from the public and her colleagues to her cause. She’ll also get to a on the agenda.

Stay tuned.

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This article appears in Aug 7-20, 2025.